Events & Workshops
Breastfeeding Preparation Workshop
Presented by Fox & Cub Family Wellness in collaboration with Metta Mama
Feeding your baby is one of the most natural parts of parenting — and also one of the most commonly misunderstood. Many families are told breastfeeding will “just happen,” yet most challenges occur in the first days simply because parents weren’t shown what to expect beforehand.
This workshop prepares you for real life feeding, not just ideal situations.
In this supportive, small-group class led by an IBCLC, you will learn how breastfeeding actually begins, what newborn behavior looks like in the first hours and weeks, and how to prevent the most common struggles before they start. Rather than memorizing rules, you’ll learn how to read your baby, understand your body, and adjust with confidence.
Our goal is not perfection — it’s confidence. Whether you plan to exclusively breastfeed, combination feed, pump, or just want to understand your options, you’ll leave knowing what is normal, what needs support, and how to get help early.
Partners/support people are strongly encouraged to attend so they know exactly how to help during the early postpartum days.
What We Cover
How milk production actually works
The first hours after birth and why they matter
Newborn feeding patterns & hunger cues
Positioning and latch (what comfortable feeding should feel like)
Preventing nipple pain and early complications
How to know your baby is getting enough milk
Pumping basics and when to introduce bottles
Partner support roles during feeding
Common challenges (engorgement, supply worries, sleepy babies, cluster feeding)
When and where to seek help after baby arrives
You’ll also have time to ask questions and talk through your individual plans and concerns.
Your registration includes a take-home digital resource guide.
Cost: $150 per couple (10% off for Metta Yoga members applies automatically at checkout).
FOLLOW THE STEPS TO BOOK:
Step 1) Purchase the credit for this event:
Step 2) Reserve your spot on our class schedule (Do not forget this step!):
Facilitator
Cherie Visconti — IBCLC
Cherie Visconti is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant with over 16 years of experience supporting families through feeding and early postpartum adjustment. She has helped hundreds of parents navigate everything from the first latch to ongoing feeding challenges with patience, reassurance, and practical guidance.
Cherie is known for making breastfeeding feel approachable and manageable. Her teaching focuses on helping families understand normal newborn behavior so they can respond with confidence rather than worry. Parents appreciate her calm presence, realistic expectations, and ability to troubleshoot concerns before they become overwhelming.
Her goal is for families to leave feeling prepared — not pressured — and knowing support is always available.
Prenatal Partners Workshop with Jane Austin
Yoga is an excellent way to prepare the mind, body and spirit for the many transitions of pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood.
In this popular workshop with Perinatal Teacher and Trainer Jane Austin, you and your partner will :
Learn techniques for breath awareness, massage and partner poses, which can help strengthen and relax your body, and soothe your mind during the birth process.
Connect more deeply to yourself, your partner and your baby.
We will also explore visualization and relaxation techniques that can further assist you during childbirth.
Please eat a light meal one hour before class, and have a snack and water close by. Please wear clothes you can move in. Jeans are not recommended.
This workshop is limited to 20 couples, so please register early.
If the workshop is full, you can be placed on a waitlist, and we will contact you if space becomes available. Jane offers these events every month as well, in addition to a pre-recorded version of the course that you can take via Udemy if the timing does not work for your schedule.
Investment: $120/couple( 10% off for Metta Yoga members applies automatically at checkout)
TO BOOK:
Step 1) Purchase the credit for this event:
Step 2) Reserve your spot for this event on our class schedule (Do not forget this step!):
About the instructor:
Jane Austin has worked with pregnant people and their families since 1990. She weaves her experience as a midwife, doula, childbirth educator, and a mother into all of her offerings. She teaches prenatal and postnatal yoga classes in San Francisco every week to over 200 mamas and pregnant folks.
Jane also teaches the Yoga in Pregnancy component of many yoga teacher training schools and served as the perinatal director of Yoga Tree in San Francisco for many years. Her mission is to offer pregnant folks and new parents a mindful, supportive and nourishing environment using both humor and compassion to create a sacred but authentic place to connect to themselves and their babes inside and out. Learn more at JaneAustinYoga.com.
Beyond the 4th Trimester: Postpartum Support Group
Join us in a welcoming, supportive space for parents of babies 3-6 months old. From the day-to-day practicalities to the emotional shifts that arise, this group offers honest conversations about what it’s like to be a parent as you move into this new phase with your growing baby.
Led by postpartum doula, Amy Artmann, and licensed psychologist, Katie Peterman, we'll explore new parenthood through a mental health lens, supporting both individual well-being and family connection. We will cover topics like adjusting to your new identity as a parent, managing sleep deprivation, understanding your baby's development, relationship changes, and finding balance in this transformative time. Whether you're seeking practical guidance, emotional support, or a place to connect with other parents, you are welcome here.
