Meet Sophia
Sophia Wang is a certified Yoga Therapist as recognized by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (C-IAYT), and a 500hr teacher and continuing education provider as recognized by Yoga Alliance (RYT), and the Kripalu School of Yoga & Ayurveda. Sophia trained specifically on teaching yoga to older adults, as well as working with people struggling with chronic pain. She holds certifications from Duke Integrative Medicine, as well as Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in these disciplines. Over the past decade, Sophia has worked with countless private clients as well as oncology and chronic pain patients, using the practices of gentle therapeutic yoga to help alleviate pain and promote wellness.
Sophia is also a faculty member of the Radiance Sutras School of Meditation where she helps to train meditation teachers through a 200-hour program, as well as a 300-hour advanced teacher training program. Sophia herself is a 500-hour certified meditation teacher and also spent 5 years of study in Buddhist monasteries. She began her meditation practice in her teens through Zen and Pure Land Buddhist traditions.
What I Offer
My therapeutic focus is on providing gentle yoga classes that cater to all levels, as well as personalized private sessions to address specific needs. Additionally, I offer meditation coaching to help individuals improve mental clarity and emotional balance.
Gentle Yoga Classes
Private Yoga Sessions
Meditation Coaching
Corporate Wellness
Yoga for Chronic Pain
Yoga for Cancer Care
Gentle Therapeutic Yoga
Approach & Philosophy
My approach to facilitating yoga practice is to first meet people where they are. Every body is different, and every week may be different as well. It’s important to respect limitations and stay kind and curious as we explore new movements and stretches. I guide practice in a gentle way in rhythm with breath, so as to facilitate a more relaxed tone for the nervous system. Many people find this way of practice brings a sense of peace and relaxation that is much needed in our modern lives.
I also believe that Yoga is a relationship, not a performance – so in our practice we are never just trying to “do a posture”, but rather letting the process of exploring that movement or posture be a way of getting to know ourselves better. It is an exploration of the inner life of sensations, emotions, and thoughts, through the most intimate tools we came with – body, breath, and awareness. When we practice yoga in this way, we begin to facilitate a sense of wholeness that goes beyond the benefits of exercise.
Group Yoga Classes
- Gentle Therapeutic Yoga Class – Online (Zoom) Mondays 10:00am – 11:20am PST (80min) – $25/class
- Cancer Care Gentle Yoga Class – Online (Zoom) Tuesdays & Thursdays 10:30am – 11:50am PST (80min) – Free
- Northern California Functional Restoration Program – (In-Person) Private Chronic Pain Clinic Class, Tues/Wed/Thur 1:00pm – 2:00pm PST (60min)
Private Sessions
- Are you considering starting a yoga practice but not sure how?
- Would you like to learn basic postures and yoga fundamentals before joining a group class?
- Are you looking to develop a home practice customized for you?
- Would you like personalized guidance to enhance your existing practice?
- Are you looking to explore yoga as a therapy for existing health conditions?
If you are considering these questions, one-on-one yoga sessions may be a good fit for you. In these sessions, I offer my undivided attention to clarify and address your specific needs, working with you to develop the most fruitful and rewarding practice. Private sessions will be focused on enhancing your yoga on and off the mat, fostering deep peace, and allowing for healing and transformation into well-being.
Private yoga sessions are available at my home studio, or possibly in the comfort of your home.
Sophia Wang is an exceptional Yoga teacher and highly recommended.
I love this weekly online yoga class and have rarely missed it for several years. Sophia's clear, safe guidance keeps me fully present, connecting my breathing, the flowing movements of my body, and my Spirit in a deep, refreshing way.
I had no idea how impactful Sophia's Gentle Yoga class would be for my general sense of well-being, resolution of back pain, & overall improved flexibility and strength. I’m so grateful!
Light-hearted and deeply meditative. Loving while reflecting on the real world. As kind toward the muscles and joints of the body as she is to each member of our weekly yoga community. That is my experience in Sophia Wang's Yoga sessions. I always leave our practice feeling that both my spirit and my body have gone somewhere and back, in love.
For more than ten years, Sophia’s gentle yoga has made Monday mornings something to look forward to! I credit the practice for keeping me limber and strengthened… My back is in consistently good condition, which was not true before I started. The poems and teachings she is inspired to share at the beginning of class, as well as the meditative invitations to bring awareness to internal currents during the practice leave me feeling mentally refreshed and strengthened.
Learning yoga from Sophia has been an astounding experience for me. She is adept at giving gentle instruction, and my work with her has helped me in measurable and unmeasurable ways. I can move much more freely, and the yoking of breath to yoga poses has given me new ways to regard my breath in almost whatever I do. I’m awakening! Breath by breath.
Sophia is the best yoga teacher I've ever worked with, and I'm speaking as someone who has been practicing yoga for more than 20 years. She brings the spiritual depth of a longtime practitioner of yoga and Buddhist practices, combined with tremendous delight in the wonders of the world, into a studio that's both deeply meditative and richly communal. Her "gentle yoga" style is perfect for those of us who need or prefer a restorative style, but you can power up the practice too if you prefer. Sophia is amazing.
Sophia is a powerful yoga teacher. I love that her class is supportive to me no matter the state of my body, whether I am feeling really strong, or injured and struggling, I feel so supported and rejuvenated by her class. It feels like a meditation for my body, it's easy to be present and in awe.
Sophia is beyond amazing. She is well versed in translating yoga into a meditative moving exercise. She is patient, watchful and truly gifted at communicating the intent and purpose of each movement. She is also personable, generous and silly, which may be the best personality trait in anyone who works with many different types and abilities of people.
I LOVE Gentle Yoga with Sophia! Spending time in her class restores both my body and my soul.
