Many students find it easy to bond with friends when they’re at the bar
or having a few drinks at home.

But the employees at Flexible Health and Wellness want to encourage
students they can improve relationships in other ways as well.

“We want people to bond over health, not necessarily beer,” said
Chief Executive Officer and program developer Colleen Milligan.
“Although beer is OK.”

Located in downtown Mount Pleasant, 121 S. University, the
non-profit wellness studio has only been open for a few weeks. Upon
entering, patrons are greeted with bright lights and the smell of
aromatherapy, both designed to give an energy boost to customers.

Flexible Health and Wellness offers yoga, Tai Chi and Pilates
sessions, as well as massages and Ayurvedic health education classes.

Milligan said yoga wasn’t readily available to Mount Pleasant
residents and students.

“Downstate it’s common, but up here it hasn’t been available except
on campus,” she said.

Yoga has several benefits, including relieving stress and anxiety,
she said.

Milligan said the reason she felt the need to open the center for
students was because of the amount of stress students experience.

“I want to see us manage it (stress) better,” Milligan said.

Jessica Wilson, Marquette junior and Flexible Health and Wellness
Pilates instructor, said she thinks yoga is easy and less time
consuming than other forms of working out.

“That’s what’s great with yoga, you don’t have to do 45-minute
workouts,”  Wilson said.

Milligan said she herself was never a big athlete and that’s why she
chose yoga.

The wellness studio offers various programs for seniors and children
in addition to its regular programs. However, Milligan said she does
expect more student participation when the fall semester starts.

Milligan and Wilson said yoga is good for all body types.

“We never judge and never make your body do something it won’t do,”
Milligan said.

Student prices for a drop-in session are $5. Packaged plans also are
offered.

Sessions are offered daily at 7 a.m., noon and 4:30 and 5:30 p.m.

More information is available at Flexible Health and Wellness’ Web
site at www.flexiblehealthandwellness.org.

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