Yoga and Physical Therapy, 354 Carlton Drive, Chapel Hill, NC (2026)

08/06/2026

If your neck feels tight, don’t skip this. 👇

Neck Tension Part 2

Remember how I talked about chest breathing making your neck muscles work overtime? (See my previous post.)

Here’s one simple way to help break that pattern:

✨ Make your exhale longer than your inhale.

That longer exhale helps calm your nervous system, gives your neck muscles a chance to let go, and encourages your diaphragm to do more of the work it was designed for.

It’s not magic—but it’s a great place to start. 😉

Try 5 slow breaths and let me know:
Did your neck feel any different afterward?

If you need more guidance or there are other factors involved in your neck tension, book a physical therapy evaluation or a free online consult with me. See the link in my bio to schedule.

08/05/2026

Neck Tension Part 1

Your neck has been promoted to a job it never applied for 😅

If you’re a chest breather, the muscles in your neck and shoulders are clocking in with every. single. breath.

No wonder they’re cranky 🥵

Teaching your diaphragm to do more of the work can help take the load off your neck and ease some of that built-up tension.

Anyone else catch themselves breathing with their shoulders up by their ears? 🙋‍♀️

07/16/2026

“Why do I feel 90 years old every morning?” 😩

Do your joints ache walking down the stairs first thing in the morning?
Or when you stand up from the couch, do you limp around for a few steps before your body finally loosens up?

That was me. Honestly, it’s still me in the morning before I do my mobility practice.

At first, I blamed myself. I thought I’d overdone a workout, spent too much time gardening, or somehow injured myself.

But it wasn’t something I had done.

It was perimenopause.

As estrogen declines, we lose some of its anti-inflammatory effects, and changes in our connective tissues can leave our joints and muscles feeling stiffer and more achy.

Learning that was both a relief...and frustrating.

Because while I couldn’t change my hormones, I could change how I cared for my body.

For me, gentle mobility, strength training, and recovery have made the biggest difference. They help me move more comfortably in the morning, prepare my body for exercise, and reduce that “I can barely move” feeling the next day.

That’s exactly why SMART Strength includes warm-ups, mobility, recovery, and joint-friendly strength training—not just workouts.

💪 Because getting stronger shouldn’t leave you feeling worse.

Comment SMART below if you’d like more information about my online strength membership for women in perimenopause and menopause.

07/09/2026

No, you’re not imagining it.

If your body feels different in perimenopause or menopause, there’s a reason.

Have you noticed changes in your body as your estrogen levels have declined? Whether that’s from the natural transition into menopause or because of surgery or medications, like those used during breast cancer treatment, you’re not imagining it.

In 2024, researchers gave a name to what many women have been experiencing for years:

➡️ Musculoskeletal Syndrome of Menopause ⬅️

It’s a long name, but it describes many of the symptoms that go beyond hot flashes, brain fog, and mood changes (as if that weren’t enough 🙄).

Things like:
• Joint pain and stiffness
• Loss of muscle strength and power
• Tendon pain that just won’t go away
• Declining bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis)
• Increased inflammation
• Changes in collagen that affect your joints, tendons, and connective tissue

As a physical therapist, I see these changes every day. Women come to me with unexplained aches and pains, stubborn tendon injuries, unexpected bone density results, or inflammation that seems to move from one area of the body to another.

The good news? There are things you can do.

I help women navigate these changes through physical therapy, yoga, and my SMART Strength online strength training program, all designed to build strength, support healthy bones, and keep you moving with confidence.

If you’re wondering what might help, you can schedule a free online consultation through the link in my bio 🔗

I’m also excited to be partnering with Ingrid Harm-Ernandes, PT, a Certified Women’s Health Clinical Specialist, for a special 2-hour workshop this October: Beyond Hot Flashes: How Yoga and Pelvic Health Can Help You Through Perimenopause and Menopause.

More details are coming soon. Join my newsletter through the link 🔗 in my bio so you’ll be the first to know when registration opens.

Address

354 Carlton Drive
Chapel Hill, NC
27516

Telephone

+19195384023

Website

http://yogaandpt.com/

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