Today we’d like to introduce you to Danielle Anderson.
Hi Danielle, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I was introduced to yoga and fitness when I was a junior at Rice University in Houston, Texas. I majored in Electrical Engineering, and after I graduated worked as an IT Consultant for Accenture. Fast forward a few years and I was preparing for the birth of my first son. I began to prepare my mind and body for the natural birth I hoped for. I did have that natural birth and it was amazing. From there, my passion for fitness and maternal health began to merge. I had a long time goal to become a certified yoga and fitness instructor, but I kept getting pregnant! I had 4 babies, 4 beautiful boys in 6 years, and eventually transitioned to a stay-at-home home educator, so I was pretty busy!
In 2013 our family was struck with the unexpected loss of one of those beautiful boys, and it felt like my world collapsed. It was in what I call the school of suffering, that I began to learn the whole health practices that I teach today. I realized the beauty of our integrated design and began to understand that everything affected everything else – my mind affected my body, my body affected how I felt emotionally, my emotions affected how I felt spiritually, and around around it went. In my journey I began to learn the importance of feeling your feelings, giving yourself permission to grieve, and also how the past plays out in our present. This has sent me on a path of study that enables all my work to be trauma-conscious. Over the past 8 years, I have studied so much more about our beautiful, integrated design and am now a 200HR Yoga instructor, and a nationally-certified group fitness instructor, with specializations in Pilates, Group Cycling, TRX and Prenatal fitness. I am also a full-spectrum doula.
I recognize that many of us, expend ample amounts of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual energy to operate in our various roles well, and can often feel depleted, potentially headed towards burnout. As a Black woman, a mom, a doula, a fitness instructor, church member and speaker, I am passionate about teaching whole health and creating safe spaces for us to rest and restore. My hope is that we might experience more of God, God’s abundance, and become agents of healing in our circles of influence.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all, but it has been a journey of joy. I have had to battle a lot of self-doubt and negative self-talk. I have a huge support system that has been cheering me on for years, but I had to get to a point where I believed what they were saying. I had to work to believe that I have wisdom and skills that will add to the quality of life of others.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I like to call myself a Bible teaching yoga-and-fitness-instructing speaker & doula. Everything I do revolves around teaching whole health in some capacity.
As a speaker, I teach courses and workshops centered around wellness, or what I often refer to as whole health. I have various workshops and have developed a group course called the Mind Body Soul Wellness Course that I bring to churches, schools and other organizations to help promote a culture of wellness. The course consists of a variety of wellness topics and can easily be customized to the needs of each organization. Because I believe practicing together is so important, each week during the course we are going to get on the mat and practice restorative yoga – which helps us to practice what we’re learning in the course. We are going to intentionally take time out of the week to practice being still, checking in with our mind and body, and doing breathwork. It is a treat to our nervous system!
As a yoga and fitness instructor, I teach virtual and in-person classes. Group classes and private. It is no surprise to me that my most popular class is my 60-minute Restorative Yoga class. It has been such a privilege to come alongside my students and share space with them during that time. Our culture values productivity and business, and this class is all about slowing down and resting.
As a full-spectrum doula, I support women who are pregnant, would like to become pregnant, or are in the postpartum season immediately following birth. I count it an honor to be invited to that sacred space. My services as a doula vary from client to client. For one I may offer emotional support during pregnancy and help her craft affirmations to cultivate a healthy perspective of pregnancy and labor. For another I may only see her during my prenatal yoga classes. For another I may provide in-person or virtual birth doula services. And for the postpartum mom, I may help her to begin some wellness practices to promote physical and mental health in that delicate season.
I think what sets me apart from others is my knowledge about our integrated design. I can speak to trauma and the mind and the body, which adds a robustness to my offerings.
I am most proud that I am not just teaching this stuff – I practice it myself. One of my favorite songs is Beyonce’s Bigger and in it, she says “I’m not just preaching’ I’m taking my own advice.” What I teach has become a lifestyle for me. So I can easily empathize and share personal stories about what it was like for me to build a certain practice into my rhythms. I think that allows for an authenticity that my clients really appreciate.
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I think as people come to realize the pace of life that we have sustained so long is taxing us in dangerous ways, I believe the need for these whole health services is going to soar. I think we have already seen it some with COVID, but people are still waking up to habits in their own life that are not beneficial. I believe that cultural shifts are going to continue to take place in churches and schools and workplaces, and they will need help to incorporate new, healthy and life-giving practices.
Pricing:
- Signature Wellness Workshop for Groups starts at $1500
- Doula Service Packages start at $850
- Monthly Subscription to Virtual Yoga & Fitness Classes $39
- 13-Week Wellness Experience for Individuals $497
- Private Coaching or Yoga Classes start at $65
Contact Info:
- Email: info@wellwithdanielle.net
- Website: https://www.wellwithdanielle.net
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/danielle.l.anderson/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/danielle.g.anderson.3
Image Credits:
Hannah Coleman
