Answering a Calling to Integrate Faith Michelle Thielen of Christian Yoga Faith

As seen in the International Association of Yoga Therapists Yoga Therapy Today, Winter 2026

In the Beginning

Since owning her first ballet slippers at the age of 5, Michelle Thielen, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT, founder of YogaFaith, has been the move. A trained architect who worked in the field for more than a decade, Michelle was equally in love with yoga and dance and was also a professional dancer and choreographer. In 2009, she undertook her first yoga training, soon after pursuing certification as a yoga therapist as well as a theology degree and becoming a Bible-teacher and minister. Michelle’s creative approach integrates these passions. For more of her story, including how she survived suicide and depression, read Exit Wilderness: A Roadmap out of Depression and Hopelessness. Her first book, Stretching Your Faith, describes how anyone can integrate their belief system into the practice of yoga.

In the early 2000s I became aware of the horrific human trafficking industry, knowledge that changed the course of my life. Today, funded by individual and corporate donations, I integrate dance, yoga, and somatic movement into months long anti trafficking mission trips. I work with the youngest survivors, plus staff at the rescue homes and schools. I encounter various cultures, religions, and social economies, allowing me to incorporate an array of practices into inclusive experiences. Movement, breathwork, spiritual disciplines, and more allow for an expansive platform on which to build yoga therapy as unique as each person.* After getting married and uprooting my life to move to another state back in 2008, I felt lost. Eventually, several years later, I went on a 21-day fast to pray for clarity. I was guided to start a Christian yoga school, which sounded absurd and was decidedly not the direction I was seeking for myself; however, the call was so powerful that I couldn’t ignore it. I began offering “YogaFaith” classes and officially launched the nonprofit school in 2013. Because of my work with survivors, organizations around the world began inviting me to share practices for people living with compound trauma.

Soul-Shattering But Sustainable Work

The work itself can be soul-shattering and not sustainable—regardless of how big our small organization’s heart is. I quickly realized that we needed to partner with others if we wanted to build something that would stand the test of time. I began contacting organizations that had been working in the field and had in-depth experience and contacts in other countries. I became an ambassador with Shared Hope International, an advocacy and education nonprofit that supports legal-system changes that protect victims and punish abusers. I’ve also worked with Nick and Christine Caine, founder of The A21 Campaign, who is on the front lines of raising awareness and working hands-on with survivors, as well as with Destiny Rescue (in Asia), a group that cares for children postrescue. Whatever population you work with, alone you can only go so far; with others you can create something lasting. The YogaFaith school is open to all, with a focus on the integration of Christianity into yoga, just as many other religions integrate the practice into their faith. The interconnectedness of philosophies provides beautiful parallels as we desire to reach samadhi in the pursuit of oneness—for Christians meaning union with Christ. Many of the organizations we work with are Christian, so we incorporate the children’s own daily devotions, create specialized breath prayers, and offer meditations and movement as a form of worship. Children love the choreographed dance portions of our work: They come alive as they move, with joy, laughter, and singing filling the room.

YOGAFAITH The Only Christian Yoga School Accredited with the IAYT and Yoga Alliance

Today, YogaFaith has more than 30 programs, including an IAYT-accredited yoga therapy training. Although my individual sessions are limited by travel and the responsibilities of directing our program, my private yoga therapy focuses on depression. As a survivor of depression and almost taking my life, I deeply understand the heaviness and hopelessness that many suffer from today. My offerings draw on personal experience and a passion to help others through similar trials, and I recommend that yoga therapists avoid working in areas that don’t inspire passion. I don’t advertise my individual yoga therapy sessions, which typically come to me by word of mouth or through my anti trafficking work. Sales of products such as apparel in the YogaFaith store go toward these efforts and allow me to offer free or donation based sessions, especially for those who have been released from incarceration or the sex trade and have no income.

My advice: Donate what you can, also understanding that what you offer is invaluable. Although creating boundaries with any client is incredibly important, most in my population relish being shown love, compassion, and any form of nurturing and safety. I take great care with my approach, but this can open the door to boundary-crossing, and I encourage students in my trainings to avoid giving personal information to those they work with. For example, if you need to give a phone number, obtaining a Google number that connects to your phone is a safer route, and don’t communicate after normal working hours. I also offer yoga therapy to other private clients for a premium price and an 8-week (prepaid) minimum. In my experience this time frame is a sweet spot.

What I’ve Learned

A few additional tips I’ve learned:

• When people invest in some way, they are more likely to show up. However you choose to organize your sessions, stick with a plan and never waver—the ‘one off’ exceptions add stress for everyone involved. If you bend the rules once, this will be expected again.
• Receive payment upfront for the set journey. Make it easy for clients to pay you, with clear terms and conditions. What is your refund policy? What if they miss an appointment?
• People may want to continue with you beyond your initial minimum; make this available for ongoing income, but also hold it loosely for your own sake.
• Consider recording everything you do. Recordings do not have to include clients, although some like to see their progress and love the idea of sharing the gift with others. You can always capture just your portion of the session or recreate it on your own and record that, turning the content into an offering you can repeatedly sell.
  • When you scale your work in ways like this, you are no longer trading time for money—instead, you can begin to earn passive income, share your gift beyond your local market, and rest your physical body.

A word on staffing: My husband Derek started working part time at YogaFaith in 2015, soon becoming full time. We realized early on that sticking to our individual strengths allows for much more growth. I’m capable of handling administrative tasks, but as an experienced business owner he brings the magic of a CEO to projects like our website and hiring. And bringing in staff to assist with mentoring and administration has freed us both to work on assets that create profit as opposed to expenses.

Once you reach the point where you’re able to bring on help, look for those who can increase revenue. Even if you need someone to answer the phone or reply to contact forms, find a team member who goes beyond the mediocre. Ideal candidates are passionate and engaging and become part of generating profit.

No matter what you do in life, you will always have naysayers. Stay the course, and never give up on what you know you are gifted and called to do. Integrating my Christian faith with yoga can be controversial. If I addressed naysayers I’d be constantly pulled off course and distracted.

There is a lot of noise in the world, but there is also plenty of space and time for you. I often quote these Biblical verses: “Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you. Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways” (Proverbs 4.25–26). •

*Editor’s note: Read more in Michelle’s post “How Yoga Therapists Work: Improving the Lives of Young Trafficked Survivors” on IAYT’s yogatherapy.health blog.

 

 

 

 

 

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