General Structure of Each Group Session:
Check in- share one accomplishment and one challenge from the week
Discuss a weekly theme or educational/discussion topic
Open up space for questions/support from groups around any topic
End with grounding practice (body calming practice, self-compassion practice, etc)
Weekly Discussion Topics:
Identity shifts entering parenthood (or addition of a child)
Becoming a parent narrative (Birth story, fertility, adoption etc)
Partner/Support Person communication (division of labor, connection, support)
Friendships and family members (relationship shifts)
Baby care practicalities (sleeping, feeding, bonding with baby, planning for return to work, childcare)
Expectations vs realities of parenthood (what have we learned, how have we adapted expectations and grown and humans and parents)
Come as you are - babies welcome! Registration required.
FOLLOW THE STEPS TO BOOK:
Step 1) Purchase the credit for this event:
Step 2) Reserve your spot for this event on our class schedule (Do not forget this step!):
AMY ARTMANN BIO:
Amy Artmann is a certified postpartum doula and perinatal behavioral health coach in Marin, CA, with over 10 years of experience supporting Bay Area families. She offers personalized, compassionate care with a focus on perinatal mental health.
KATIE PETERMAN BIO:
Katie Peterman is a licensed psychologist with a private practice in Corte Madera, who is passionate about supporting people through the tender and transformative time of new parenthood. She aims to create a space where parents are met with empathy and deep respect for all they are holding. As a mother of young children, Katie brings both clinical and first-hand understanding of how profoundly (and sometimes unexpectedly) the mind, body, and spirit can shift and expand with each new baby.
Her approach is compassionate and collaborative, grounded in relational and mindfulness-based therapeutic frameworks. She values the emotional wisdom we hold in our bodies and her work focuses on helping individuals cultivate a greater sense of safety and connection within themselves. She guides people toward learning to listen inward with curiosity and care, while also building strategies for navigating challenging emotions and experiences.
She believes in the power of community and shared experience in fostering a sense of well-being, especially in parenthood. She strives to help create a nonjudgmental atmosphere where people can authentically connect and feel supported in all this season brings.
Shift Your Mindset on Labor and Delivery with Ashley Stachon
Workshops this year will be held on June 13 & October 3
For many of us, the only images or stories of labor we’ve seen come from movies and TV shows. The woman is in pain, yelling at her partner for “getting” her pregnant, flat on her back, and somehow goes from no contractions to full-on labor in minutes. Her water breaks dramatically. Often at the worst possible time.
This is not representative of real labor. Only about 15% of women experience their water breaking before labor begins, and labor rarely unfolds in a sudden, chaotic way.
More importantly, labor does not have to be a scary, painful, or overwhelming experience.
A productive labor begins when your body feels safe. When you feel supported, grounded, and regulated, your nervous system can shift out of fight-or-flight and into the parasympathetic state where labor hormones flow more efficiently. This sense of safety allows the body to soften, the pelvis to open, and contractions to work with you rather than against you.
This workshop is designed to help you feel at home in your body, understand what is happening physiologically, and learn how to regulate your nervous system so labor can unfold with more ease, confidence, and trust. You will be empowered to make your labor and delivery an experience that aligns with your values, your body, and your vision. You’ll learn how to recognize and respond to the signals your body sends to your brain, strengthening your connection to intuition and your body’s innate intelligence so you can make informed, embodied choices during labor.
In this workshop, you will learn:
What exactly happens in your body when labor begins, and how proper pelvic alignment can support your baby’s descent and reduce the need for interventions
How nervous system regulation plays a critical role in productive labor and how to create a sense of safety in your body
Strategies to soften the body and quiet the mind so you can let go and allow labor to begin when the time is right
How to strengthen the muscles that support endurance, stability, and effective pushing during labor
Kundalini “keep up” exercises to train your mind and nervous system for the intensity, overwhelm, and fatigue that can arise during surges
Mental strategies to shift focus away from fear and intensity and into presence, rhythm, and trust
Meditations to move from a mindset of scarcity and fear into one of abundance, confidence, and inner support
How to set up your hospital or birth space so it feels calm, intimate, and supportive rather than clinical and stressful
Connection with other pregnant mamas in a supportive, grounded community
This workshop is not about controlling labor, it is about learning how to work with your body, your nervous system, and your baby so you can meet labor feeling prepared, supported, and deeply connected.
Cost: $55 for one person or $85 for you & your partner (10% off for Metta Yoga members applies automatically at checkout)
TO BOOK:
Step 1) Purchase the credit for this event:
Step 2) Reserve your spot for this event on our class schedule (Do not forget this step!):
Reviews from previous workshops:
"Ashley was a great guide making the group feel comfortable to share their stories. It was a great environment where I learned so much about labor and delivery and tips on how to make the experience better. I myself was able to release my own fears I was struggling with and came out feeling more prepared for my baby’s birth. Ashley is a wealth of knowledge regarding pregnancy, the body, labor, and delivery. I highly recommend her classes!" - Heather Abramson.
