Well-Being Yoga

CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

 

I had chronic hip and back pain and started seeing Dana after physical therapy and traditional medicine did not help me relieve the pain.  She was patient and really listened to me about my physical challenges.  She taught me how different areas of my body effected my hip and back pain and how to use breathing and meditation to relax and focus on my yoga practice.  Let me make myself clear, I was not an avid follower of meditation or yoga, but after several months she changed my life.  My hip pain was reduced and I was able to resume my normal activity.  I learned even more how to manage my stress and to listen to my body.  She taught me much more than just yoga moves but how to tap into my mind, body and spirt to benefit me physically and emotionally.  Her technique makes you feel calm, confident and never making you feel pressured to prove anything.  Often in yoga classes, I would not know when I should slow down and would leave in pain and discouraged.  Her studio is a safe and comforting place and she is warm and compassionate.  I am now virtually pain free, able to breathe through stressful situations and started to work on a more mindful life. 

-Carol Shapiro

 

After hurting/pulling my back out several times in the same general area and returning to the same chiropractor on and off for 5 years, the chiropractor thought it best to look at other therapies in addition to chiropractic care. He had a hunch my reoccurring injuries might be muscular issues and not skeletal and suggested to contact Dana for a 1 on 1 personal yoga practice. That was the best advice!

 

My body, mind and spirit are in a completely different space (for the better!) than when I first met Dana. I was in a lot of pain and in a dark place emotionally after years of reoccurring lower back pain. In addition, I was in treatment for Lyme Disease. She was able to accurately assess that my hips were twisted and 1 of my legs was an inch longer than the other. These 2 issues were the cause of me consistently pulling my back out. After my 1st “intake” session with Dana, I felt a spark of hope and I decided right then to be a good student in the art of yoga and see what it could do for me. I’ve never looked back. It’s been over a year and every week I get stronger and I gain increased confidence in my body’s ability to complete the tasks I ask/need it to. I’m so much happier physically and mentally.

 

My self-ability has increased tremendously. When I was in the midst of consistently pulling my back out, I didn’t believe my body could support my life’s activities. I was very unsure of my ability to just get through each day, let alone be physically active. Dana was so gentle with me and my body in the beginning. I felt she understood my pain. Over time, we were able to increase the movements in each of the asanas, which also increased the belief in my body’s strength. I am now able to get back to walking, hiking and gentle aerobics. I’m so proud of how far my body has come with my daily yoga practice.

 

After 1 year of doing my personal yoga practice with tremendous results in strengthening and healing my low back, I’ve added a 2nd personal yoga practice with Dana to strengthen my posture and core. It’s only been about 2 months since adding this 2nd practice and I’m already standing taller.

 

In addition, I discovered the benefits of Reiki therapy through Dana. It’s amazing how many unresolved emotions we keep stored in our bodies which sometimes comes out in the form of pain. Reiki has guided me to the emotional areas of my life I need to pay attention to and helped me uncover healthier ways to approach the ups and downs of daily life. With all my heart, thank you Dana!

-Lori Schwalenburg

​

​

​

Prior to my meeting with Dana I was having anxiety attacks. They run in my family along with thyroid issues and some other not so fun stuff. I figured it was just another thing I would have to chalk up to family genes. My acupuncturist is the one who referred me to Dana and said I might find it helpful to see her. I figured what could it hurt! I was hopeful I would not have to go on anxiety medication. Dana made me feel comfortable from the very first meeting. She listened to me without judging and made it really easy to talk about where my anxiety might be coming from. After a short talk she made some very accurate observations about the person I am (not the person I show on the outside, but the real me). She put together a yoga session for me that lasts only 15 minutes, I am a busy mom of two and this is all the time I could commit to. After the first week I saw huge improvement on my patience with my kids, my moods were more even and I felt in control, or at least able to “let it go” if I didn’t have control. My mantra during yoga is “let it go”. Wow! Do those three little words help me through my days. Thanks to Dana I am enjoying a busy life with my husband and two little ones. I am not experiencing anxiety attacks when things are getting out of my control because I can now “let it go”!

-Kristy Lamers

 

"Dana is very in tune and knowledgeable about anatomy and the body. My practice has been designed especially for my needs. With added breath work I have felt changes in a very short period of time. I sleep better and have seen changes in my upper back strength. She has brought a calming and healing balance to my life. If you are on a journey to better health and wellness I would highly recommend working with Dana."

-Sharman Kitzis

 

 

"I had several individual sessions with Dana to help my body recover from a major surgery. I was seeking stress reduction, muscle strengthening to facilitate weight management, and to develop my overall well-being. After my surgery I was seeking to restore my flexibility and previous strength and continued to see improvement with yoga practice. Dana’s personalized instruction, her careful and compassionate attention to my needs, and her continued encouragement helped me to get back to regular class sessions and regain my flexibility. 

