Hello, friends, and Happy New Year

If you’re new here – or maybe it’s been a while – I thought I’d begin the year with a brief reintroduction.

I’m Nicole, a certified yoga therapist and registered yoga teacher.

In the most fundamental nutshell possible:
I teach people to slow down.

My first career was as a graphic designer, believe it or not. Somewhere along the way, I started taking Sunday night Restorative yoga classes – and I was surprised (and relieved, of course!) when it eased the weekly Monday-morning anxiety attacks that I’d been having.

Then, at the encouragement of one of my teachers, I took my first yoga teacher training in 2013. And as things often do when we’re open – sometimes before we fully know what we’re opening to – everything began to shift.

What started as personal curiosity became a life-changing path of study and service. Now, here I am, full-time in the yoga world. To date: countless hours of personal practice, 1,900+ hours of training, and 3,100+ hours of teaching – yet I still feel like I’m only just beginning. Today, my work includes leading group classes, offering private sessions, and hosting special events throughout the year. (Some of you have been asking – yes, some day I will offer retreats again!)

What continues to surprise me, even now, is how powerful yoga can be – not as a performance or a quick fix, but as a steady companion. A way of staying anchored in this strange and beautiful world. I’ve seen it in my own life, and I’ve witnessed how it helps students and clients meet themselves with more clarity and kindness. Most of us have something to gain from slowing down, listening more closely, and learning how to recognize our own wisdom. Most of us could use a little more balance and peace – or at the very least, fewer moments of feeling like everything is on fire. Yoga is a powerful, multi-dimensional way to cultivate that.

As we move into 2026, I am excited to have several special events in the works, and I’ve opened space for new private clients (for yoga or yoga therapy). If you’re curious about what working together might look like, I’m always happy to answer questions and help you discern what kind of support might be most useful.

Outside of my professional life, I’m an avid reader and photographer, as well as a lover of the outdoors, camping, travel, living room dance parties, and naps. I find deep peace in soaking at the day spa, tending my small deck garden, watching the birds, and noticing the small pleasures each season brings. I’m a fan of Kurt Vonnegut’s reminder: “Enjoy the little things in life, because one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things.” And I believe that I’ve been drawn to teach what I’ve most needed to learn. I’m a daughter, sister, partner, friend, and auntie, and completely smitten with my quirky little senior dog.

Thank you for being here – for reading, practicing, and staying in relationship with me and this work. I’m grateful to share this ongoing exploration of how to stay soft, compassionate, and hopeful in a world that so often tries to harden, numb, and divide us.

As this new year unfolds, my hope is that we each find kind, steady ways to care for our bodies, our nervous systems, and one another – even when (especially when) it feels hard.

With gratitude & openness,
Nicole

PS. If you want to read an even longer version of my yoga life story, check out my About page.

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Happy New Year! (A Reintroduction + A Gift for You)

Nicole Bratt Yoga