Sophia combines a meditative approach along with gentle yoga. Her calming voice and instruction is easy to follow and I look forward to class every week.
A newbie to yoga. But now a convert. Sophia is thoughtful, insightful, gentle yet willing to push one to new heights. I can't say enough good things about what she has taught me. It's the highlight of my fortnights.
Sophia's yoga is for everyone whether you are a seasoned yogi or a newbie. I have enjoyed her calm approach that enables me to be present and grow in my practice. Sophia is watchful and takes care that you are practicing in a way that is beneficial to you. I highly recommend Sophia you will not be disappointed.
I have some physical challenges, so yoga rarely feels 'good'....until Sophia! Not only is Sophia a fantastic yoga instructor, she is also a gifted meditation teacher... I don't think I've ever felt more supported by a practitioner! She always has a pearl of wisdom that creates a beautiful opening into my healing... It doesn't matter whether you are a beginner or advanced, Sophia will meet you where you are and assist you in your practice. I've also started her meditation classes and I find that I am starting to weave the peace I experience in her classes into my everyday life. I'm incredibly grateful to have her as a mentor and a practitioner for our Sonoma County community, she is a gem!
Meditation & Coaching
Skillful meditation practice is a radical act of self-care. Many studies have shown that meditation can help:
- Increase focus and attention span
- Reduce anxiety and stress
- Improve sleep, memory, and mental clarity
- Increase creativity and self-awareness
- Reduce tension and pain
- Increase grey matter in the brain (responsible for emotional regulation, planning, and problem-solving)
Learning to meditate in a way that feels natural and good is key to receiving these benefits. However, many people struggle with meditation and find themselves fighting with their own mind, unable to find peace. Often people see meditation as a practice of disciplining or controlling their thoughts – this can lead to unnecessary tension and suppression of innate expression and even your own healing process. It is important to find the right techniques or pathways that let you feel at home in yourself – otherwise you can fall into the trap of trying to fit into someone else’s idea of what your meditation should be, or perpetually chasing some elusive state of stillness or transcendence.
Instinctive, Integrative Meditation
I specialize in guiding and coaching meditation in a way that honors your individuality, experiences, and needs. Our sessions include education and insight about the natural cycles of a meditation experience, as well as maps of the inner landscape of thoughts, sensations, and emotions. As human beings living life in this complex world, these are inevitable and important energies to tend to in our self-care. Truthfully, the peace and calm most people seek when they come to meditate are actually the side effects of letting attention be natural and restful. If you’d like to learn more about this, please reach out to inquire about a group class, workshop, or private session.
Group Classes
Soul Nourishment Meditation Women’s Circle – Online (Zoom), Wednesdays 9:00am – 10:00am PST (60min) – $35/class
Soul Nourishment Seasonal Retreat in the Redwoods – this is an afternoon retreat I offer once per season at Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Preserve in Sonoma County. – Please inquire for details.
As someone who has been happily meditating on and off for nearly 50 years, I couldn’t have imagined how much insight and pleasure I would derive from Sophia’s beautiful approach to meditation. Her meditation series, inspired by the Radiance Sutras, was truly nourishment for my soul, deeply relaxing, validating, and profoundly liberating. I have fallen in love with my practice all over again! Highly recommended for both new and longtime meditators.
I have been meditating with Sophia for some time now, with a goal of improving my communication skills. Her insight is amazing and it is always a joy.
Having just finished Sophia’s series on meditation & soul nourishment, I would like to share how happy I am that I decided to embark on this ongoing journey. I am new to meditation, & find Sophia’s approach to be very natural, accessible & liberating. It’s not hard, which surprised me. I’m benefitting by finding a deeper connection with myself, & I find that I enjoy the process of reflecting on Sutras & then meditating together. It’s liberating to me to learn to better balance the painful parts of life with the joy. I’m looking forward to continuing meditation, and I highly recommend Sophia’s meditation series.
Soul Nourishment & Deep Rest’, with Sophia brings meditation to each of us with the natural gentleness and sureness of a summer breeze, right and true. With a huge heart, Sophia leads us to ourselves, with knowledge, experience, excitement and joy. I always felt safe receiving her teachings as I would soon feel the safety and warmth of ‘Home’, in my own meditations. What a heart opening, loving and freeing adventure! This series far exceeded my personal goals and intention to know myself better and to gain tools to help quiet my mind. I am so grateful to have been in this series.
Sophia’s Soul Nourishment class has opened my eyes to a whole new world of what meditation can be – joyful, playful, profound, and a place of rest and restoration. Instead of wrestling with my thoughts, I am learning to put myself (pesky thoughts and all) at the center of my practice. I didn’t realize how much I neglected myself or took myself for granted until I started this journey. Sophia shares various “skills” or ways to ease into meditation and busts many myths about it along the way. Thanks to this class, even when I am not “meditating”, I feel more present and at home in the world.
Sophia showed me how to come home to myself, to claim the gift that was always there, to connect with the flow of life, no rules and no regimens. I experienced a deep shift in my thinking about meditation, something I felt throughout my body as true and joyful. Starting with a session on remembering and reclaiming the self, Sophia led us through sessions on grace, sovereignty, beauty, creativity and the art of receiving. Using the Radiance Sutras and her own deep wisdom, Sophia lit up our sessions, busting myths and flinging doors open along the way. I came to feel a tenderness toward everyone taking this journey and am so grateful to Sophia for sharing her gifts.
Sophia is an excellent teacher, heartfelt and non-judgmental – and with some humor too. Thank you Sophia for introducing me to a fresh, lighter perspective to meditation, I am grateful our paths crossed.
Sophia's wisdom and reassuring guidance came into my life when I was just emerging from a significant mental health crisis. She has been a consistent and nurturing teacher, always guiding me back to my inner peace and innate goodness.