“This workshop was incredibly transformative! Ashley created such a safe and supportive space, allowing us mamas to openly share our very real fears about labor and delivery. Through her guidance, I was able to reframe many of those anxieties, replacing them with a profound sense of appreciation and wonder for my own body's amazing capabilities. The practical stretches and movements she taught were invaluable, giving me a clear understanding of how I can naturally support my body through the birthing process. I now feel so much more confident and prepared for this part of my pregnancy journey.” - Teresa Collins
“Ashley hosted a wonderful workshop where we learned all about preparing for childbirth, and addressing our fears surrounding labor and childbirth. The setting was an intimate group where each of us could openly share our story, and I left feeling both empowered and validated. Ashley shared a wealth of knowledge on tools to use during labor that covered breathwork, positioning, movement and mindset. We learned about what to expect for each stage of labor, and which tools are most useful for each stage. She shared tips for a variety of types of birth, so that we can be prepared for whatever is to come. I went into the workshop not realizing some of the fears that I was carrying around birth. Having a dedicated time to write them out and then discuss with the group really eased a lot of my anxieties. Knowledge truly is power. I highly recommend anyone preparing for any type of birth to attend this workshop..” - Chelsea Wiley
Meet yourself exactly as you are. This philosophy is at the heart of Ashley’s work. She came to yoga in 2004 as a former competitive gymnast, initially drawn to the physical challenge, and over time discovered a practice rooted in alignment, presence, and nervous system support. She became a certified yoga teacher in 2012, and her path deepened after becoming pregnant in 2016, leading her to specialize in supporting women through fertility, pregnancy, postpartum, and early motherhood.
Ashley is the Director of Metta Mama, where she supports women through the matrescence journey by teaching fertility, prenatal, and postnatal yoga classes and labor support workshops. Her work centers the lived experience of motherhood, holding space for the physical, emotional, and identity shifts that come with conceiving, carrying, and raising children. She also teaches oncology yoga and yoga for healing. Across all of her work, her approach is grounded in nervous system support, helping individuals regulate stress, rebuild trust in their bodies, and move through life’s transitions with greater ease. She has experienced first hand the importance of creating a community of strong women that can support each other and she is honored to do that work at Metta Mama.
After navigating her own breast cancer diagnosis and 14 months of treatment at 43, Ashley experienced firsthand how practices like breathwork, movement, and mindfulness can support healing on every level. This deepened her commitment to creating space in people’s lives to build stress resiliency through her coaching and her work with But You Are So Healthy.
Ashley supports mothers through the daily realities and deeper transitions of motherhood by working from the body up, using somatic practices, breath, and intentional movement to unwind stored tension, regulate the nervous system, and create a felt sense of safety in the body. From this place, long-held patterns and habitual responses that no longer serve can begin to shift, allowing for greater ease, clarity, and sustainable change.
Goddess Yoga Workshop with Samantha Gilbert
Join Samantha Gilbert at Metta San Rafael for the Goddess Yoga workshop!
Gather with us for an afternoon of movement, ritual, and connection. Step into a space created intentionally for women, to move differently, breathe deeper, and reconnect with parts of yourself that may feel tucked away in the pace of everyday life.
Goddess Yoga is a homecoming for women. With influences from belly dance, hula, sensual movement and vinyasa, this practice is circular, playful, primal & focuses on opening the hips, heart, & throat. You’ll begin with rituals: gathering in a circle, anointing with oils, and pulling cards.
These rituals serve as a profound way of dropping in & simply catching up to wherever we are at in life. You will then delight in liberating somatics & yoga flow that emphasize heart circles, hip circles, breathwork, and dance.
Every Goddess Yoga class is held with the utmost reverence and respect for women, for sisterhood, and for the complex lives we live.
Come as you are and leave feeling lit up, inspired, radiant, connected and capable. This practice is life changing, but don't just take our word for it - come find out for yourself!
COST: $45 (10% off for Metta Yoga members applies automatically at checkout)
FOLLOW THE STEPS TO BOOK:
Step 1) Purchase the credit for this event:
Step 2) Reserve your spot for this event on our class schedule (Do not forget this step!):
About the Instructor:
Samantha is an electric force in the Wellness World. As a 500hr Yoga Alliance certified teacher who has traveled the Globe and worked as a commercial salmon fisherman for half a decade, Samantha brings a unique sense of depth, grit & playfulness into her Spiritual practices. She is a dedicated, talented, and fiercely passionate teacher, who shows genuine interest in her students well being and transformation. Her classes are smart, fun, juicy, and Samantha brings a fresh energy that’s entirely her own. Samantha's love for yoga is paired with an affinity for space holding, storytelling, and empowering those around her. Come as you are and leave relieved and inspired. Bay Area born and raised, Samantha now returns to California and is exuberant about joining the Metta Team.
