Bringing YOGA to everyone

By Andrea Busche

Aformer nurse, Dr. Amy Fogarty now enjoys a career focused solely around one of her life’s greatest passions: yoga. Fogarty is the co-founder and owner of Duluth-based Yara Yoga, LLC. She also teaches yoga and serves as the national director of yoga for the Emily Program, a national leader on eating disorders. Fogarty even teaches yoga and mindfulness to individuals in a courthouse setting, through the South St. Louis County DWI Treatment Court program.

“What I really care about is bringing yoga to people who might not normally have access to it,” Fogarty said, “to the people who aren’t currently being served.”

Early introduction to nursing

Fogarty grew up in Cloquet. Her mother worked as an obstetric nurse, which Fogarty found inspiring.

“I had a sense of nursing from an early age,” she said. “My mom worked nights, so I’d iron her uniform and make her lunch while we talked about our day.”

Eventually, Fogarty graduated from the College of St. Scholastica (CSS) with a bachelor’s degree in nursing, and became a registered nurse at St. Luke’s. She later returned to CSS for a master’s degree in health information management, and ultimately, a doctorate of nursing practice (DNP).

During her roughly 16 years at St. Luke’s, Fogarty worked in a variety of roles: first as a nurse in post-surgical care; then, she became a “super user,” trainer and project manager for a project related to barcode medication technology. Later, Fogarty worked as an RN–clinical informaticist.

Yoga

Fogarty initially became interested in yoga several years ago.

“I discovered yoga at the Center for Personal Fitness early on in my nursing career,” she said. “I found it to be a really supportive practice, and practiced on and off. About six or seven years ago, though, it became a part of my daily routine, and I decided to attend yoga training.”

Fogarty attended over 500 hours of yoga training at Duluth’s Yoga North, earning her credentials as a registered yoga teacher, a designation granted through Yoga Alliance. Later, Fogarty earned her credentials as an Ayurvedic yoga specialist after completing training through the Himalayan Institute, in partnership with Yoga North.

Additionally, Fogarty brings the skills and knowledge she acquired from her nursing career into yoga. This duality no doubt makes her a much more effective instructor.

The Emily Program

In 2018, Fogarty began working parttime with the Emily Program. Initially, Fogarty taught yoga once a week to patients struggling with eating disorders.

“At the Emily Program, yoga is an integral part of their programming in all levels of care, which includes dietitians, therapists and yoga; it’s a multidisciplinary approach,” Fogarty said. “I try to teach them body awareness, mindfulness, compassion, kindness and how to cultivate a peaceful connection to their bodies.”

She ultimately left her nursing career at St. Luke’s in 2019 to pursue yoga full time. In addition to continuing to teach yoga at the Emily Program, Fogarty was named their national director of yoga in 2019.

Yara Yoga

In 2018, Fogarty also started her own business, Yara Yoga, LLC, with a business partner. Her partner has since moved on, and today, Fogarty is the sole owner.

Prior to COVID, Fogarty taught several in-person classes and community yoga sessions, at places like the Dovetail Café. Today, her yoga classes, workshops and Ayurveda classes are offered remotely.

Fogarty specializes in trauma-centered, trauma-sensitive yoga — a gentle style that is appropriate for everyone, but particularly helpful for those who have experienced trauma. She also offers instruction in meditation and breathwork.

Yara Yoga charges for classes based on a sliding scale to ensure everyone can afford to participate.

DWI Court program

One of Yara Yoga’s clients is the South St. Louis County DWI Court Program, established by Judge Shaun Floerke, who stepped down as judge at the end of 2020. From a story in the Duluth News Tribune, published October 28, 2020:

“The DWI Court is run by a team that includes Floerke and other court staff, prosecutors, defense attorneys, probation officers, law enforcement and treatment providers. The specialty court seeks to give DWI offenders an alternative to incarceration by offering intensive supervision and resources aimed at recovery.”

One of these important resources is yoga. Prior to COVID, Fogarty would visit the courthouse in person to lead yoga and mindfulness groups to men and women enrolled in the program. She still teaches these individuals; however, today, this work is done remotely.

“Judge Floerke is a very caring and compassionate person and his DWI program is incredible,” Fogarty said. “When I was at the courthouse guiding yoga practices for DWI court participants (pre-pandemic), I would often go to court after yoga to listen to the men’s DWI court proceedings. It was the most touching and inspiring experience. It’s hard to put into words.

“Judge Floerke and I now plan the men’s mindfulness groups together,” she added. “He comes to almost all of the men’s groups that I facilitate and shares his experiences with mindfulness. I’m so grateful to work with him and feel like I’m a part of his team. He has a very compassionate and grounded presence.”

Shortly before this story went to print, Judge Floerke retired from the bench, and is now the CEO of the Duluth Superior Area Community Foundation. Judge Leslie Beiers is now handling the DWI program.

Fogarty recently met with Judge Beiers, and looks forward to continued work with her, and the DWI program, on topics of yoga and mindfulness.

Book club

Through Yara Yoga, Fogarty recently began a free book club, which is open to all, and conducted via Zoom. The plan is for this group to read one chapter a month, and then check in for discussion.

The group is currently reading “The Yamas & Niyamas,” a book about yoga written by Deborah Adele.

“The book club is just another way to connect,” Fogarty said. “Keeping connections is especially helpful during the pandemic.”

Personal

Fogarty and her husband, David, live in Duluth’s Park Point, where they enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, biking, paddle boarding and skiing.

Fogarty has dreams of becoming more involved in the Karuna Community of Minnesota, a group bringing mindfulness tools into the justice system. Additionally, she is currently training to become a yoga therapist, though Yoga North.

She would also eventually like to see yoga brought into more clinical settings, to assist those dealing with anxiety, depression, addiction and recovery.

“Yoga offers so much, not just for the body, but for the mind,” she said. “It’s such rewarding work.”

Advice

Fogarty offers several tips to help us find peace in our lives.

“Rather than multitasking, do just one thing at a time,” she said. “Put your phones away, and try to have less screen time.

“And, if you’re working from home, take breaks,” she added. “Walk around the block, and get sunlight and fresh air. It’s important to remember the importance of real, authentic connections — both to others and to ourselves.”

Fogarty has learned many lessons from her yoga practice that easily translate to the entirety of life.

“If you practice kindness and compassion on the mat, it can also become the thread of our lives off the mat.”

For more information, visit www.yara.yoga. D

Andrea Busche is a Duluth freelance writer.