Nicole Koleshis, OTR/L (she/her)
Nicole has been sharing yoga and mindfulness with children and families for two decades. Inspired by her personal yoga practice, she began incorporating yoga into her work as a pediatric Occupational Therapist at a Special Education Collaborative north of Boston in 2002. When she moved to Seattle, Nicole continued to weave yoga and OT together throughout her 10 year career with Seattle Public Schools. While sharing yoga with children with special needs opened her eyes to the benefits of Kids Yoga, her teaching did not stop there. From countless classes in Seattle area yoga studios and schools to Family Yoga retreats in Costa Rica and Hawaii to informal settlements and Masai villages in Kenya, thousands of children have experienced Nicole’s joyful, inclusive, educational and heart-centered teaching style and she has had the honor of teaching them.
Nicole founded Seattle Kids Yoga in 2018 from her already existing, longstanding Kids Yoga company. In addition to managing Seattle Kids Yoga classes and a team of phenomenal instructors, Nicole facilitates Seattle Kids Yoga Teacher Trainings and workshops, mentors and coaches Kids Yoga teachers, develops curriculum, as well as continues to teach classes herself. She views each class not only as a fun and growth opportunity for children and families, but also for herself as a teacher and human being. Children are her greatest source of inspiration and learning. She is endlessly guided by their insightfulness, ability to live in the moment, and humor. Nicole’s favorite quote about her teaching is: “Even though Nicole’s yoga doesn’t make me go back to class like a wet noodle or a pair of pants with no one in them, her yoga is great!” - Thomas, age 9.
Since 2011, Nicole has been facilitating Kids Yoga Teacher Trainings and certifying and guiding those on their Kids Yoga Teacher path. She brings the same enthusiasm, knowledge, expertise and laughter to Teacher Training as she does to the classes she teaches. Here’s what people have to say about training with Nicole:
“Kids yoga teacher training was truly an eye and heart opening experience! I left with a clear vision for how to teach yoga to youth, countless ideas for classes, and a profound sense of well being. Nicole is a fantastic leader — she is fun, compassionate, a patient listener and a great facilitator.” - Annie Lawrence, Teacher Training Graduate
“I graduated from Kids Yoga Teacher Training with Nicole. The moment I began learning from her, I knew that there was something special about her style of teaching and training. I consider Nicole to be my most valuable mentor and have learned how to effectively create and execute Kids Yoga programs in schools and yoga studios from her. I continue to be impressed by Nicole’s ability to fully listen and be present with whomever she is with. This skill is so important when teaching others and it truly shows!” - Charlotte Light, Teacher Training Graduate