Samantha also hosts retreats, workshops and writing circles and can be found at www.wildsoulcraft.com
CircleMoms: Postpartum Series for the 4th Trimester
CircleMoms brings mothers 0-3 months postpartum together for a 6 week series that discusses topics ranging from birth stories, feeding and sleep, to pelvic floor health and pediatric development.
Led by Postpartum Doula Clara Love and with other special guest experts in pediatric and postpartum health, this is a wonderful opportunity to connect to other new moms and create a community that takes you through your early motherhood journey. These circles are held at Metta Mama in San Rafael, CA. Learn more on CircleMoms.com and sign up here..
Class meets at Metta Mama Yoga Studio in San Rafael for 6 weeks from 1:45 PM - 3:00 PM
Plan Ahead! These circles run year round and book up fast so register early to grab your spot. Upcoming dates below:
Summer Circle and Beyond will switch to Tuesdays.
Summer Circle: Tuesdays, June 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 and July 7.Register at CircleMoms.com/Marin.
Late Summer/Fall Circle: Tuesdays.August 25, September 1, 8, 15, 22, 29.
Preparing the Body for Pregnancy: Preconception & Fertility Yoga Series
This 8-week Preconception & Fertility Yoga Series with Ashley Stachon will take place on Sundays, starting July 12 and running through August 30 and then again September 20 - November 8
This program is designed for anyone wanting to create excellent internal conditions for a stable, supported pregnancy — whether you are preparing for natural conception, IUI, IVF, or consciously entering preconception for your mind, body, and soul. Whether this is your first, second, or third time around, this series honors the depth and complexity of your journey.
Preconception truly begins at least 90 days before ovulation, during the time the follicle is developing. The quality of the egg, the hormonal environment, immune balance, and nervous system regulation are all being shaped in the months leading up to conception. What you do during this window matters. This series supports that critical window by focusing on stress resilience, circulation, hormonal communication, immune support, and deep restoration.
Ashley Stachon teaches a gentle, supportive program designed to help create the internal conditions that support conception, implantation, pregnancy, and overall reproductive health. Fertility yoga goes far beyond physical postures. It is a nervous system–informed practice that prioritizes safety in the body.
In order to bring a baby into the world, the body must feel safe enough to shift out of survival mode and into a state of repair, balance, and receptivity.
The nervous system does not distinguish between a real threat and a perceived one. In modern life, constant stress, pressure, uncertainty, and stimulation can keep the body in a chronic state of fight-or-flight, even when no immediate danger is present. When this happens, energy is diverted away from reproduction and healing.
This series focuses on building stress resiliency — the ability to return to a regulated, grounded state both on and off the mat — so the body can access the physiological conditions that support fertility.
Over the course of eight weeks, participants are guided through safe, fertility-supportive yoga practices, breathwork, and relaxation techniques that:
• Calm the nervous system
• Improve circulation to the reproductive organs
• Support hormonal signaling
• Reduce inflammation and immune overactivation
• Promote deep rest and cellular repair
Each session is thoughtfully adapted to meet individuals exactly where they are in their fertility journey, including those navigating IVF, IUI, timed cycles, or recovering from previous pregnancy experiences.
This series also emphasizes connection and community, offering a compassionate space where participants can feel supported, seen, and less alone. Fertility can feel isolating — healing should not.
By consistently practicing nervous system down-regulation and body-based safety over time — especially in the crucial 90-day preconception window — fertility yoga helps lay a foundation of resilience, trust, and balance, supporting both the physical and emotional aspects of the journey.
Primary Goals of Fertility Yoga
• Improve circulation to the pelvis and reproductive organs
• Support hormonal communication by calming the stress response
• Reduce inflammation and immune overactivation
• Promote deep rest and parasympathetic repair
• Create emotional resilience and a sense of safety in the body
• Prepare the body during the critical 90-day preconception window
Themes for the Weeks
Week 1: Creating Safety & Restoring Life Force - Building trust in the body and reconnecting with energy that nourishes fertility.
Week 2: Stress, Survival & the Fertility Connection - Recognizing stress patterns and cultivating nervous system regulation.
Week 3: Pelvic Space, Circulation & Support - Softening and creating physical and energetic space in the body.
Week 4: Boundaries, Energy & Emotional Resilience - Protecting life force and learning to conserve energy.
Week 5: Trusting the Body & Letting Go of Control - Shifting from effort to listening and rebuilding confidence in your body's natural intuitive sense.
Week 6: Deep Rest & Nourishment - Yoga Nidra, nervous system repair, and fertility-supportive nutrition.
