My name is Denisha, and I am the owner and founder of Yoga Nisha, a wellness space where all are welcome and encouraged to embrace self. My mission is to provide a diverse group of individuals a safe space to have unique experiences that promote mindfulness, empowerment, and self-exploration. I believe that everyone should make time for themselves. Connection to one's mind, body and soul is the key to self-healing. Creating diverse wellness spaces is important to me as current wellness spaces lack diversity and resources to promote inclusivity. It’s time to shift wellness spaces, to promote mental and physical well-being for all.

For many years I was a single mother. By the age of 23, I had a three-year-old son and newborn boy and girl twins. Life was hard but I put myself through school. I obtained a bachelor’s degree in social work and a master’s degree in special education. I purchased my first home before I was 30 and I am proud of everything that I have accomplished even in the face of adversity. Today I am a wife, Mama of 5, Intervention Specialist, and the proud Owner/Founder of Yoga Nisha. For the past 15 years I have been a teacher to students with Exceptional Needs. I love children, a good book and travel. Movement and meditation fuel my soul. I have been meditating consistently for over four years now. There is no better way to start my day! I love to connect with people about all topics, hear other points of views as well as share mine. I love to celebrate my wins and learn from my challenges.
My love for Yoga did not start right away, I now realize that I did not love Yoga because I did not see myself reflected in the teachers or the students in the class. It was not until I started teaching yoga that I realized the yogic principles and found connection through conscious breathing, meditation, asanas (postures), and self-awareness. When I was able to realize the value of self-reflection, I was able to teach others. I realize now that Yoga was about self-love and intention.

In 2019 I began Yoga Teacher Training. A month before my training was to end, COVID happened, and the world was shut down. I then started to teach Yoga online to family and friends, giving myself the much-needed practice and helping students be able to go in during a time of uncertainty. When we were able to have in person sessions again, I started subleasing space within another fitness studio. I did that for three years and realized that if really wanted to grow I was going to have to take a huge leap of faith. I know that I was going to have to create a space where all people felt safe and seen. For so long I was in spaces that lacked diversity and in general the world lacks wellness spaces that are diverse.

Fast forward to June 2023, I opened my own brick and mortar. It was an incredible feeling to be able to start a business of my own and provide services to students that look like me. Yoga Nisha has been growing ever since. In August of 2023, I became a certified Yoga Therapist. It was always a dream of mine to have a space that was all encompassing. Within the walls of Yoga Nisha, we offer Massage, Mental Health Therapy, Yoga classes, Sound Healing, and Yoga Therapy. We have a diverse group of teachers and therapist that provide a multitude of services. Services that offer a whole person approach. Our whole person approach refers to the practice of yoga that considers and addresses all aspects of an individual's well-being—physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual. Rather than focusing solely on physical postures (asanas), a whole person approach integrates various elements of yoga such as breathing techniques (pranayama), meditation, mindfulness, ethical principles (Yamas and Niyamas), and self-awareness practices. This approach emphasizes the interconnectedness of the mind, body, and spirit, aiming to promote holistic health and wellness. It recognizes that well-being is not just about physical fitness, but also about mental clarity, emotional balance, and spiritual growth. Yoga practiced with a whole person approach encourages self-reflection, self-compassion, and the development of a deeper understanding of oneself and one's place in the world.

In June of 2024, I went to Scottsdale Arizona to the International Association of Yoga Therapy Conference. This was my second-year attending, (first year as a certified Yoga Therapist). I was so inspired by the projects that were taking place in and out of the Country. I knew that I wanted to do more. I wanted to find ways to service all people both inside and outside the studio. Since starting Yoga Nisha I started a Yoga Nisha scholarship fund that helped students of color take Yoga Classes and participate in Yoga Therapy session for free or at a very discounted price. That scholarship was funded by donations and late cancellation fees. There hasn’t been any money coming in for donations, therefore I have been looking for other funding sources to continue to offer services and accessibility to people of color and underprivileged youth.

Recently, I started working with a football team in the inner City of Cleveland, Ohio. This area is where I grew up. There is not a lot of money, food deserts, dilapidated and abandoned homes. I was honored to be working with these High school boys but was saddened that they did not have mats to practice on. It then became a mission of mine to secure grants, funding, and mats so that I can provide free and lower cost services. I would be able to pay teachers to help with this project to service more people of color. Students would have mats to comfortably practice on, increasing their self-esteem, strength, and purpose. This most recent initiative has shown me that I want to continue to create a diverse Yoga Space that is safe and accessible for all, but I also want to combine my love for youth and Yoga. Giving back to the communities in which I was raised means the world to me. It is important to me that I make a difference in the world. When we shine our individual lights, the world shines much brighter!

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