Meet Kelly Stiglich, Co-Founder of Living Beyond Yoga Kelly Stiglich was born to teach movement. Her journey began at just 14 years old, teaching aerobics and dance fitness throughout high school and beyond. More than four decades later, that passion continues to shape her work and the community she and her love, Ted, have built together at Living Beyond Yoga. With more than 30 years of yoga practice and teaching experience and over 1,000 hours of specialized training, Kelly is an Ayurveda Specialist, Personal Trainer, and Aerial Yoga Teacher Trainer. Kelly and Ted created and opened one of the first aerial yoga schools in the United States. For the past 17 years, she has led yoga teacher trainings and retreats throughout the Midwest, including 200-hour and aerial yoga teacher trainings. Her international experience includes teacher trainings in Costa Rica, leading two retreats a year there for 15 years, and a retreat in Bali. Kelly believes our bodies change as we move through life, and our practice needs to evolve with us. Having experienced motherhood, weight changes, and menopause herself, she understands that movement isn't about maintaining one version of ourselves forever. It's about staying strong, flexible, and connected to the body we have today. She loves breaking down postures, explaining the "why" behind the practice, and making yoga accessible to every body. Outside the studio, Kelly loves spending time in nature, camping with her love, Ted, and taking their grandchildren on adventures. She also loves organizing and design. Give her a cluttered house, and she's in her element! That same love of creating beautiful, welcoming spaces is woven into Living Beyond Yoga.

Meet Ted Stiglich, Co-Founder of Living Beyond Yoga Ted Stiglich is a builder, creator, and lifelong tinkerer who is happiest when he's working with his hands, figuring things out, or bringing an idea to life. As co-founder of Living Beyond Yoga, Ted has built the yoga studios he and Kelly have created together over the years, turning their shared vision into welcoming spaces for their yoga communities. His practical skills, creative eye, and ability to make things happen have been an integral part of bringing each studio to life. Ted has also dedicated more than 1,000 hours to yoga study and teaching, assisting in teacher trainings along the way. He enjoys learning, lifting weights, practicing yoga, and meditation, believing that keeping both the body and mind active is a lifelong pursuit. His love of building and creating has recently grown into a new venture, "Your Handy Neighbor", where he puts his hands-on skills and problem-solving nature to work helping others. It's a natural fit for someone who has spent years building, fixing, improving, and figuring out just about anything he puts his mind to. When he's not working on a project, Ted is happiest outdoors with his love, Kelly. Camping, fishing, hunting, gardening, finding interesting rocks, and making memories with their grandchildren keep him busy and connected to the things he loves most. Ted brings that same curiosity, creativity, and willingness to keep moving into everything he does, whether he's building something new, exploring the outdoors, or rolling out his mat for practice.

Meet Sarah Stephan - Sarah found yoga in midlife while looking for a way to reconnect with her body, improve her mobility, and find a little more balance in everyday life. What started as something she was doing for herself quickly turned into a passion for helping others discover what yoga could do for them. As a professional boudoir photographer for almost 20 years, Sarah has built her career around helping women embrace their bodies, quiet their inner critics, and recognize their own worth. Teaching yoga felt like a natural extension of that work. After completing her 200-hour yoga teacher training at Living Beyond Yoga, Sarah knew she'd found another way to help people feel good in the skin they're in. Whether she's teaching Slow Flow or Sacred Flow, Sarah's classes are welcoming, encouraging, and sprinkled with humor, because she believes yoga doesn't have to be so serious! She encourages students to listen to their bodies, explore movement without judgment, and remember that there's no such thing as a perfect pose. One of the things Sarah hears most often is, "I can't do yoga because I'm not flexible," or "I wouldn't know what I'm doing!" Her response? That's exactly why you come! You don't get flexible before you start yoga. Flexibility, strength, balance, and confidence are things you develop along the way. Nobody expects you to walk into your first class knowing what you're doing. That's why we're here! Sarah's philosophy is simple: You don't have to change your body to show up for it. So stop waiting until you're more flexible, more confident, or more anything. Just show up for yourself. Come as you are, leave the expectations at the door, and know that we'll meet you right where you are. And don't be surprised if you laugh a little along the way.

Bethany was born and raised in Traverse City, with her family's roots stretching back many generations in this beautiful town. She is the proud mother of two amazing teenagers who are her world. She has been married for 20 years to Will Muha, whom she met during her senior year of high school and never looked back (he considers himself the luckiest man in the world, if you ask her). Bethany discovered yoga in 2017, after her mother lost her battle with cancer. During this challenging period, her yoga mat became a sanctuary for her grief and a form of therapy. Her passion for the practice grew, and she truly believes it transformed her life. She took Ted and Kelly’s Yoga teacher training at Living Beyond Yoga, further deepening her connection to the practice. Bethany loves adventures, hiking, spending time with her family, and being on the water. If she's not on her mat, you'll likely find her in the middle of the lake paddleboarding in her "happy place."