Week 7: Cultivating Abundance & Spaciousness - Expanding beyond fixation and inviting curiosity, openness and joy into the process.
Week 8: Integration, Reflection & Moving Forward - Bringing practices, insights, and resilience into life and motherhood.
Nutrition & Deep Rest for Fertility
One session within this series will be led by Nimisha Gandhi, Functional Nutritionist & Yoga Nidra Teacher. This special class is designed to support deep restoration of the central nervous system and provide practical, empowering guidance around nourishment during the fertility journey.
The session will include:
A short, nourishing Yoga Nidra practice to guide the body into deep rest, supporting nervous system regulation, hormonal balance, and cellular repair
An accessible overview of nutrition strategies that can support fertility, energy levels, and overall resilience, while honoring individual needs and treatment plans
This session complements the physical yoga practice by addressing two foundational pillars of fertility support: rest and nourishment.
Holistic Approach
Those who enroll in the full series will also receive discounts to work with trusted fertility specialists, including acupuncture, chiropractic care, and nutrition support, offering a truly holistic approach to fertility and well-being.
Acupuncture with Susan Fox: $100 discount on the initial appointment for Fertility; an 80-minute appointment including intake, lab review and/or recommendation diagnosis & treatment plan + acupuncture. This appointment is usually $400.
Chiropractic Care with Dr. Elise Freund: Free chiropractic session ($150 value)
Fertility Nutrition with Functional & Ayurvedic Reproductive Nutritionist with Nimisha Gandhi of Moon Cycle Nutrition: 15% off any service
Click the picture below to listen to an interview with Ashley about the benefits of Fertility Yoga.
Ashley Stachon is passionate about guiding women through the transformative journey from conception through pregnancy, postpartum, and early motherhood. She offers a strong, alignment-based yoga practice that invites women to connect deeply with their bodies while learning to regulate their nervous systems through intentional somatic movement and breath. Her work empowers women with education around the physiological and emotional changes of pregnancy and postpartum, helping them build trust in their bodies and resilience in their minds.
A mother of two, Ashley understands firsthand the importance of community and spaces where women feel supported, seen, and held. She is honored to cultivate that connection as the Director of Metta Mama, where she guides women through matrescence with fertility, prenatal, and postnatal yoga classes, as well as labor support workshops. Her work centers the lived experience of motherhood — holding space for the physical, emotional, and identity shifts that come with conceiving, carrying, and raising children.
Ashley came to yoga in 2004 as a former competitive gymnast, initially drawn to the physical challenge. Over time, she discovered a practice rooted in alignment, presence, and nervous system support. She became a certified yoga teacher in 2012, and her path deepened after becoming pregnant in 2016, leading her to specialize in supporting women through fertility, prenatal, postpartum, and early motherhood.
After navigating her own breast cancer diagnosis at 43 and completing 14 months of treatment, Ashley embodied in a new way how breathwork, mindful movement, and nervous system regulation can support healing on every level. While she had long understood the power of these practices through her prenatal and postnatal work, living through treatment solidified just how essential and transformative this work is — even in its simplicity. This experience strengthened her commitment to serving women not only through fertility, prenatal, and postpartum yoga, but also through oncology yoga and yoga for healing. It also reinforced her dedication to helping others build stress resilience through her coaching and her work with But You Are So Healthy.
Across all of her offerings, Ashley works from the body up. Through somatic practices, breath, and intentional movement, she helps women unwind stored tension, regulate stress responses, and cultivate a felt sense of safety in their bodies. From this foundation, long-held patterns and habitual responses that no longer serve can begin to shift, creating greater ease, clarity, and sustainable change.
“Meet yourself exactly as you are” is the philosophy at the heart of her work.
Empowered Birth Partner Workshop with Elizabeth Shelhart
This workshop will be held March 21, August 8 & December 5 2026
Are you looking for an experiential childbirth education class? Come learn and refresh your understanding about what it means to move through the dance of labor and birth with your support person - spouse, partner, friend, or family member.
We’ll go over:
How to stay connected to your partner during labor and birth
Breathwork
Acupressure & massage
Yoga and optimal fetal positioning
Natural coping techniques for the 3 stages of labor
Emotional response to pain
Natural comfort measures to help labor progress
Positions for labor and birth
Enjoy a peaceful yoga studio setting and the unique perspective of a seasoned doula, prenatal massage therapist, and yoga teacher.
