That is what people said when I was diagnosed with breast cancer at 43. On the surface, I was eating well, exercising, and even teaching yoga and stress management. But what I have learned since then is that real health is not just about eating well, exercising, or pushing harder. Real health is about resilience. It is about creating safety in your body so it can rest, repair, and thrive.
Healing is not only for those moving through illness. Healing is something every single one of us needs because life itself can pull us out of balance. In today’s world, stress, distraction, and constant “doing” keep our bodies in survival mode.
When you are living in a chronic survival state, your body does not feel safe and the chemistry of stress begins to create dis-ease. In this state, your nervous system is dominated by fight-or-flight, which triggers a cascade of physiological changes. Your heart rate rises, blood pressure increases, and cortisol and adrenaline flood your system. Blood is shunted away from digestion and reproductive organs to the muscles and brain to prepare for immediate action.
These changes have profound effects on your health. Your body cannot digest and absorb nutrients efficiently, which impacts energy, hormone balance, and immune function. Metabolism slows, making it difficult to lose weight even if you are eating well and exercising. Chronic stress also disrupts sleep, increases inflammation, and interferes with detoxification processes.
In short, your body cannot repair, recover, or thrive while it perceives constant threat. Healing, whether from illness, injury, or stress-related fatigue, is impossible when your system is stuck in survival mode. This is why learning to regulate your nervous system and return to a state of safety and parasympathetic dominance is foundational to real health, weight regulation, stress resilience, and overall well-being.
I help people heal on every level: physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and energetic. Through integrated practices like yoga, breathwork, meditation, movement, nervous system regulation, and energetic healing, I guide you back to balance. I teach you how to slow down, listen deeply, and give your body what it truly needs in order to heal.
I first came to yoga in 2004, drawn in by the challenge of handstands and splits, a natural continuation of my years as a competitive gymnast. At first, it was about movement and achievement. Over time, the practice revealed something deeper. It taught me alignment, mindfulness, and presence. Lessons that began on the mat slowly moved into every part of my life.
In 2012, I became a yoga teacher. My path shifted profoundly when I became pregnant with my daughter in 2016. In pregnancy and postpartum, I found my calling: guiding women through the transitions of motherhood with yoga, breath, and nervous system support. Today, I am the Director of Metta Mama, a mother of two, and a teacher who weaves alignment, spirituality, and energetic connection into every class.
And then, my story changed. At 43, I was diagnosed with breast cancer while also navigating the challenges of being a mom to young kids. My identity as a teacher, mother, and healer was shaken. I looked healthy on the outside, but I was not giving myself what I truly needed. I was pushing harder, multitasking, living in overdrive, and my body no longer felt safe.
My diagnosis forced me to stop. To listen. To heal. What I discovered was that everything I had been teaching others for years was exactly what I needed for myself. Rest. Regulation. Safety. Alignment. Real health is not about performance or perfection. It is about resilience.
Now, my work has expanded. I live what I teach. I embody it. And I know that these practices can change your life, because they saved mine.
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Ashley is more than a yoga instructor. She’s a healer who creates a safe, welcoming space for mamas to reconnect with our bodies—right alongside our babies. Her Mom & Baby Postnatal Yoga is a beautiful, powerful experience.
Ashley takes time to listen to each mama’s physical concerns, then offers real solutions by weaving targeted healing elements into the class flow. I almost cried the first time because I felt so nurtured. She’ll even hold a fussy baby!
Ashley is such a wonderful yoga instructor. She teaches so much more than just yoga poses. She teaches about self knowledge, wellbeing, body and mental health. She inspires you to slow down in the middle of the chaos of life and reconnect with yourself, not just in class but also in life. I leave her classes feeling relaxed, focused, and empowered. She supports you to listen to your body and respect your limitations but also encourages you to challenge yourself and push your boundaries.
Ashley has been a big part of my motherhood journey. I took her prenatal, postpartum and now toddler and me classes. Her teachings guided me through a healthier and happier pregnancy, and a labor that went just the way I wanted. She now continues to teach, support and inspire me in living a healthy lifestyle, being a better person and a better mother.
I love Ashley’s class because she creates a safe, welcoming space where you can slow down and reconnect with your body, even in the middle of a busy stage of life with young children. The pace of the class is intentional and calming, allowing you to move with awareness rather than rushing through poses. What stands out most is her deep understanding of the body and how everything is connected. She doesn’t just guide movements, she explains them in a way that helps you understand what’s happening and why. She offers thoughtful, practical suggestions to address individual concerns, and I always leave having learned something new.
