Meet Ally Morrison | Yoga Teacher and Myo-Fascial Release Therapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ally Morrison and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ally, what’s something about your industry that outsiders are probably unaware of?
Hmm… I’d say that most people may not realize that massage therapists and yoga teachers become profoundly changed by the work services we offer each day. There is something so surreal about being in constant, near-quiet contact with another human being for hours, upon weeks, months and years. That sheer amount of time, in almost silence, touching skin and stretching bodies, relieving tightness and pain, takes the practitioner into a deep state of meditative-type concentration. Multiply those experiences by years and years, you can see how the work changes the person giving the service. I had no idea when I started, that the amount of time placed in such a singular concentration could develop my wisdom, intuition, vision, and knowledge on multiple levels. I don’t recall being told to bear witness on the deeper development that would occur inside the practitioner. The focus of academic training, in massage therapy at least, is based on the outcome we are trying to generate for the client. I’m still amazed at how far massage therapy and yoga practices have brought me down the road of self-development. I initially thought that I would simply adopt healthier eating, sleeping, exercising and self-care practices to help me do my job. I’ve always been focused on healing, creativity and longevity. It never occurred to me that practicing massage, and teaching yoga, could be avenues to develop myself as a healing artist.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
The main thrust of what I do with my clients is based on gaining positive outcomes in a private setting… using private yoga teaching, myo-fascial release therapy, and self-care technique instruction and coaching. It is extremely personal, and helps them bridge a gap in their life, in many ways. I conduct Posture Assessments and discussions about unique Movements and Body Mechanics that make each person individually different. We then go about setting up a Plan to address Structural or Muscular imbalances based on my perspectives in Yoga Therapeutics, Anatomical knowledge, Self-Care approaches, Fascia Release techniques and more. I think what sets me apart is my ability to blend the Alignment Principles I learned from Yoga Practice with the compartmentalized release techniques I practiced in my traditional Massage Therapy practice. The capstone of my practice, though, is the combination of Myo-Fascial Release Therapy with Yin Yoga and Fascia Release. It has brought unparalleled outcomes over traditional Massage alone, and has catapulted my understanding and outcomes with Students and Clients from many walks of life. Now, with the pivot to teaching online since the pandemic, I’m building Classes and Programs to bring this work to more folks due to the magic of Livestream and On-Demand video. It’s gratifying to continue to work with Clients and Students in a video format and see the on-going transformations in their lives with this new component.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Well, to start I live in Glenwood Springs, CO… a beautiful river town just down the road from world-famous Aspen and Vail ski areas. During the warm months, I love to go for a cruiser bike ride down to the river and watch the whitewater action at the Glenwood Wave, where many top athletes go to train in spring runoff. Then, we would pop in to the Pullman or Glen Canyon Brewpub for a bite and a bevy. For a great drive, we will head up to Independence Pass or into Glen Canyon to see the 2000′ tall rock walls and mighty Colorado River. During the winter season, there is great downhill skiing and snowboarding in Aspen and Snowmass Village. And the Nordic skiing is fantastic if you love cross-country style for an intense workout. And pretty much any month of the year is perfect for a hot springs soak in the geo-thermal waters this area is known for. There are large and small, public soaking pools and natural springs if you know where to look for them! If the night scene is your thing, we have talented theater in Carbondale and music performances in Aspen, like the Jazz Aspen series, Aspen Music Festival and the well-known Belly Up nightclub for all kinds of national acts and talent. I’m never at a loss of what to do in this area… if only there were more hours in the day!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
If I take a step back, the big picture shows me that pain has been a driving force in my life, and has lead me to incredible teachers, therapists and healers who walked that path with me for many years. My first Massage Therapy mentor, Judy Hanson, encouraged me to go to Massage school, even though I was thriving in my first dream job in the snowboard industry. She saw my interest in Anatomy, Natural healing, Whole Foods nutrition and Essential Oils therapies and really hammered on me to go to night school for Massage. I also have to thank the Fitness Coordinator at the Recreation Center where I was working in the late 90’s. Her name was Renee Rogers, and she pushed me for a solid year to finally teach my first public yoga class. She was right, that I was ready to teach and needed that extra shove to put myself out of my comfort zone and make an offering. Both of those women saw something in me that needed drawing forth, and firmly but gently helped set me on my path of being a therapist and teacher.

Website: https://allymorrison.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ally.yoga.fascia.therapy/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AMyogafasciatherapy

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-LgYzJ_8NviIROIqY7IRjA

Other: My Online Studio for Classes https://app.namastream.com/allymorrison

Image Credits
Kelly Eileen Photography, Carolina Joyce Photography, Corie Spruill Photography