Meet the Teachers Monday: Kerry McGinn
Up next for #meettheteachermonday for Yoga Lee!
It’s been a minute since we’ve updated our meet the teacher mondays blog and for today we have– owner Kerry McGinn up!
Kerry is the heart and soul of Yoga Lee
Tell us about your first yoga class- did you love it? hate it? what kind of class was it?
My first yoga class was Bikram Yoga when I was still in High School. I went with my dad and I think I was mildly hungover. I remembered they locked the door and wouldn’t let us out and I almost threw up and passed out. It was awful and I still went back and tried again. After that, I didn’t practice yoga for quite a few years. I started again in College taking a class in our Student Resource center from time to time but I really started to fall in love after my Junior year of college. I played college lacrosse and my spring semester of my Junior year I was really sick, in and out of the hospital and in a boatload of pain. As I was recovering, the doctors told me I could only do low impact exercises– enter yoga. After not moving my body for almost 4 months, I was so excited to do SOMETHING and I fell in love. I went to a 90 minute class once a week while interning at a Physical Therapy office. From there, I practiced on and off until I returned to Boston after college for a job (and to apply for graduate school) and that’s where the story continues.
What made you want to take your first 200 hour YTT?
After graduating from college, I knew I wanted to go to Physical Therapy school. I took a year off to take some pre-requisites and get some experiences in the field. During this time I was practicing yoga consistently at a local studio. I applied to 9 Physical Therapy schools that year and did not get into a single one. I was devastated and felt like a failure. Shortly after that my Nanny (my grandmother) passed away and I inherited a small sum of money. The day I found out about the money I walked into my local yoga studio and saw they were hosting a 200 hour yoga teacher training that was the exact amount as what I had just inherited. It felt like a sign from the universe and on an impulse I signed up.
In the next year, I retook the GREs, I completed my 200 hour Yoga teacher training, took more pre requisites, worked as a personal trainer and a physical therapy aide AND I reapplied to graduate school. It was a lot but it changed my path in the best way.
P.S. after my first weekend of YTT I was so stressed out and overwhelmed I almost quit…I am SO so glad I didn’t
What made you want to teach yoga?
I have always loved sports and being active and challenging my physical body. I was already a personal trainer pursuing my Physical Therapy degree when I decided to become a yoga teacher and I loved helping other people feel good in their bodies. I also loved having a job that had me moving all day and trying new things!
While I loved personal training, there was something missing– a deeper philosophy, the mind to the mind body, a deeper link to myself. Yoga was the missing link that helped me put the mind and the body together. It helped my mental body more than my physical body.
What is your FAVORITE class to teach at Yoga Lee? What is your favorite class to take at Yoga Lee?
Oh goodness I love all of our classes. Right now I have been having so much fun getting creative and teaching our Burn and flow and feel strong classes. I love seeing people learn that they can be strong AND flexible, capable AND mobile. While these are not traditional yoga formats and some might think they are not “yoga”, as a Physical Therapist, I do think they have a space in my studio because they help support students physical body and asana practice and help prevent injury as well as improve their ability to tackle all they want to do in their lives. One of my goals at Yoga Lee is to create a place where people can nourish their mind, bodies and souls and find the tools to be unstoppable in living their best lives.
I personally LOVE taking a good hot, sweaty power flow class. It is where I started the practice and when I need a good old brain reset, it hits the spot.
What is something that Yoga has taught you?
Yoga has taught me that my body and my mind are intimately connected and they are not something to be judged. The circumstances of each day fluctuate and shift and change and a part of life is noticing and being aware of these fluctuations without attachment to it being right or wrong. Yoga has helped me develop a deeper awareness of who I am and who I want to be. AS someone who has struggled with chronic illness and pain, yoga has been a way back to myself.
What is something you wish you could tell every yoga student that walked into your class?
I wish every student knew a few things
There is no right or wrong way to practice yoga– I truly believe there is a type of yoga for everyone and that my yoga is not better than your yoga. I believe that everyone finds what they need in a given moment
Your body (and mind) are so much stronger and more resilient than you know. Social media, modern medicine, the media want you to believe that you are broken or wrong. You are SO strong and your body is stronger than you know
When a yoga teacher says, listen to your body and do what you need in this class, THEY MEAN IT. especially at yoga lee– feel free to lay on your mat in silence for 60 minutes
What other forms of movement and exercise do you love?
All types of movement- hiking, biking, strength training, rock climbing, skiing, pilates, running. I will try anything once really and probably twice.
Drop your favorite playlist/musicians/songs below.
I love music that is all over the place— a pop punk kid at heart who loves country music, pop music and classical. I don’t always ahve the time for it these days but I LOVE making new playlists.
You can find me on spotify here: Kerry’s Spotify
One of my goals this year is to organize my spotify a bit more.
Tell us one fun fact about you!
I have to share more than one
I was born with webbed toes and no toenails– I think it’s cute lol
I am a Taurus rising, Taurus sun and sagittarius moon– Taurus through and and through.
I am a Enneagram 2 (wing 3) and a projector in human design.
I’ve lived in Australia and Ireland and would love to go back to both!
What's your favorite snack?
I love popcorn and pretzels, oh and chocolate.
Last but not least, what's the best way to your heart?
Kind words, big hugs, cozy blankets, twinkly lights and good food– a true taurus through and through.