Welcome to Holistic Intentions, my name is Erin.
I’m so happy you are here! Your curiosity has brought you here and for that, I’m honored to share with you how I may be of service to you and your family. I am a certified yoga teacher and mindfulness coach, specializing in teaching children and families. My goal is to empower my students to find their inner superpowers or inner resources to handle the stresses and pressures they experience in today’s fast-paced and sometimes complex world.
I began to practice yoga as a mindfulness practice to ease the anxiety of working in the corporate world, and wow, did it offer so much more! As I started to see the benefits and personal healing through these practices, I knew I wanted to share them with others. Having always had a passion for working with children, having two children of my own, and wishing I had these tools and practices when I was younger, I started studying how to bring these practices to children and families. Here is where I found my calling.
“Erin’s respect for children is incomparable. I believe that a child learns best when they are understood and respected. Erin models this in her everyday interactions with the students in her classroom, even in the short amount of time she is allotted. She truly listens in order to understand what is going on in their world. Her voice is soothing, and her words are intentional. She speaks to each child with love and respect, and she trusts them to grow into the fully capable people they are. She is continually modifying her practice based on the interests and needs of the students that day. As a teacher, I am continually growing in my practice and learning new things. Erin showed me the importance of slowing down, observing, and fully listening to each of my students as well as my own body. My classroom environment evolved into so much more than a place to learn and I owe that all to Erin and her teaching. She is truly a miracle worker!”
My Story
When I started yoga as a mindfulness practice to ease the anxiety of working in the corporate world and in my personal life, I didn’t anticipate how this journey would continually change my life; it was and still is a true Mind, Body and Spiritual transformation. Then, when I transitioned into the role of a stay-at-home mom to two young daughters, yoga became a way to get grounded, practice self-care and find peace within.
As an adolescent and former competitive athlete, I struggled with anxiety and self-judgement. An “Am I good enough?” mentality, perfectionism and the feeling of always being judged, plagued me. Sadly, these challenges are not uncommon among youth today. Anxiety and depression rates are on a swift rise. According to Anxiety and Depression Association of America, “Anxiety disorders affect 31.9% of children between 13 and 18 years old. Research shows that untreated children with anxiety disorders are at higher risk to perform poorly in school, miss out on important social experiences, and engage in substance abuse.” For more information, visit adaa.org
When I started to see the benefits of healing through my yoga and mindfulness practices, I knew I needed to share these tools with others.
My own practice, which is non-negotiable, keeps me grounded and allows me to take an authentic approach to teaching, all with warmth and a friendly smile. By creating a playground of sorts, I help engage children’s curiosity. Mindfulness and yoga are not about fixing a problem or behavior; instead, it’s about planting seeds to empower children with a toolkit of their own to have a sense of agency, build resilience and know they have the power and choice in how they show up in order to take care of themselves, others and their environment.
I often think of children as gardens of their own. We must remember that each garden takes time to weed, sow and bloom. When we tend to the garden with patience, kindness and curiosity, it can flourish into a sanctuary full of life-long beauty and bounty.
Each student young or old, represents a pebble whose ripple effect can help create a future full of peace, harmony and balance!
Shilpa Sankaran started 5Elements in September of 2020 in response to the widespread trauma children were experiencing due to the pandemic in the Madison, WI area. In a society where children already suffer from nature deficit and a lack of focus on mindfulness as an SEL tool, the pandemic presented further challenges that were having a tangible impact on children. Shilpa found a group of compassionate humans to come together, all with varying degrees of expertise, to co-create this unique learning experience and environment.
5Elements offered a day camp on the campus of Promega Corporation for their essential workers who needed support for their children in grades 1-6.
Our focus was social and emotional development in a nurturing environment using outdoor education, connecting to nature, mindfulness and yoga, creative play, and creative self-expression while also supporting the children’s online virtual learning.
I joined the team in January of 2021 when it was evident the program needed an SEL Program Director/Teacher on-site. I created a program that aligned with the Five Elements of Nature: Earth, Wind, Water, Fire, Ether. Each unit focused on one of the elements that integrated mindful movement, mindfulness practices, art, outdoor education, and restorative rest. The units were carefully curated to support the varying ages of development.
Being on-site allowed me to support individual children, working directly with their parents, teachers, and psychologists to handle specific challenges. Based on my solid foundation of experience and education, I was able to help offer solutions where the children responded positively, feeling a sense of agency to find a rhythm for themselves at camp and be in flow with the other children.
My role also included managing and training three other teachers. I led weekly meetings where we worked collaboratively to develop the details of the activities for each week/month.
“We observed first-hand the challenges these children were experiencing with all of the uncertainty and fear around them, along with the inherent challenges of virtual education. Our cohort included students with learning disabilities, emotional disabilities, and social challenges. Despite the mixed ages and the surrounding global pandemic, Erin found a way into their hearts and connected with each one of them”, said Shilpa, Founder and Director.
This program was something so special that we will all forever hold it in our hearts and memories! It made an impact on everyone involved.
Credentials
- 200 hour Yoga Teacher Certification, YogaOne
- 95 hour Comprehensive, Trauma-Informed Kids Yoga and Mindfulness Teacher Certification, Little Flower Yoga
- 50 hour Therapeutic Yoga for Children Training, Global Family Yoga
- Essentials of Teaching Yoga to Children Training, Global Family Yoga
- Toddler Yoga Training, Global Family Yoga
- Mindfulness Foundations, Mindful Schools
- Mindful Communication, Mindful Schools
- Mindful Educator Essentials in the Classroom, Mindful Schools
“For the past several weeks, my 5 year-old son has had the opportunity to be part of Kids Yoga & Mindfulness Class taught by Erin Fergusson Frey. It was incredible- from the activities in class that included music and movement to the communication! Our son was inspired to teach everyone and anyone what he had learned; his enthusiasm for what he had learned was testimony to the positive impact of this class. I would highly recommend this offering. I want to thank you for all that you do inspiring our children to live healthy and happy lives!”
– Becca Stein
