Grand Canyon Yoga with Stephanie Washington E-RYT 500, YACEP

My name is Stephanie, and I am the founder of Grand Canyon Yoga.

This is a survivor-centered, woman-owned business built to serve those navigating a path to healing rooted in autonomy and truth. My personal journey with chronic illness and recovery from systemic harm—including religious trauma and spiritual abuse—has deeply informed my path as a teacher and facilitator.

This space is an extension of that journey: a commitment to a practice that honors the reality of our lived experiences over the performance of health. Whether you have felt marginalized, dehumanized, or forced to make yourself smaller to fit into traditional wellness or faith communities, you are centered here.

We believe that building inner awareness is a tool for collective liberation, and I am honored to support you as you reclaim your own agency, one breath at a time.

A Note from Stephanie:

I am currently on an indefinite medical leave from all in-person classes, private sessions, and group bookings. To honor my own journey with Lyme I am prioritizing my recovery and letting my health dictate my timeline.

Thank you for your grace and for being a community that values the reality of healing over the performance of health.

How to Practice with Me During This Time:

The Agency Library (On-Demand): Access our full archive of gentle, trauma-sensitive yoga and mindfulness videos. I will continue to add two new videos each month.
- Explore the Agency Library Pass (Best for unlimited access to 25+ yoga practice, tutorial & guided meditation videos/recordings)
- Agency Library À la carte: Best for one-time rentals or for Existing Package Holders to use their remaining credits 9for archive videos only).
Connect with me on social media.

Stephanie Washington

E-RYT 500, YACEP, C-HYI Trauma Sensitive, Size-Inclusive Certification

The Journey to Agency

My path with yoga began in 2009 as a search for relief from chronic pain following a traumatic brain injury. While I completed my first teacher training in 2011, my journey hasn't been a linear path to "wholeness." For years, I practiced and taught in environments that—despite their "wellness" branding—often mirrored the systems of coercive control, ableism, and spiritual bypassing I had experienced in other areas of my life.

On the mat, I spent years pushing through pain and injuring my own hypermobile body because I hadn't yet been taught the principles of active engagement or the power of a "No." It wasn't until my specialized trauma-informed trainings in 2017 and 2023 that I began to understand how to move from a state of survival to one of reclaiming agency.

A Practice Rooted in Reality

In 2019, my husband and I moved to Grand Canyon Village, where I established Grand Canyon Yoga to serve our unique, underserved community. My work here is deeply personal. I am a survivor of systemic harm and religious trauma, and I have lived with chronic illness for over 20 years.

2025 was a pivotal year of unravelling for me—a time to finally name the abuse I had experienced within "spiritual" communities and to begin the deep work of therapy and recovery. This season has shifted my focus from the "performance of health" to the reality of healing. I no longer feel the need to hide my neurodivergence or the demands of my recovery.

Advocacy through Facilitation

I am not a "guru" or a spiritual superior. I am a facilitator who believes your autonomy is the highest authority in the room. My mission is to provide you with the tools to build the internal awareness and sober judgment necessary to think for yourself and resist toxic power structures—both on and off the mat.

Expertise & Specializations

With 15 years and over 2,300 hours of teaching experience, I specialize in adapting the ancient roots of yoga to meet the complex needs of diverse bodies and lived experiences:

Trauma-Sensitive Facilitation: Creating a sanctuary for autonomy, choice, and internal safety.
Accessible & Adaptive Movement: Specialized training in Size-inclusive, Wheelchair, and Water Yoga, as well as support for limited mobility and hyper mobility.
Restorative Practices: Nervous system regulation and deep rest for those navigating burnout and chronic illness.
Anatomy-Informed Alignment: Focused on proper muscle engagement to protect and support the body.
Specialized Outreach: Experience in Yoga for Substance Abuse Recovery and faith-integrated meditation for those seeking a safe way to navigate spiritual practice.

Mission & Vision

Our Mission

Grand Canyon Yoga exists to cultivate a Survivor-Centered Sanctuary—a space where agency, autonomy, and collective liberation are the highest authority. We explicitly center the safety of those who have been marginalized, dehumanized, or harmed by toxic power structures and coercive control.

Our Vision

We envision a future where healing is a radical act of reclaiming agency. We see a community liberated from "guru culture" and the pressure to perform, where the reality of our bodies is honored over the performance of health. In this sanctuary, we use sober judgment and curiosity to explore the narratives held in our bodies, transforming our practice into a tool for inner knowing and critical thinking.

Our Roots

While we focus on creating a sanctuary for survivors, we also recognize and honor the rich, ancient roots of this practice in South Asia. Our classes are taught with deep respect for yoga’s origins, acknowledging that the physical postures (asanas) are part of a much broader philosophical tradition centered on self-inquiry and liberation from all forms of oppression.

