Meet Cathie Reicher of Yoga 1 in Hollywood

Today we’d like to introduce you to Cathie Reicher.

Cathie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I am 74 years old. I was a Speech Pathologist for 35 years, so teaching has always been in my blood! I was fortunate to have found a career that I loved (in practice as an SLP for 35 years!) During that time, I taught all ages…from PREK to adults (I taught in the Master’s Program at Nova University). I actually received my Master’s degree at Nova in 1991, having gone back to school at the age of 45! When I retired five years ago…I was thinking “What next?” (I had always been so active!) I started to practice yoga about nine years ago & just loved it…everything about it! I had always enjoyed sports…golf, tennis, running, weight training…keeping fit has always been a big part of who I am. When I discovered yoga (at the age of 65), it was a “marriage made in heaven!”

With all of my prior physical activities, I never realized how flexible I was! I knew that yoga provided many benefits, & I loved the social aspect, as well. I also discovered the “mental” benefit, because the emphasis reminds you to “stay present,” not worrying about the past or fretting about the future. I decided that I wanted to take the Teacher Training at Yoga 1, which was taught by Dr. Steve & Dar, who owned Yoga 1. I was 69 years old, but I knew this was the right move for me! My instincts were “right on!” I loved the training…learning the sanscrit names for poses, studying anatomy, yoga philosophy, modifications, & sequencing of poses…not to mention practicing more yoga!

When I completed the training (200 hours), I was hired to teach gentle yoga, & I have been teaching at the studio for 4 1/2 years. I teach three classes a week, & I practice four times a week. I love every minute spent on my yoga mat, whether teaching or practicing! I so enjoy this community of practitioners, and I love my fellow teachers! I feel fortunate to be able to teach something that I am so passionate about…something that can improve the quality of life. Along with this “lifestyle;” I am also committed to Chiropractic care once a week (with Dr. Steve), deep tissue massage once a month at the yoga studio (Jennifer Lesage), & I’ll go to the gym three times a week for cardio & lifting light weights. I try to eat healthy…it all goes together!

I feel that my happiness professionally is due to my happiness personally! I have been married to my husband, Ricky for 52 years! We met in high school & married upon graduation from Penn State. Everyone asks “what is the secret to your successful marriage?” I say it’s my love of yoga, & his love of golf! We each have an activity that we are passionate about!! However, we do enjoy activities together, such as trivia every Monday night (our daughter is the hostess for ten years). We attend SuperCon conventions (our daughter moderates panels) & wrestling events (Heather is sometimes the ring announcer). My husband & I love travel, which we discovered in more recent years. Yoga has given me the confidence to step outside my “comfort zone” to travel abroad…

Our most important & satisfying accomplishment is our daughter, Heather, who was our “miracle baby!” I gave birth at the age of 42, after 20 years of marriage! We have had more fun with our pink & purple haired daughter! We have been so blessed…she will be getting married January 19th, & we are excited!! Planning her wedding has been a dream come true!

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Looking back, I have been lucky to have chosen a profession (Speech Pathologist), that I loved. It was a challenge to go back to school to receive my Master’s degree, as my daughter was three years old. However, I had the support of my husband, parents, & friends which allowed this to happen!

Also, I enrolled in the Teacher’s Training to become a yoga instructor, at the age of 69. I was so much older than the other enrollees! Age had never been an issue with me…& it was a “non-issue” in the training. Initially, I took the training to increase my knowledge…never imagining that I would actually become a yoga instructor! However, Dar & Steve hired me the week before I turned 70, which turned out to be perfect timing for me! I have been teaching ever since!

We’d love to hear more about your work.
I teach gentle yoga, which I did not see myself teaching initially when I was hired. However, upon looking back, it was the perfect fit for me! I love gentle yoga, with its use of props to “modify” poses for those who may have an injury. I love to adapt basic yoga poses to make them more appropriate for everyone!! In my class, there are rank beginners, & I love to be the one to introduce yoga to them, hoping to make yoga so appealing and fun, that they will want to come back as often as possible! I also have some students who may have an injury, & they want to “dial it back,” for the time being. I have pregnant girls who need to take it easy. I have those who want to do more “stretching.” Other students tell me they come to relieve stress! I have my regulars, some who have been with me since I began to teach, & that is a real compliment! My “work” is actually “play” for me! I think students know I am an “older” practitioner, & they want to practice when they are 74, & beyond!

What were you like growing up?
Growing up I was always motivated to be successful, no matter what I did! My parents were retailers & worked long hours…6 days a week! I definitely inherited my work ethic from them! Working in their business {men’s clothing stores}. I became a “people” person! They called me “chatty Cathie,” because I was always interested in getting to know the customers! To this day, I still love to interact with my students! When I taught in the schools, I rarely missed a day of work. The same holds true now…I hate to miss a yoga class! I am always interested in learning more…to enhance my skills, I love to take workshops and read yoga books & journals. I feel its “food for the brain!”

Pricing:

• Yoga 1 offers a $40 special for 1st time students, & this offer is good for 1 month.

Contact Info:

• Address: Yoga 1  2 Oakwood Blvd. Hollywood , Fl. 33020
• Phone: 954-929-yoga

 Image Credit:
Taken by my husband or my daughter

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