 

Dana’s passion for yoga and for the well-being of her students and clients naturally shows in the mindful way that she conducts her sessions and the caring way that she connects with people. Being able to work with Dana has been a huge blessing for me."

-Nikki Kalio

                                                                                                                                                                              

 

"There is no doubt that my body has become physically stronger since I started yoga with Dana. She took the time to listen to my personal goals and hardships so that she could develop a one of a kind plan just for me. Since my ailments range from low back pain, to reduced lung function, to anxiety, it is very beneficial for me to work with someone like Dana because in each session the main focus is on improving all of my issues simultaneously." 

-Cami Lingg

 

 

Until I worked with Dana, I did not realize or fathom that you could leave a Yoga practice and feel better.  I have never, in my lifetime, done any workout or yoga practice that made me feel at least 70% better than when I arrived.  With Dana, you could physically see the color come back in my face, the pain in my abdomen (which is otherwise a daily discomfort or pain) diminish, and as I continued with Dana my energy increased and the pain eventually was lessened on a daily basis.  The overall benefit is health in my mind and physical body.  Not only did I realize the benefits, my husband did too.  With less fatigue and pain and more energy, my mental attitude improved.  And as everyone knows a healthy mental attitude grants healthier living for those all around you.  To me, that is everything.

-Dawn Walley

​

​

I began working with Dana Doke in 2016 because a dear friend of mine saw a brochure and thought Dana might be able to help me. 

 

I had a brain stem stroke in 2008 and have struggled with balance issues ever since.  I had never done yoga prior to this but had read and heard from others that yoga was very helpful with balance and strength.  I felt I had nothing to lose so I gave it a try.

 

Much to my delight I found Dana to be SUPER knowledgeable, kind and very encouraging.  One of my first benefits was feeling more confident when I showered.  The year prior to yoga I had fallen 3 times resulting in severe bruising, since yoga I have not fallen.  I believe I am calmer and have learned how important breathing is to my whole sense of well-being.

 

I have learned that I am not my stroke.  My life has changed in many ways but I do have a life!  Dana has helped me work toward becoming the best Jan I can be.

 

My only regret is that I didn’t know about Dana Doke and Well-Being Yoga sooner!

-Jan Blume

​

​

Prior to working with Dana, I had a regular yoga practice. My acupuncturist recommended I see Dana for chronic neck pain that was radiating down my arm. After working with Dana, I feel more connected. I am more attuned to what is best for my particular body. I have learned to be gentler with myself and I have learned to listen to my body. 

-Ruth Vance

​

​

I had no yoga experience prior to working with Dana. I came to Dana because I researched yoga for my condition and found that it could benefit greatly. After working with Dana, I have more confidence in myself knowing that yoga therapy has given me a new look on life. It has also given me a stronger ability knowing that I can be not afraid of moving forward in my life. I realized with Dana's help that I can still complete tasks and reach goals in my life. I also learned to not be embarrassed about myself or my condition because everything has a reason.

-Anonymous 

​

​

Prior to working with Dana, I had some experience with yoga in the classroom environment. Yoga was an area I felt I needed to get more involved in, however, the classes I attended before meeting Dana left me injured and frustrated.

​

I had a health scare, with blood pressure rising into dangerous levels. When I was on medical leave due to the high blood pressure, I searched for different types of yoga practices and Dana’s 1:1 coaching really piqued my interest.

​

Dana’s personalized yoga practice was just what I needed. Our first meeting was GREAT! She found out about my history, had me show her my flexibility levels and re-assured me that she could help me lower my blood pressure and reduce anxiety levels. Dana has a very customer-focused personality. In the sessions I had with her, she did a check-in and offered encouragement and guidance prior to even starting with the yoga portion of the session. The discussions with Dana flowed very easily. Her experiences and knowledge helped me to see my true nature – mind and spirit – more clearly. Adding in the yoga brought all three together into a personalized yoga practice that has proven to be a significant help. I made significant, positive changes to my life after seeing Dana. The yoga practice allowed me to open my heart to my true self. My blood pressure decreased, I was ab le to reduce my blood pressure medication and completely go eliminate my anxiety medication. Overall, my body, mind and spirit are much more aligned with my truth and this is due, in large part, to Dana’s guidance during a difficult time of my life. She helped to turn my difficulties into a positive!

​

I learned that I can actually do yoga after all – it just needed to be customized to me. Dana’s personalized yoga practice design was exactly what I needed!

​

I highly recommend Dana’s services to anyone who is dealing with physical and/emotional challenges. For people who have tried yoga before and failed, Dana is the solution! With Dana’s guidance you too can have a yoga practice that helps you to become more connected to your mind, body and spirit!

-Lisa Klarner

​

The little yoga experience I have had is in some classes at the gym. I have not done it consistently. I always feel great after class however I feel even better after meeting with Dana. Now that I know the proper breathing and stretching techniques.    

