At Stamford Yoga Center we believe that yoga is about standing on your own two feet (not standing on your head).
The best way to practice yoga is right now, as you are today. You don’t have to be flexible, skinny, or acrobatic to enjoy yoga’s benefits.
You can have a rich yoga practice (and life!) without ever doing a fancy-schmancy yoga pose (but we’ll teach you how to do some of those if you enjoy them).
Our signature classes are based on Energetic Output & Mood
We offer a menu of signature Stamyo classes based upon mood and energetic output rather than skill levels.
All of our classes are for everyone willing to show up and consider your own needs deeply for an hour. You can walk into any Stamyo class and have a transformational experience—but that doesn’t mean you have to do every pose! The more often you come back the more you’ll learn.
What to Expect From Stamyo signature Classes?
Balm
The class for when body and soul need nurturing. Soothe your nervous system with drool-worthy restorative movement, breathwork, and guided relaxation.
Stamyo Flow
Our signature feel-good class with eclectic flows.
Stamyo Plus
One bump up from our regular Stamyo Flow with a few additional challenge poses
Stamyo Flow and Restore
45 minutes of Stamyo flow on the front end and 30 minutes of restorative yoga on the back end
Stealth
The slow burn sneaks up on you. Color outside the lines while practicing accessible shapes in fun, innovative ways. Familiar poses may be transformed or held a bit longer.
Beginner
We love making brand new beginners feel comfortable! This class breaks down the “hows” and “whys” of yoga, and introduces basic yoga concepts. Leave feeling confident.
Team Stamyo
Every member of our hand-selected team is here because they’ve put in the work required to become extraordinary. Our crackerjack instructors will offer variations and modifications so that, whether you’re a brand newbie or an experienced practitioner, you can enjoy the rewards of practicing yoga.
You can work with Stamford Yoga Center individually or in our group classes, here at the studio, or off-site at home or in a corporate setting. We can even train you to teach yoga yourself!
We look forward to seeing you on the mat!
Founder
Have you ever heard that saying about it taking ten thousand hours to get really good at something? Well, Bernadette Hutchings Birney has spent way more than ten thousand hours teaching yoga.
Bernadette has been helping people live more comfortably in their skin for over two decades. Before opening her own studio she taught a lot of yoga—both locally and afield—traveling nationally and internationally to lead yoga training programs, workshops, and retreats. Now she stays right here at Stamford Yoga Center!
As an anatomy and movement education nerd, Bernadette enjoys creating smart, fun yoga classes that uplift body and soul. She enjoys practicing simple shapes so much that she can't remember the last time she busted out a fancy yoga pose. When you take Bernadette's class expect precise instruction, dopey jokes—and the occasional profanity.
Bernadette has personally trained or mentored many of Stamyo’s instructors, and many of greater Fairfield County’s most beloved yoga teachers. You can find her articles in Yoga Journal, Yoga International, Fit Yoga, Origin Magazine, Elephant Journal, Teachasana, and right here on the Stamyo blog.