Classes – Serenity Wellness Therapy https://serenitywellnesstherapy.com Yoga and Pilates Therapy, Lifestyle Wellness Wed, 16 Sep 2026 13:03:59 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.1 https://serenitywellnesstherapy.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/cropped-swt_favicon-32x32.png Classes – Serenity Wellness Therapy https://serenitywellnesstherapy.com 32 32 What Is Relaxation Yoga? Benefits and What to Expect in Class https://serenitywellnesstherapy.com/2026/09/16/what-is-relaxation-yoga/ Wed, 16 Sep 2026 13:03:49 +0000 https://serenitywellnesstherapy.com/?p=1509 Most people hear “yoga” and picture effort: balancing, stretching, holding. Relaxation yoga is the other side of the practice. It’s a class built entirely around downshifting, and for a lot of people it’s the hour of the week their body actually lets go.

Here’s what relaxation yoga is, how it differs from the classes you may already know, and what to expect if you try one.

Relaxation yoga, defined

Relaxation yoga is a gentle, slow-paced practice designed to release physical tension and quiet the mind. Instead of building strength or working toward challenging postures, the class moves through comfortable, supported positions held long enough for your muscles to genuinely soften, guided breath work, and a period of stillness at the end.

The aim isn’t a workout. It’s teaching your body to find where it holds tension and let that tension go.

How it differs from gentle and restorative yoga

The three overlap, and studios use the labels differently, so here’s the honest version:

Gentle yoga still moves. You’ll flow slowly through accessible postures, with the emphasis on ease rather than intensity.
Restorative yoga uses props (bolsters, blankets, blocks) to fully support the body in a small number of long-held resting poses.
Relaxation yoga borrows from both and points everything at one outcome: calming the nervous system. Expect breath work, long slow stretches, guided full-body relaxation, and touches that deepen the wind-down.

If you’re choosing between them, you don’t really have to. They’re neighbors on the same end of the yoga spectrum, and our yoga classes cover the range.

What a class looks like at Serenity

Our relaxation classes are built around discovering where your body holds tension and letting it go. Breath work calms the mind and settles the nervous system. Depending on the class, your instructor may bring in essential oils, eye masks, or hot stones to deepen the experience. Every session closes with long, slow stretches, a guided full-body relaxation, and an optional temple massage followed by stillness.

Classes are small, the pace is unhurried, and no experience is required. You don’t need to be flexible. You don’t need to have done yoga before. You need an hour.

Who it’s for

People come to relaxation yoga for different reasons: a stressful season at work, trouble sleeping, a body that feels permanently clenched, or simply the wish for one scheduled hour that belongs to no one else. It’s also a natural companion class for people who train hard elsewhere, including our Pilates students, as the recovery end of an active week.

Because the practice is gentle and adaptable, it suits nearly every body and every age. If you have a specific concern, mention it to your instructor before class; teaching to the bodies in the room is what we do.

Try a class

We run Relaxation Yoga in evening series throughout the year at our Iowa City studio; the current schedule has the next dates.

The evening time makes it an easy stop after work, whether you’re coming from Iowa City or driving in from Coralville. Check the schedule, reserve a spot, and give your week a different ending.

]]> Three New Classes Join Our Fall Schedule in Iowa City https://serenitywellnesstherapy.com/2026/08/07/new-fall-classes-iowa-city/ Fri, 07 Aug 2026 13:18:01 +0000 https://serenitywellnesstherapy.com/?p=1449

Fall is when routines reset, and this year we are making it easy to build movement into yours. Three new classes are joining the schedule at our Iowa City studio this fall, spanning both ends of the day and both sides of our practice: yoga to help you unwind, yoga to help you wake up, and a brand-new Mat Pilates series built for beginners.

Whether you are looking to build strength, find stillness, or try something new, there is a spot here for you. None of these classes require an orientation, just register and show up. Here is what is starting, and how to grab your place before classes fill.

Relaxation Yoga with Noelle: Monday Evenings at 6:30 PM

If your nervous system needs a Monday reset, this is it. Relaxation Yoga is a gentle, inclusive class built around discovering where your body holds tension, and letting it go. Noelle weaves in breath work to calm the mind and regulate the nervous system, and may bring in essential oils, eye masks, and hot stones to deepen the experience. Each class closes with long, slow stretches, a guided full-body relaxation, and an optional temple massage followed by stillness.

  • When: Mondays, September 14, 21 & 28 at 6:30 PM
  • Cost: $60 for all three sessions, or $25 per class
  • Best for: stress relief, better sleep, and anyone who has ever said “I’m too tense for yoga”

If gentle, restorative practice is your speed, you will find more options on our yoga classes page.

Early Morning Yoga with Hope: Tuesdays at 6:00 AM

Yoga is the best way to wake up, and Hope makes the case every Tuesday at 6 AM. This six-week series blends strength and stability work with a steady, calming pace, so you walk out the door stronger, clearer, and already ahead of your day.

  • When: Tuesdays at 6:00 AM, September 1 to October 6
  • Cost: $90 for all six sessions, or $20 per class
  • Best for: early risers, before-work movers, and anyone who wants their workout done before the day starts negotiating

Intro to Pilates: Mat with Tricia, Thursdays at 5:30 PM

New to Pilates? This is your on-ramp. Tricia’s six-week Intro to Pilates: Mat series teaches the fundamentals from the ground up: how to properly engage your core, move with control, and build the kind of deep strength that supports everything else you do. With regular practice, Mat Pilates helps tone muscles, correct imbalances, and prevent back pain.

  • When: Thursdays at 5:30 PM, August 27 through October 1
  • Cost: $90 for all 6 sessions, or $18 per class
  • Best for: first-timers, desk workers, and anyone curious about Pilates without the machines

Want the full picture of what mat Pilates is, who it is for, and how it compares to reformer? We put together a complete guide on our new Mat Pilates page.

And If You Have Been Eyeing the Reformer

Our reformer classes run all year, and fall is a great time to claim a spot as summer schedules wind down. If you have built some core strength on the mat, or you just want the full spring-resistance experience, explore our Reformer Pilates classes and come see why our students keep coming back.

New This Fall: $25 BIA Body-Composition Scans

One more addition to the studio: we now offer BIA (bioelectrical impedance analysis) scans, a quick, non-invasive assessment of muscle mass, body fat percentage, hydration, and more. It is meaningful data for your goals beyond the scale. Single scans are $25, or get four quarterly scans plus Marcie’s analysis for $175. Ask at the studio or contact us to book one alongside your classes.

Save Your Spot

Our classes stay intentionally small, and series like these fill up. You can register through our studio page, or check the full fall schedule to see where these new classes fit into your week.

See you on the mat this fall.

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