Ashley’s yoga for healing class has been a transformative tool for me in healing an overtaxed nervous system. Her class is masterfully guided with gentleness and compassion. I am left feeling restored and calm after every class.
I first connected with Ashley Stachon when I was just three weeks pregnant, and from that very first conversation, she was incredibly supportive, warm, and reassuring. Starting around my 16th week, I began attending her prenatal yoga classes religiously twice a week and I continued all the way until I gave birth.
Ashley is an amazing and deeply knowledgeable teacher. She is incredibly supportive and attentive she is to every woman in the room, regardless of physical level or where each of us is in our pregnancy journey. We always go around and share what we’re feeling in our bodies as pregnant women, and she thoughtfully sequences each class based on our individual needs.
Throughout my pregnancy, her classes kept me active, and I truly believe that continuing to move – especially during moments when it felt hardest to get off the couch – was one of the best things I could have done for myself. Her classes supported me exactly when I needed it most, both physically and emotionally, and prepared for natural birth.
After I gave birth, I began bringing my son to her mommy-and-me classes, and he absolutely loves it. He gets to explore, play, and interact with other kids in a warm, supportive, and inclusive environment that honors both moms and babies. During class, I can truly relax – even with a baby – because it feels like a beautiful village. If I close my eyes during Savasana, I know Ashley is watching my child, and I also know that other women will naturally step in if needed. There’s so much trust, care, and mutual support.
Ashley is deeply empathetic, intuitive, and exceptionally talented at supporting women through all stages of life. She regularly brings in a variety of workshops to the space, and because she knows so many trusted practitioners, she’s also an amazing resource – whether that means referring you to a physical therapist, a masseuse, or another specialist when something is beyond yoga alone.
She has built an incredible community within the Metta Mama space she leads. Through Ashley and her classes, I’ve met some truly wonderful women, and that sense of connection has been just as meaningful as the movement itself.
I’m so grateful for Ashley, her teaching, and the community she has created. She is truly incredible at what she does.
Ashley hosted a wonderful workshop where we learned all about preparing for childbirth, and addressing our fears surrounding labor and childbirth. The setting was an intimate group where each of us could openly share our story, and I left feeling both empowered and validated. Ashley shared a wealth of knowledge on tools to use during labor that covered breathwork, positioning, movement and mindset. We learned about what to expect for each stage of labor, and which tools are most useful for each stage. She shared tips for a variety of types of birth, so that we can be prepared for whatever is to come. I went into the workshop not realizing some of the fears that I was carrying around birth. Having a dedicated time to write them out and then discuss with the group really eased a lot of my anxieties. Knowledge truly is power. I highly recommend anyone preparing for any type of birth to attend this workshop..”
Shift Your Mindset on Labor and Delivery workshop was incredibly transformative! Ashley created such a safe and supportive space, allowing us mamas to openly share our very real fears about labor and delivery. Through her guidance, I was able to reframe many of those anxieties, replacing them with a profound sense of appreciation and wonder for my own body’s amazing capabilities. The practical stretches and movements she taught were invaluable, giving me a clear understanding of how I can naturally support my body through the birthing process. I now feel so much more confident and prepared for this part of my pregnancy journey.
Ashley was a great guide making the group feel comfortable to share their stories. The workshop (Shift Your Mindset on Labor and Delivery) was a great environment where I learned so much about labor and delivery and tips on how to make the experience better. I myself was able to release my own fears I was struggling with and came out feeling more prepared for my baby’s birth. Ashley is a wealth of knowledge regarding pregnancy, the body, labor, and delivery. I highly recommend her classes!
Ashley is a fantastic instructor. She is knowledgeable, insightful, and motivating, and able to create a welcoming experience for people at all levels. Her description and cues are incredibly helpful as you practice- I found myself understanding poses I’ve been doing for years much better after one class with her. I left class feeling strong and open.
Ashley’s classes and guidance are truly the whole enchilada! She is deeply in touch with the holistic nature of our bodies and minds and strikes a perfect balance between strengthening and softening. Movement, mindset work, emotional & spiritual connection , nervous system regulation, fascia work… I leave each class learning something new and feeling more grounded and connected to myself. It has been such a gift to have a space like this throughout my pregnancy
