By Krystle J Bailey
This Saturday, Oct. 14, from 8 a.m. to noon, Strengthening Souls Yoga will be offering a complimentary yoga class to kick off its Somers Point grand opening. The new yoga studio is owned and operated by Desiree McGuckin, who discovered the healing and meditative qualities of yoga following the devastating loss of her 4-year-old son, Wyatt, in 2017.
On Halloween night, 2017, Wyatt was taken by a silent infection called myocarditis. Through their grief and in an effort to heal, Desiree and Wyatt’s father Rob began the Wyatt Strong Foundation, a 501c(3) non-profit foundation created to honor Wyatt’s life by spreading love through toys and gift-giving.
“Wyatt passed away a week before his fifth birthday,” shared McGuckin. “The kid had never asked for anything, but that year, he wanted a lot of toys for his birthday, so after his passing, we decided to do a toy drive.”
Over the years, the foundation grew, and what began with a couple hundred toys donated to local hospitals turned into thousands of toys distributed to over 40 locations.
This year, donations for the Wyatt Foundation annual gift-giving will take place during a special gathering in Wyatt’s memory on Dec. 16th at Caroline’s By The Bay in Somers Point from 2 to 5 p.m.
Over the course of the last five years, while directing The Wyatt Strong Foundation and raising Wyatt’s younger brother, Cash, Desiree, found relief through her yoga practice.
“I got into yoga for my own reasons,” explains Desiree. “I needed to move. I learned that moving helped me to heal from losing Wyatt. I didn’t know what to do; I had a lot of anger inside of me, and I learned through movement that I was starting to feel better. I learned how to release these trapped emotions.”
At Strengthening Souls Yoga, the sole intention is to heal and grow from the inside out. Classes offered include power yoga, vinyasa flow, unwind and relax classes, rise and shine flow, and a special grief release flow.
The grief release class is offered every first Wednesday of the month and is donation-based for anybody dealing with grief and seeking space to release pent-up emotions. Other memberships are available monthly and annually.
Space for Saturday’s free class is limited. Reserve a spot at www.strengtheningsouls.square.site. Visit Strengthening Souls Yoga this Saturday for your chance to win free yoga classes, get to know Desiree, and check out the vibrant new studio at 10 W. Connecticut Ave., Somers Point.
“As I grew with my yoga practice, I felt led to teach. I hope to help anyone who is dealing with anything in life to feel a little better and heal a little more,” shared McGuckin.
