Beth Zeigler, MA, LPC, LFYP

Beth is a Georgia Licensed Professional Counselor, Registered Yoga Instructor, and Certified LifeForce Yoga® practitioner.

Beth's passion for yoga developed after graduate school when she began to notice the positive physical and psychological benefits she gained from her personal yoga practice. Yoga became her most effective tool in managing stress and anxiety and staying fit. She began to learn more about the philosophy of yoga, explored the different types of yoga and continued to develop her own personal practice as well as becoming trained as an instructor. She then began to explore using yoga to improve fitness as well as a treatment in mental health issues.

Beth is YogaFit Certified in Levels 1-5, Pre-natal and Seniors. She also spent a week at Kripalu studying with Amy Weintraub to become a certified LifeForce Yoga Practitioner, trained to use yoga in the treatment of depression, anxiety, dysthymia and PTSD. Beth is currently continuing her studies in the Pranakriya Yoga Therapy Program in Atlanta. She recently completed training with Marlysa Sullivan in functional anatomy and yoga therapy, using yoga in the treatment for common physical conditions as such as arthritis and back pain.

Beth leads a variety of yoga classes and also holds private yoga therapy sessions for those interested in a personalized yoga plan. She has a genuine, compassionate and accepting approach with her students. She strives to create a non-competitive, safe and relaxing environment in her sessions and classes. She teaches classes for all levels and encourages students to self pace by listening to their bodies. Anyone can practice yoga, no experience or flexibility is required to start. Do what you can with what you have, where you are now, without judgment. Acceptance is the heart of yoga, and the key to creating positive changes.

"Beth, I thought that your Yoga class last Wednesday was wonderful. You have a very calming and encouraging voice and manner, and the entire introduction was really a pleasure.  On Thursday morning, I had none of the aches and stiffness that I usually have after evening tennis! I am sure that must be from the great stretching the Yoga provided."

"I was very pleased with the Yoga Beginner Series with Beth as our teacher. It gave me the opportunity to know the basis of Yoga and now I am hooked! Thanks Beth!"

"REALLY enjoy the yoga classes! It's become a part of my 6-day/week routine...I can't go more than 2 days without it!"

"I absolutely loved Beth's class and since I do work and school FT right now I cannot attend yet. But, I thought the price was VERY fair and I really felt great afterwards."

"The yoga classes were wonderful. The schedule and descriptions of classes were very helpful, particularly in telling people to not be competitive or self-conscious. The facility and equipment are so clean; and the instructor is excellent as a diagnostician, giving attention to each participant."

"I have Spondylitis (Arthritis on the spine) at age 36 it took 2 years for the doctors to find the cause of the pain, inflexibility, fatigue, weight gain and eye infections which I thought has nothing to do with my back pain. As it turns out they were all signs of Spondylitis. I had to take medications 2 times a day which was not really helping. The next step was going to be injections that I could not pay for along with yoga classes. Two months later I do yoga and body sculpting with Beth. I love the classes they are not fast paced but are hard work and very helpful I have more flexibility, I have lost 6 pounds so far even with the holidays. I can tie my own shoes and my kids if need be. But most of all I am HAPPY again and have little or no pain."

Some of the many benefits of adding a regular yoga practice to your fitness routine:

• An increase in GABA levels, a neurotransmitter which helps induce relaxation and sleep. Low levels of GABA have been correlated with depression.
• An increase in Serotonin, a neurotransmitter contributing to feelings of well-being.
• Increases in alpha and theta brain waves. When a person is relaxed they are usually in an alpha state. Theta waves are a deeper state of mental relaxation and can often be accompanied by a flight of ideas and creativity.
• Reduction in the stress hormone Cortisol.
• Increase in the feel good hormones of Oxytocin and Prolactin.
• Increase in Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and balance of nervous system. This improves the body’s ability to move naturally through the different states of arousal, balancing the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.
• Improves bioavailability of oxygen and glucose the building blocks of neurotransmitters.
• Relaxes chronic muscle tension.
• Improves oxygen absorption and carbon dioxide elimination.
• Improves memory, cognitive functioning and visual perception.
• Elevation of mood
• Decrease in symptoms of anxiety and depression
• Improved sleep
• Reduction of pain associated with chronic tension
• Greater self-awareness and ability to self-regulate mood
• Increase in lean muscle mass and strength
• improved core strength and posture
• Increased flexibility and mobility

Beth also leads an experiential yoga therapy group at Atlanta Center for Eating Disorders. For more information about this group, visit http://www.eatingdisorders.cc/schedules.html

Click here to request an appointment with Beth