Cost: $159 per couple - includes both partners. (10% off for Metta Yoga members applies automatically at checkout)
TO BOOK:
Step 1) Purchase the credit for this event:
Step 2) Reserve your spot for this event on our class schedule (Do not forget this step!):
About the instructor:
Elizabeth's yoga journey began when she was a teenager and stemmed from years of dancing, surfing, and running. She was fortunate to spend 6 months studying classical yoga in India in her twenties and dove into the practice of Vipassana meditation at this time as well. She completed a 200 hour Dharma Yoga Teacher Training in 2001 and began teaching shortly after. Weaving the contemplative practices of her Buddhist background into her yoga classes is a unique offering that Elizabeth is continually deepening. Since her initial teacher training she has studied yoga therapy, yin, restorative, and prenatal yoga as well as completing her 500 hour certification through Spirit Rock's Meditation and Yoga Mindfulness Training in 2015. Her 18 years as a bodyworker also informs her teaching and personal practice along with her work with women as a birth doula and educator.
Roots of Wellness Mother’s Day Class
On May 10, a special Mother’s Day class will offer a dedicated gathering for women and men to honor motherhood. The mothers who shaped us, the lineage we come from, and the care we carry forward. A chance to reset, reconnect, and be nourished through movement, meditation, and intentional care.
Movement + Meditation for Nervous System Balance
How can we use intentional movement and focused attention to support healing, resilience, and overall well-being?
This gentle movement and meditation class invites you to experience exercise and mental focus in a new way, as practical tools for nervous system regulation, recovery, and long-term health.
This class emphasizes clarity, simplicity, and precision. Movements are accessible, intentional, and supported by breath and awareness. Practices are drawn from yoga, qigong, dance-informed movement, and somatic education to help you downshift out of stress and into a more balanced physiological state.
Each session is designed to help the body and mind move out of chronic tension patterns and into greater ease, focus, and stability.
Over time, participants often notice improvements in:
Physical ease and mobility
Mental clarity and concentration
Emotional regulation and steadiness
A deeper sense of grounding and internal safety
Guided by Merrill Page and Shana Walt’s combined decades of experience, this class frames movement as a form of applied nervous system care. Practical, accessible, and sustainable.
What You’ll Explore in Class
How stress patterns show up in the body and how to unwind them through movement
The relationship between breath, attention, and nervous system regulation
Gentle, structured movement sequences designed for clarity and balance
How seasonal and cyclical patterns can inform energy, recovery, and focus
Simple tools you can use daily to support physical and mental well-being
Foundations of the Practice
This class is informed by both modern nervous system science and traditional wellness systems such as Ayurveda and Chinese medicine. These frameworks help us understand how stress, environment, and lifestyle influence the body’s internal balance.
The focus is not on complexity, but on consistency, awareness, and intelligently applied movement that supports real-life functioning.
The Intention
This practice is designed to meet you where you are, whether you are highly active, highly analytical, or simply looking for a more sustainable way to care for your body.
The goal is not to push harder, but to help you move and think in ways that support lasting regulation, resilience, and ease.
Schedule:
In-Person at Metta Yoga Studios in Corte Madera 11:30 - 12:45: Every second Sunday of the month. 2/8 3/8, 4/12, 5/10, 6/14, 7/12, 8/9, 9/13, 10/11, 11/8, 12/13,
Meditation will be sent out after each class.
Class format:
Movement: 15 minutes circle, introductions, orientation and teachings to themes of class. Includes a handout and diagrams re: energetic and structure of the month. 60 minutes somatic movement with instruction. This gentle and fluid movement practice blends teachings from diverse schools including qigong, yoga, dance, authentic movement, polarity therapy and touch for health. At the end of class there will be a short savasana with subtle and supportive hands-on contact to help you integrate and embody what you have learned in class. A meditation will be sent out after each class.
Roots of Wellness April 12, 2026 Class Interview Questions
Shana Walt & Merrill Page
This class blends movement, meditation, and somatic practices. What does a typical session feel like?
Roots of Wellness feels like opening a window and letting fresh light in, both grounding and illuminating. Each class begins with a warm welcome and a brief introduction to the month’s seasonal theme and how it influences the body and mind.
We move into a short meditation, followed by gentle, fluid movement inspired by yoga, qigong, and Pilates. As you move, you’ll receive simple, insightful teachings on how these practices support the nervous system, hormones, and overall health. Class ends with gentle hands-on integration, leaving you feeling relaxed, aligned, and more in tune with what your body needs.
How do these practices help shift people out of chronic stress?
This class is rooted in nervous system support. Chronic stress impacts the body physically, not just mentally, so we focus on helping you safely reconnect with your body. We begin with grounding, creating a sense of safety and presence. From there, intentional, fluid movement helps release stored tension while building strength and stability. This combination helps regulate the nervous system, allowing the body to move out of stress and into a state that supports healing.
How does aligning with seasonal rhythms support well-being?
At the heart of this class is what we call “earth medicine.” Our bodies are deeply connected to natural rhythms, and when we align with them, we access a more intuitive, sustainable form of wellness. This work is less about doing and more about listening, tuning inward, softening, and allowing the body to receive. It is an experiential process that helps you reconnect with your natural state of balance.