I decided to add Yoga to my life because I was having some serious anxiety issues, so much so that I went to see my Dr. to see what I could do.  She did put me on a small dose of anti-anxiety medicine.  She also knew about Dana at Fox Valley Hematology and thought this could help me as well. So, after giving it much thought, I decided to give Dana a call after thinking about it for a couple of weeks and see what it was all about. 

 

My practice includes breath work. After I do my breathing, I feel like a completely different person. I don’t get as much done in an anxiety state of mind and don’t feel good about anything so the breathing changes all of that. When I do my practice, I have much less joint pain and feel like I move freer.  It is a wonderful feeling! I am stronger than I have been in a long time since my diagnosis.  And I feel like I have quite a ways to go yet but little by little I’m getting there and looking forward to the future as the new, stronger Kerri. I have much to learn yet, but I am not afraid to try.

 

Dana is an amazing person who made me feel like I was loved and important. This is very helpful to me cause my profession is to make my clients feel that way as well and if I don’t feel this myself, it is very hard to make them feel this way. Sending good energy is only done when you have good energy. 

-Kerri Walker

​

I had no yoga experience before working with Dana. Just some exercise and stretching on PBS. I worked with Dana because of my stress levels and I was having trouble sleeping through the night. I didn't want to have to use sleeping pills or drugs to sleep at night. After working with Dana, I can handle my stress much better and have even done it (the practice) multiple times throughout the day to keep my stress managed.  I’m sleeping through the night now and getting a good 7 or 7 1/2 hours of sleep. After working with Dana and adding a personalized yoga practice to my routine, I can manage my stress much better.

-Linda Cashman​

​

Prior to working with Dana, I had very little experience with yoga; I was shown a few general poses by my personal trainer. Dana worked with me to develop a practice tailored to address specific deficits that I have been struggling with since my stroke. After seeing a presentation by Dana at a stroke support group meeting, I was able to see the potential benefits of yoga. I was always interested in trying yoga as a form of physical therapy. The fact that it was individual lessons gave me the comfort that I wouldn't be one of many lost in the back of a large class. By doing my practice regularly, I have a lot less pain from muscle tone and increased range of motion with the areas targeted by the poses. In addition to the benefits to my body, I have been able to become more self confident and more optimistic about my future. Discussions with Dana have been like counseling sessions that have helped me accept what has happened in my life and to move on with a more positive focus. My personalized practice has increased the range of motion in my left shoulder and improved my overall balance, which makes me more comfortable performing tasks that require reaching up and bending over to grasp items around the house. In my sessions with dana I have learned that even though I may not be able to do the things I could before my life changing health event, I still have value. This realization of my value helps me to feel I have a purpose for being here. Dana has the ability to build personalized regular practice to help with physical issues within your body as well as emotional issues that distract from your ability to lead a happy meaningful life. 

​

-Joe Romenesko

​

Prior to working with Dana I had only a very limited experience with yoga only one or two sessions in a work place setting. It was suggested by my medical provider during a consultation due to issues following hip surgery that I add yoga as part of my therapy. I'm pleasantly surprised how much I actually enjoy my practice! I tend to be overly busy, mostly self induced, and slowing down enough to get the benefits from this practice has been really good for me. With Dana's help and willingness to adjust my practice to keep it personalized, I've actually gotten very comfortable with the practice itself. My practice is much smoother than when I started. I am able to extend further and hold positions longer without straining as I did in the beginning. Since my physical issues are longstanding, they are not going to go away, but symptoms can be reduced. It's up to me to continue doing the practice to reap the benefits. It's a great disciple to follow without the feeling of "I have to do this". I actually want to do it because it relaxes me. I definitely recommend this type of personalized yoga. For me, an actual class or DVD setting just wasn't comfortable. It was more difficult to follow and keep up. Relaxing was not a word I would have used in the past. The personalized setting is just that, personal. The care and support Dana gives is outstanding. Believe me, I wouldn't have returned after the first session if I didn't feel that kind of vibe from Dana.

​

​

Prior to working with Dana, I had done a few yoga classes with my wife. Also, I had done some yoga within some other exercise programs. I liked the increased flexibility from doing yoga as well as some strengthening. I also liked the relaxing aspect of it. Dana helped me in many ways. She has worked with me on my issues and concerns. She has helped me with some of the anxiety issues I have had with a chronic injury. And she has been more than willing to incorporate other exercises from trainers and such that I want to do. She has helped me be more patient (not pushing myself too hard, too fast), helped me with my breathing and taking one day at a time. She has also taught me that I need to be more patient and relax. I have had issues with trying to work through injuries in the past. Also, I am learning to not stress out about things I cannot control at work (many times I would have increased anxiety when dealing with work-related issues). Dana is very caring and listens very well to your thoughts, issues, concerns and goals. She is a very positive person which has carried over to me. She helps you try and meet your goals and is willing to set new goals as you develop. 

​

-Bob Harrison

​

​