Core Values

INCLUSIVITY & LIBERATION

Survivor-Centered Sanctuary: Our space is prioritized for the safety of the abused and the marginalized—not the comfort of abusers or the systems that protect them. We reject "all are welcome" narratives when they are used to force victims into proximity with their oppressors.
Yoga as Social Justice: We believe self-inquiry is a tool for collective liberation. We stand in solidarity with those fighting for equity, recognizing that silence in the face of systemic harm is complicity.
Agency over Authoritarianism: We empower practitioners to build sober judgment and critical thinking. Stephanie does not position herself as a "spiritual superior" or a "guru," but as a facilitator of your own inner knowing.

TRAUMA SENSITIVE APPROACH

Reclaiming Power: Trauma often results in a loss of agency. Our practice is a somatic unravelling of coercive control, returning choice and authorship to the individual.
Sensation over Shape Duplication: We emphasize your internal experience over outward appearance. In a world that demands you "perform" health or compliance, we prioritize your right to opt-out, vary a posture, or honor the wisdom of your body's "No".
Curious Inquiry: We practice slowing down to explore the thoughts, emotions, and sensations connected to our movement. This allows us to deconstruct outdated survival narratives and rebuild trust in our own instincts.

COMMUNITY & COLLECTIVE WITNESS

Protecting the Sanctuary: We foster a community that honors the reality of healing. This means valuing the truth of chronic illness, neurodivergence, and trauma recovery over the superficial "performance of health".
Collective Safety: We value a "low-demand" environment where you can show up exactly as you are without the pressure to perform or interact.
Accessible Belonging: We use trauma-sensitive principles to bridge the gap for those who are homebound, chronically ill, or geographically isolated, ensuring your needs are a priority, never an afterthought.

Our Articles

Reclaiming Agency: Insights from Our Blog.

Topics:

An Invitation to Restoration: A New Free Resource

Invisible illness and chronic illness can cause so much isolation & burnout. From the lack of understanding from friends and family, to the ongoing, exhausting treatment plans, we can feel like our existence revolves around defending our lived experience and "fixing our broken bodies." For these ... Read More

Stephanie Washington | THU APR 23, 2026

5 Signs It's Time to Upgrade Your Wellness Practice Management System

If you're spending more time on admin than with clients, something needs to change... You're juggling 3+ platforms - Scheduling here, payments there, client notes somewhere else Clients complain about your booking process - Too many steps = lost bookings You're manually sending reminders - And st... Read More

Stephanie Washington | WED APR 1, 2026

Your Exhale is Your Remote Control for Calm

Whether it be the demands of your unique circumstances, or feeling the weight of world events, it is possible we find ourselves in a state of chronic stress. This might show up as tension & tightness in your body: tight neck & shoulders, knots in your belly, low back & hip pain/tightness, etc. Yo... Read More

Stephanie Washington | SUN MAR 22, 2026

"Every yogi should practice Yin." 🛑

I saw this recently and felt a familiar bracing in my own body. It’s a common narrative in the wellness world—the idea that deep, passive stretching is the "medicine" we all need. For years, I was the "perfect" student for this style of yoga. I wasn't formally trained in Yin, but because I lacked... Read More

Stephanie Washington | SAT FEB 21, 2026

A Season of Reclaiming: Updates to Our Mission & Sanctuary

As I transition into a deeper season of recovery and medical leave, I have found myself reflecting on the true purpose of Grand Canyon Yoga. This business was born out of a desire to provide a sanctuary for those navigating the complexities of trauma, chronic illness, and a world that often deman... Read More

Stephanie Washington | FRI FEB 6, 2026

New year, new ways to practice (from anywhere!)

Happy New Year’s Eve! As we head into 2026, the world is full of pressure to "do more" and "push harder." If you’ve spent the last year in a high-pressure environment—whether in hospitality, park service, or the general daily hustle—you might not need more "push." You might just need a soft place... Read More

Stephanie Washington | WED DEC 31, 2025

What is Spiritual Abuse & Why Does it Matter in the Context of Yoga?

What is Spiritual Abuse & Why Does it Matter in the Context of Yoga? Spiritual abuse is often misunderstood, but it is one of the most damaging forms of trauma because it strikes at the core of a person’s identity and self-worth. It is not an isolated issue; the mechanisms of control are universa... Read More

Stephanie Washington | SUN OCT 12, 2025

Change Your Mind, Change Your Brain

Last night at our Rec Center yoga class, I mentioned my favorite neuroscientist, Dr. Caroline Leaf. She has been an incredible resource for my personal healing and growth, as well and learning more about the mind and the brain & how they effect the rest of one's health! In her book, Cleaning Up Y... Read More

Stephanie Washington | TUE JUL 25, 2023

Our Posts

Thank you for supporting this business. You are helping to build a vital wellness resource right here in our community.

Welcome to the Sanctuary

A Season of Rest & Recovery