What makes this class unique compared to traditional yoga or meditation?
Roots of Wellness blends multiple modalities, including yoga, meditation, qigong, Pilates, and somatic movement, into one cohesive and accessible experience. It is designed not just to help you move, but to help you understand how movement, thoughts, and patterns influence your well-being. The goal is for you to leave feeling embodied, balanced, and empowered, with tools you can carry into daily life.
About the instructors:
Merrill Page, expert in Mindbody Medicine, practitioner of Cranioscral and Polarity therapies, author of two EARTH MEDICINE books, and mother of four boys welcomes you into a space sure to inspire your spirit, soothe your heart and soften you back into the sanctuary of your own body.
Her decades of experience and study in meditation, nutrition, energy medicine, bodywork, herbs, and movement creates a unique offering across a broad spectrum of disciplines that merge modern minds with ancient wisdom.
Shana Walt, mother, dancer, and master bodyworker, is certified in Craniosacral Therapy, Neuromuscular work and Prenatal Birth skills.
She holds a field for deep nervous system regulation and calming and uses her two decades of experience in integrative practices to move us all towards embodiment and wholeness on all levels: physical, mental, spiritual and emotional. She is inspired by the movement and rhythms of nature and possesses a deep searching and understanding that freedom comes from the inside out.
Childbirth Preparation Workshop
This workshop takes place on 4/18/26 and 6/27/26
Presented by Fox & Cub Family Wellness in collaboration with Metta Mama
We recommend completing childbirth education by about 36 weeks of pregnancy so you have time to absorb the information, practice techniques, and enter labor feeling prepared and confident. Many families find taking a class between 28–34 weeks ideal.This one-day immersive workshop is designed for families who want thorough, practical preparation without committing to a multi-week series. In a supportive and relaxed environment, we guide you through the entire birth process from early labor through the first hours after your baby arrives.Rather than overwhelming you with rigid rules, this class focuses on helping you understand what is happening in your body, what your options are, and how to make decisions that feel right for your family. We combine evidence-based education with real-life experience so you leave feeling capable — not fearful — about birth.Our goal is not a specific type of birth, but a prepared and supported one. Whether you are planning an epidural, an unmedicated birth, induction, cesarean, hospital birth, or birth center experience, you will learn how to navigate the process with confidence.Throughout the workshop, partners/support people learn exactly how to help during labor, not just how to watch it happen.What We Cover (12:30–5:00 PM)
Understanding labor physiology and what your body is doingSigns labor is beginning & when to call your provider or go inStages of labor and what they feel likeComfort measures, positioning, and coping techniquesPartner support skills and communication toolsPain relief options (natural and medical)Common interventions and how to make informed decisionsCreating flexible birth preferencesCesarean birth preparationImmediate newborn care and the first hours after birthThe first days postpartum & recovery expectations
The class includes discussion, demonstrations, movement practice, and real-life scenarios so you can actively learn rather than just listen.Your registration includes a digital resource guide and allows one support person to attend with you.Cost:$200 per couple (10% off for Metta Yoga members applies automatically at checkout).
FOLLOW THE STEPS TO BOOK:
Step 1) Purchase the credit for this event:
Step 2) Reserve your spot on the FIRST class on our class schedule (Do not forget this step!):
Facilitators
Rebecca DeMartini: Doula with Fox & Cub
Rebecca DeMartini is a highly experienced birth and postpartum doula with over 30 years of supporting families through pregnancy, birth, and the early postpartum period. With a deeply nurturing and grounded presence, Rebecca has guided countless families through a wide range of birth experiences, offering steady, compassionate support every step of the way.
Her approach blends practical, evidence-based education with intuitive, heart-centered care, helping parents feel informed, confident, and truly supported as they prepare to welcome their baby. Rebecca is especially known for her ability to create a calm, reassuring environment, empowering families to trust their instincts and navigate both birth and postpartum with greater ease.
Through her decades of experience, Rebecca brings invaluable wisdom, real-life insight, and a genuine passion for supporting growing families. In this childbirth education workshop, she is honored to share her knowledge and help you feel prepared, supported, and excited for the journey ahead.
Olivia Fox: Educator, Doula & Founder of Fox & Cub Family Wellness
Olivia Fox has over ten years of experience educating and supporting families through pregnancy and the postpartum period. As the founder of Fox & Cub Family Wellness, she has worked with a wide range of families across the Bay Area, helping parents feel informed, supported, and capable as they enter parenthood.
Olivia’s teaching style blends evidence-based education with real-world practicality. She focuses on helping families understand not only what can happen during birth, but how to navigate decisions, communicate with providers, and transition into the early days with a newborn.
Her goal is for every parent to leave class feeling calmer, more prepared, and able to approach birth with clarity rather than uncertainty.
