As a life-long athlete, movement has always been healing for me, and is also the foundation of my own mental health. After a serious injury (I tore my achilles tendon!), I was forced to move in a more supportive and gentle way, which was how I discovered yoga. My practice provides opportunity to slow down, deeply connect with myself and create more awareness around just about everything in my life.

I've been teaching for 10 years in a variety of places - big cities, beachy tourist destinations, and small mountain towns. It's important to me to be welcoming and supportive and teach to who is in the room, which usually requires me to go off plan. If you experience physical and mental challenges, suffer from pain or injury, or are experiencing changes due to the aging, you might enjoy my classes.

I am also nearly finished with my graduate program and will earn my Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I aim to specialize in supporting women and teens in Colorado and am currently completing clinical hours in person and online with Collaborative Trauma Solutions. I see clients in Montrose and Telluride currently.

I also offer slow Thai massage sessions, which include osteo-thai work, specifically with deep abdominal massage.  Benefits include increased blood flow and circulation, more flexibility, release of pain, stress and tension, and easing symptoms of anxiety and depression.

I’m originally from Mpls-St.Paul, Minnesota. I've lived in NYC before relocating to San Pancho, which is located on the Pacific coast of Mexico, and currently live in Telluride, Colorado with my fella and my rescue dog, Rosita. I'm an award-winning baker, love to cook, grow plants, spend time outdoors, take walks, and lead workshops helping women navigate peri/menopause. 

Certifications + Training
200 Hour Certification – The Yoga Project, NY (dba Brooklyn Yoga Project) 2014
75 Hour Advanced Kula-Style Teacher Training w/ Schuyler Grant, Nikki Vilella + Lauren Haythe– Kula Yoga Project, NYC 2016
​30 Hour Katonah Yoga Mentorship w/ Nevine Michaan, Kyle Henry & Dages Juvelier Keates - 2020 
30 Hour Iyengar Style Teacher Mentorship w/ Nikki Costello - NYC 2017
Gentle Yoga Training w/ Mary Bolton - San Pancho, Mexico 2018
Advanced Adjustments w/ Wayne Krasner, Nayarit, Mexico 2019
Therapeutic Thai Massage Certification - Thai Massage School of Chiangmai 2018
​Advanced Thai Techniques - David Roma + Kelly Scott 2022

Testimonials
Gretchen’s athleticism, spirituality and strength flow gracefully through every class. A natural teacher, Gretchen calmly encourages, appropriately challenges, and positively inspires every student. Gretchen personalizes instruction in a way that makes all participants feel valued for who they are and what they are able to do in the studio. Perhaps most importantly, Gretchen is a wonderful person. Kindness, generosity and care radiate from her being - allowing all practitioners to feel valued, respected and loved. – Jim B.

Gretchen has the unique ability to get the best and most out of you in part because she is candid and honest in her teaching, incorporating into classes her personal experiences in a novel way. She is authentic in every sense and this pushes you to really ‘let go’. Her classes are always different and challenging yet engaging and as a bonus the music is perfectly suited to each sequence of movement. – Natacha & Anthony W.

Gretchen’s classes are that magical/sought after balance of physical challenge and higher-level thinking/stimulation. She always works hard to ensure that everyone feels welcomed, and is engaged at whatever place they’re tuning in from that day. Always encouraging, always good-natured, always a great class. – Milou G.

Gretchen is calm and measured in her instruction, always managing to create the perfect pace of movement. Not only does she provide an incredible workout, but she also encourages me to let go of insecurities and focus on my practice. She finds the humanity in yoga, whether she’s sharing a personal anecdote to help ground us, reading a carefully chosen passage to inspire us, or using her magic hands to make clear and personalized adjustments. – Mae F.