I run and host the following weekly programs:
Mondays
Mindfulness Group
11am-noon EST
Practice tuning in to your body, breath, thoughts, and emotions to encourage health and wellbeing in all parts of your life. These sessions will begin with mindful walking, move to a few mindful moments to make us more comfortable for our sit, proceed to a different guided meditation each week, and then finish with mindful listening where participants share how practices are working for them inside and outside of our class time. *UCCC has a private YouTube account for participants to access recordings at any time you'd like. Mindfulness meditations are uploaded twice a month.*
Tuesdays
Barre Fitness (Low Impact Dance Workout)
10-11am EST
Inspired by a combination of ballet barre technique, standing Pilates repertoire, rehabilitative exercises, and aerobics, this low impact workout will get you dancing along to the beat of classic songs. We will use a chair as a “barre” to add stability and support to our workout, while engaging in movements focused on targeting specific muscle groups, training our balance, and improving our posture. The class will slowly build up from warm ups to more complex sequences to a nice cool down, helping you work not just your physical and cardiovascular endurance, but also keep your memory sharp. And hey, you can even play “Name That Tune” or sing along when your body needs a break!
Wednesdays
Chair Yoga
11am-noon EST
This chair yoga and exercise class will focus on increasing range of motion and mobility, encouraging circulation, and improving breathing mechanics to optimize physical and physiological health. It will also include some work on balance, reflexes, vision improvement, and fall prevention, and will finish with some relaxing stretches (seated or lying down) to release any strain we built up earlier in the class. **please have a belt/scarf/tie/stretch band and pillow handy**
Fridays
Yoga to Unwind
11am-noon EST
This chair yoga class focuses on relaxation, to support unwinding the body and mind from daily stressors. Expect to spend the first half of class seated or standing, gently moving all of the joints in your body and breathing fully. The second half of class will include relaxing stretches (seated or laying down), emphasized with visualizations to revitalize your muscles and organs, and then finish with a guided meditation to refresh your mind. **please have a belt/scarf/tie and pillow handy**
Past Talks, Series, and Socials
Join Kassandra to explore how to holistically support your ANXIETY
This workshop series will be a space for you to explore your health concerns through a holistic lens, and aims to empower you to be able to implement supportive and realistic changes into your daily habits so that you can feel healthier, sooner!
The 4 weeks in April will be focussed on supporting your ANXIETY.
• Week 1 – Anxiety through a Yogic Lens
• Week 2 – Anxiety through an Ayurvedic Lens
• Week 3 – Our Window of Tolerance
• Week 4 – Connecting to Self, Others, and Something Larger
Each class will begin with about 20-30 minutes of slides exploring an aspect of anxiety management from slightly different perspectives – Yoga, Ayurvedic, and western holistic perspectives (Ayurveda is Indian Naturopathy). We’ll practice together the next 30 minutes, practices specifically tailored to addressing symptoms of Anxiety. These practices will vary week to week and combine movement, breathing, visualization, body oiling and/or self massage, and journaling.
The next 20 minutes will include a practice familiar to those who join the Mindfulness Group on Tuesdays 11am-12noon: mindful sharing and mindful listening. These practices teach us many things, including learning how to speak from the “I” instead of the general “we”, practicing sharing our thoughts and feelings aloud, experiencing being listened to fully and not interrupted, learning that we are not alone in many thoughts we think and feelings we feel, and more.
Last 10 minutes will be for Q+A.
This workshop series will be a space for you to explore your health concerns through a holistic lens, and aims to empower you to be able to implement supportive and realistic changes into your daily habits so that you can feel healthier, sooner!
The 4 weeks in April will be focussed on supporting your ANXIETY.
• Week 1 – Anxiety through a Yogic Lens
• Week 2 – Anxiety through an Ayurvedic Lens
• Week 3 – Our Window of Tolerance
• Week 4 – Connecting to Self, Others, and Something Larger
Each class will begin with about 20-30 minutes of slides exploring an aspect of anxiety management from slightly different perspectives – Yoga, Ayurvedic, and western holistic perspectives (Ayurveda is Indian Naturopathy). We’ll practice together the next 30 minutes, practices specifically tailored to addressing symptoms of Anxiety. These practices will vary week to week and combine movement, breathing, visualization, body oiling and/or self massage, and journaling.
The next 20 minutes will include a practice familiar to those who join the Mindfulness Group on Tuesdays 11am-12noon: mindful sharing and mindful listening. These practices teach us many things, including learning how to speak from the “I” instead of the general “we”, practicing sharing our thoughts and feelings aloud, experiencing being listened to fully and not interrupted, learning that we are not alone in many thoughts we think and feelings we feel, and more.
Last 10 minutes will be for Q+A.
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"Joining a yoga class wasn't something that I would have considered doing several months ago. Why? First, I'm a 60+, heavy set woman. Second, getting down to or up from floor level would be too difficult and painful given my size and knee/hip issues. And third, I couldn't see myself fitting in with young, trim, physically fit younger folks. What changed? I was introduced to the concept of 'chair' yoga and a wonderful instructor whose style I like. Kassandra is a very knowledgeable instructor. Her voice is soothing. She explains moves and poses in easy terms and supplements with physical demonstrations. She recognizes the diversity of the group and respects each individual's level of capability and progression timeline. I feel so good after 1-hour of deep breathing, stretching and muscle toning. Flexibility in my lower body as well as range of motion in my hips has improved. I'm also concentrating on my breathing outside of class to help get through stress or simply to relax to get a good night's sleep. I highly recommend 'chair' yoga à la Kassandra to anyone who is looking for a gentle start to a more active lifestyle."
Nadia Tataryn
"I look forward to your chair yoga class tremendously. I think your are an excellent teacher as well. I admire your authenticity and how you encourage me to be in the moment. I have learned a great deal from you. I have practiced yoga for awhile now, but hadn’t tried this type of yoga before. I can truly say it has been eye opening experience for me. I love the support and confidence that the chair provides in the poses."
Beth Shkuratoff
"I have been practicing chair yoga with Kassandra for 4 weeks now. I feel stronger in my injured hip, my posture and wellbeing are much improved, and I have more energy. Kassandra is an excellent teacher"
Suzanne Karima
"Although I'm a very active person, I never spent time looking after myself physically. I really demonstrated to myself my years of self neglect after committing to and beginning chair yoga. Kassandra has slowly but steadily helped me gain better balance, become a bit more flexible, and stronger. It will take time to come back to the level I aspire to but little by little I am improving."
Lydia F
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