Yoga for youth caregivers

A Lakeshore woman is giving parents and caregivers of medically compromised children a way to deal with stress through yoga.

Missi Chenier, 44,

is a mother of two and the creator of Yoga for Caregivers YQG. Yoga for Caregivers YQG is a free yoga program that provides techniques to help deal with stress that comes from caring for children with critical medical conditions or mental disabilities.

 

Chenier’s daughter Emma, 19, was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis at seven months old and diabetes at 12 years old. Chenier works full-time and juggles taking care of Emma with work and the rest of her family. These factors caused stress, anxiety and caused depression for Chenier, so she turned to yoga to help.

“It was through this practice that I learned how to be comfortable in my own skin, I learned how to be present in the situation and I learned how to breathe,” Chenier said. “So, when things go bad, I’m still breathing, I’m still present, I don’t tune out and I don’t have that feeling that I need to get away from everything.”

After experiencing how yoga helped her, Chenier took classes to teach yoga to other people. Chenier said teaching other people is a way of paying back to everyone that has helped her and her family.

“I knew that I wanted to share this with other people. There’s a real loneliness that comes from having a child that’s sick and you see it in the hospital,” said Chenier.

Chenier has gained support from other businesses and friends who believe in her goal. Rasha Ingratta is a broker from Mortgage Intelligence and a friend of Chenier. Ingratta sponsors Yoga for Caregivers YQG. Ingratta said that when asked by Chenier if Ingratta would support her, Ingratta did so without hesitation.

“I know there’s a need out there for people that need programs like this, I want to help Missi offer this program to the public so people can enjoy yoga at no cost. Missi loves to give and  I thank her for the opportunity and I enjoy being part of this,” Ingratta said.

With ways to deal with her stress through yoga, Chenier wants to provide people who deal with similar situations she does a way to improve themselves without affecting them financially. Yoga for Caregivers YQG holds classes at the Blossoming Lotus Yoga studio in La Salle.

“My stress is higher but my reaction to that stress is different. I’m not finding myself sick, I’m not finding myself calling in sick to work, I’m not going through these periods of depression or anxiety,” said Chenier. “It’s made my marriage better. It’s made my relationship with my kids, my friends, my family, with myself better and that’s the only change I’ve made. I haven’t done anything different, so it’s got to be the yoga.”