Women’s Sound Bath: Rest & Restoration with Coco McKenzi
Set down the weight of your week and surrender to sound.
Join us at Metta Yoga for an immersive two-hour sound bath: a deeply restorative, women’s-only experience designed to quiet the mind, release tension held in the body, and guide you into a state of profound stillness. No experience necessary. All you have to do is arrive and let go.
You’ll rest in a comfortable supported position while layers of live sound wash over and through you — singing bowls, gongs, chimes, and other resonant instruments creating a healing sonic landscape that shifts your nervous system out of stress and into restoration. Many participants describe the experience as the deepest relaxation they’ve ever felt, with effects that linger long after they leave the mat.
Sound has been used for centuries as a tool for healing and meditation. Modern research supports what ancient traditions have long known — that sound and vibration can reduce cortisol, lower blood pressure, ease anxiety, and promote deep rest.
This offering is held as a space for women to come together, soften, and be supported in a shared, intentional environment.Whether you’re navigating a stressful season, struggling to slow down, or simply craving stillness, this evening is for you.
What to bring: A yoga mat, blanket, pillow, and anything else that helps you feel cozy and at ease. Props are available at the studio.
Doors open 15 minutes before so you can settle in, breathe, and arrive fully before the sound begins.
Space is limited — reserve your spot to secure your place in this intimate experience.
Cost: $35 per person. (10% off for Metta Yoga members applies automatically at checkout)
FOLLOW THE STEPS TO BOOK:
Step 1) Purchase the credit for this event:
Step 2) Reserve your spot for this event on our class schedule (Do not forget this step!):
About the instructor:
Coco McKenzi passionately supports Mothers and families. As a psychedelic guide, doula, and yoga and breathwork teacher, Coco has cultivated an authentically joyful way of living and leading others. Those who work with Coco consistently describe her presence as grounding, intuitive, and profoundly refreshing. She inspires bravery and helps women cultivate self-acceptance on this transformative journey of Mother and Family-hood. Coco regularly facilitates group experiences, private retreats, and community gatherings. Coco loves self-expression, cherishes time with her family, and finds deep meaning in those unexpected "aha moments", especially when experienced under a starry night sky. She looks forward to creating meaningful connections and sharing space with you and, hopefully, your family too.
Nurture Neuroscience Circle – Pregnancy Series
Starting April 16th, join us for a Neuroscience Pregnancy Circle!
The Nurture Neuroscience Circle is a pregnancy circle that blends the latest neuroscience with intuitive, relational practices and the support of a community of mothers-to-be. It’s designed for anyone at any stage of pregnancy—from newly pregnant through those due in June and beyond—whether this is your first baby or you are an experienced mother.
Each week, we explore how early experiences and maternal well-being shape both your brain and your baby’s developing brain. You’ll learn research-backed strategies to regulate stress, support emotional health, and foster a strong parent–baby connection alongside gentle, intuitive practices that help you slow down, feel grounded, and trust yourself as a mother.
The circle is a space to come together with other mothers, share experiences, ask questions, and feel held in a community of like-minded peers—both in person and through an online community of other Nurture Neuroscience Circle mothers.
Every session includes:
A short grounding or nervous-system-support practice and connection with your baby
A science-informed topic such as:
How your baby’s brain develops in utero
How pregnancy reshapes the maternal brain
Supporting sleep, stress regulation, and early bonding
Creating safety, connection, and predictability for long-term resilience
Space for discussion, reflection, practical application, and community support
This is not about “doing pregnancy right.” It is a research-informed, relational, and community-based approach that helps mothers—first-time and seasoned alike—feel informed, supported, and confident, while laying a strong foundation for both maternal and infant well-being.
COST: Full Series: $560. Early Bird (until March 30): $490.
(10% off for Metta Yoga members applies automatically at checkout)
FOLLOW THE STEPS TO BOOK:
Step 1) Purchase the credit for this event:
Step 2) Reserve your spot for this event on our class schedule (Do not forget this step!):
Linda Fitzgerald is a mother, infant & child sleep consultant, and gentle parenting guide who supports families through pregnancy, infancy, and early childhood using attachment-based, neuroscience-informed care.
She facilitates Nurture Neuroscience Circles for pregnant and newborn mothers and supports families from pregnancy through age 5, offering 1:1 sleep and parenting guidance. Her work blends current neuroscience, intuition, and compassionate presence—always prioritizing the parent–child bond.
Linda is a Certified Nurture Neuroscience Practitioner, trained by neuroscientists Greer Kirshenbaum, PhD, and Rocío Zunini, PhD, and has also been trained and mentored by sleep scientist Lyndsey Hookway, PhD. As a mother herself, understanding infant brain development has profoundly shaped her parenting and continues to inform how she supports other families.