Ruthanne began her second career as a Licensed Massage Therapist after graduating from Blue Heron Academy in 2006. With 18 years of full-time experience, she has spent the last 10 years practicing at Smith Chiropractic and Wellness. Ruthanne's journey into yoga began in 1992, when she fell in love with the practice during her very first class. She deepened her yoga practice by completing the 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training with Kelly and Ted at Living Beyond Yoga. Ruthanne's extensive knowledge of muscle function, combined with her yoga teacher training, provides a unique and informed perspective to her classes. She is passionate about integrating her deep understanding of the body with the principles of yoga to offer a holistic approach to wellness.

Rachel is a mom of four who has been practicing yoga for over twenty years, mostly because its the one hour when her brain stops juggling the chaos of everyday life. Like "savasana", she's found a calm that gets her through the rest of the day. That's what she hopes to share in her classes, which blend challenge, mobility, and whole-body stretching. You walk out feeling empowered and moving with ease. Being hypermobile herself, Rachel knows "bendy" isn't the same as stable, and she loves helping others build strength and control in their bodies too. Her 200-hour training with Living Beyond Yoga and her degree in Health, wellness, and injury prevention shape how she teaches, but the heart of it is simple: she wants you to feel good in your body and at home in her class. When she's not on the mat, you'll find Rachel at her kids' games, out in nature, or strength training. And with four kids at home, orgainzing, cooking, and Costco runs aren't hobbies, they're survial. Rachel is excited to see you class!

Katie has a special passion for making students feel empowered and capable in their practices. Katie offers a gentle approach to yoga with a focus on nourishing the body, mind, and spirit with breath, movement, stillness, and energetic awareness. In her classes, you can expect gentle yoga flows (without full Vinyasas), quiet times/periods of rest, use of props (including chairs if needed), occasional use of mantras or mudras to enhance the practice, incorporation of yoga philosophy, and body-positive language. Katie Nehil is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT-200) through Yoga Alliance and has taught classes in the Traverse City community since 2015. Additionally, she is a Registered Nurse and Clinical Herbalist. She holds a BS in Nursing and an MS in Therapeutic Herbalism. Her post-graduate work focused on integrative nutrition and culminated with a Post Masters Degree / Certification in Nutrition and Integrative Health. Her yoga credentials include certifications in Curvy Yoga, Ascension Yoga, Divine Sleep Yoga Nidra, and Aqua Kriya Yoga. She is working to complete continuing education in Prenatal Yoga.

Leah is a Traverse City native who remains deeply enamored with the beauty of her hometown. Known for her versatility, Leah wears many hats: she is a hair stylist, yoga teacher, optician, dog mom, long-time girlfriend to her partner Matt, and a proud aunt to many nieces and nephews. Leah's yoga journey began 13 years ago following a neck injury, as she sought a low-impact form of exercise. She quickly realized that yoga offered much more than physical benefits, providing holistic nourishment for the body, mind, and spirit. Driven by a desire to guide others in their own healing and growth, Leah completed her first 200-hour yoga teacher training 9 years ago and has since engaged in numerous extended trainings. Recently, after refreshing her 200-hour training with Kelly and Ted at Living Beyond Yoga, Leah feels more confident than ever to embark on her teaching path. Leah is thrilled to join the LBY team and looks forward to meeting everyone on the mat.

As both a yoga teacher with 20 years of experience and a fitness enthusiast of over 30 years, Laura has developed a unique teaching style that blends the physical and spiritual aspects of yoga with the practicality of fitness. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced practitioner, Laura adapst her classes to meet your individual needs and goals. Her expertise in both disciplines enables her to create a safe and challenging environment that promotes overall health and well-being. Sign up for one of Laura's classes and discover the transformative power of yoga and fitness.

Phil discovered yoga during a particularly challenging and stressful graduate school program, and it has remained a constant in his life for more than 20 years. He is quick to point out that yoga complements every aspect of his active lifestyle, which includes martial arts, strength training, cycling, hiking, and spending ltime on Northern Michigan's lakes. Phil joined the LBY community in 2024 and completed his 200- hour teaching training with Ted and Kelly Stiglich in May 2026, further deepening his passion for the many benefits of yoga. A firm believer that yoga truly is for every body. His teaching philosophy centers on honoring ourselves wherever we are on our journey, moving with intention, and cultivating a practice that respects and trusts the person we are in the present moment. A Traverse City native whose family has called the area home for generations, Phil joined the U.S. Navy immediately after high school. He retired as a Captain in 2022 and returned home to be closer to family. Today he serves as the Outdoor Physical Education and Health Teacher at the Greenspire School, where he continues to share his passion for health, wellness, and lifelong learning.

Jen believes the hardest part of yoga is simply showing up. She knows that once you walk through the studio doors, the work you do for yourself will always be worth it. After practicing yoga on and off for nearly a decade, Jen discovered that her mat was more than a place to exercise. It became a place to build confidence, reconnect with herself, and find joy in the present moment. Inspired by the impact yoga had on her own life, she completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training through Living Beyond Yoga. Jen’s teaching style is playful and intentional. She is passionate about helping others understand that they don’t have to look a certain way, practice a certain way, or perform every pose exactly like someone else to experience the benefits of yoga. Her goal is to create a welcoming space where students can honor their bodies, release expectations, and remember that they are enough exactly as they are. As someone who balances a full-time career, parenting, and everyday life, Jen understands how easy it is to put yourself last. She hopes her students leave class feeling energized, joyful, and more connected to themselves than when they arrived.