Danielle McDonald-Bourbeau opens new Hubbardston yoga studio to support journey within
The journey within continues in Hubbardston.
Following the sudden closing over the summer of the Wellness Hub after a successful 10 years in business, Danielle McDonald-Bourbeau, a yoga teacher and studio manager at the center, wanted to continue the mission to bring balance and harmony to the community.
Her new studio, Journey Within Wellness and Yoga opened at 48 Gardner Road on September 1, and McDonald-Bourbeau said she was excited to go into business for herself and offer a space for the local yoga community to pursue inner serenity through breathing and movement.
“The decision to close Wellness Hub was announced to staff in mid-July, and I had about a week or so to decide if this was what I was going to do, and I just couldn’t let it end – I needed to keep that community going,” explained McDonald-Bourbeau, who lives in Phillipston. “I think it’s important for people to have a place to come and know they will be safe and supported as they journey through their wellness.”
In addition to yoga, Journey Within will offer grief support, mindset coaching, sound baths, and holistic healing. Among the classes on the studio’s schedule are Candlelight Reiki, Yogalignment, Tai Chi, Vinyasa Flow, and Chair Yoga. McDonald-Bourbeau said she hopes to offer massage therapy at the studio in the future.
Yoga growing in popularity in Greater Gardner
There was a growing need in Greater Gardner for a holistic approach to achieving a healthier and happier life, according to McDonald-Bourbeau, who added that in addition to yoga instructors, her staff of six employees would include grief counselors and energy healers. Denise Cerrati, who has led popular yoga classes in Monument Park in Gardner for the past two summers, is a staff member at Journey Within.
“People in our fast-paced culture are living under chronic stress, and not really understanding how to manage that,” McDonald-Bourbeau explained, adding that constant stress could lead to illness, poor sleep, and other health problems. “So, we focus on nervous system restoration and offer a way for people to reset from that chronic stress and burnout.”
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Yoga also offers a lifeline to anyone looking to manage chronic pain, she said.
“A couple of clients in particular come to mine, one of whom was nearly bed-ridden almost a year ago but through regular and consistent practice is finding less pain, the ability to move more freely, and a return from the depression she experienced trying to manage chronic pain,” McDonald-Bourbeau said.
Studio offering free yoga classes during open house
She urged anyone interested in learning more about how they might benefit both physically and emotionally from yoga to experiment with the different styles and teachers that the center offered.
“Because we all bring our own unique flavor to our classes,” McDonald-Bourbeau explained. “I would say to anyone who is hesitant to give it a try. I think if you are able to breathe, you are able to benefit from yoga.”
Residents curious about giving yoga a shot will have the opportunity to try it out for themselves this weekend. The Journey Within studio will hold an open house on Oct. 7, during which all morning classes will be offered for free. A meet-and-greet with the studio’s staff will be held from noon until 2 p.m.
This article originally appeared on Gardner News: Hubbardston yoga studio, Journey Within Wellness, teaches balance
