Finding her bliss

By Tina Sillers, For the Post-Record Behind the Safeway in Washougal near the Goodwill donation center and Pure Wellness Chiropractic sits a quaint space where locals go to get their yoga on. It is called Body Bliss Yoga, and for those who aren't familiar with the location, it's easy to miss. The 1,300-square-foot space includes a full-service yoga studio, where many locals go to get their daily workout in. The studio has been located in Washougal since 2012, but recently went through a few major changes. In January, the studio's original owner, Angie Cherry, handed the keys over to the new owner, Jacquie Michelle. Michelle, who had been teaching at Body Bliss for the past four years, purchased the studio and said she could not be more excited for her dream to become reality. "(The studio is a) special space and we didn't want someone from outside the community taking it over," Michelle, of Camas, said. The new Body Bliss owner first discovered yoga at the age of 19. In 2013, she began studying to become a yoga instructor. Later that year, Michelle trained to become a children's yoga teacher. Since then, she has completed hundreds of hours of training. Her current classes include vinyasa, hatha flow and yoga fundamentals. She also runs the children and family programs at Body Bliss. Family is very important to Michelle. "Without their support, I would not be where I am today," she said of her own family. Through her new role as business owner, Michelle hopes to show her 10-year-old son that if he works hard, he can achieve his goals. Through her website, bloomingheartwellness.com, the Body Bliss owner connects with the online community by providing health coaching, a library of healthy recipes and various podcasts. Michelle and her staff already teach dozens of yoga and movement classes each week for beginners through advanced level yoga students. Every team member is certified. The studio even offers beginner classes for folks who want to learn the basics before moving on to other, more challenging classes. All the things clients love about Body Bliss will remain the same, Michelle said, but there are a few things she will change up. For instance, Michelle would like to put more effort into the studio's children's program. Body Bliss currently offers youth and family classes, but Michelle hopes to expand the schedule and even work with Camas and Washougal school districts to bring yoga onto various campuses. She said her vision is to "create a community space where people of all ages are practicing together." With all the stressors out there for children, Michelle believes yoga can be a valuable tool for youth to regulate their emotions. One idea she is also working on is trying to offer yoga as an alternative to recess at local schools. Another important part of Michelle's vision is making yoga accessible and affordable to everyone. The studio offers happy hour classes at $8, which is half the normal drop-in rate. New students who have not tried yoga at Body Bliss in the past can try it out for two weeks for $25. Students who sign up after the introductory two weeks will receive a 20-percent discount on their first month's membership. An average monthly pass at Body Bliss costs $99. Scholarships are available. For more information about the Washougal yoga studio and the new owner or to view a list of classes and yoga instructor bios, visit bodyblissyogastudio.com. Body Bliss Yoga is located at 3307 Evergreen Way in Washougal.

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