My Story
Hi there! I'm Kara Troglin.
I'm an experienced trauma-informed yoga and meditation teacher. It is a passion of mine to share therapeutic practices that nourish the nervous system and honor the lived experiences of each student. I also love to share the beautiful state of Alaska!
How I went from an "anxious, depressed, & insecure girl" to empowering students worldwide to thrive & build a life they love.
Have you ever felt completely exhausted, riddled with anxiety, and feeling like you can't catch your breath?
I understand. So well. It's why I chose to pursue yoga as a career. It changed my life in the best way possible and showed me there was hope to experiencing the life I always dreamt of.
Not long ago, I was struggling to get out of bed and there were days, weeks, & months my heart felt like it was breaking.
I was seeking anything I could get my hands on to make me feel better. I was giving into the belief that this is just how I would feel for the rest of my life.
Then I experienced the healing science of yoga, meditation, & mindfulness and it was the very thing that my spirit was longing for.
Yoga saved my life, again, and again.
My journey began in Fort Worth, Texas. I loved growing up with big sunflowers, gardens, & the most delicious tacos. I spent most of my life inspired by nature, the arts, and traveling.
At the age of 18 I left home & traveled the world to learn all forms of writing, arts, and science. I studied fungal biology, photography, and creative writing at the University of Arkansas.
From an outsider's perspective, I was living my life to the fullest, but I knew something was not right. I had my first serious panic attack in college. My thoughts were flooded with never feeling like I was enough, caring WAY TOO MUCH about what people thought of me, and seeking external validation only to be left with intense heartbreak. I was wallowing in grief and the fear that things were always going to be this way.
My 20s were turbulent, isolating, and I pushed so many loved ones away as a result of my declining mental health. I found myself in turbulent relationships that left me picking up broken pieces and crying myself to sleep at night. I didn't know how to process the deep rooted trauma.
In 2015, I moved to Alaska and somehow found myself in a yoga class. It was one of the darkest winters of my life when the practice revealed itself to me. Yoga peeled back the layers of pain and brought me home to my true self. I fell deeply in love with the practice & saw how it improved my life on and off the mat.
I still experience darkness, down days, and anxiety from time to time. Healing is not linear. It is a process. Yoga has been the greatest gift that provides me the tools I need to lean into the heaviness. Today, I can honestly say, I am so much more than my mind. I am so much more than my body. I am more than enough.
It has become my passion to share how yoga is a healing modality for mental health.
I wholeheartedly believe every person has the ability to experience this blissful practice.
My focus is to make yoga accessible to each student's individual needs.
I completed my intensive RYT 500 teacher training with Zuna Yoga in Bali, Indonesia (zunayoga.com) under the supervision of masterful instructors. I teach the method that yoga is about so much more than the physical asana postures, but also integrative breathing, pranayama, and meditation techniques.
Since then I have taught yoga in Fiji and across the state of Alaska. I have studied & taught over 1000 hours of yoga and committed myself to a daily practice.
I teach Hatha, slow vinyasa flow, gentle, healing chair yoga, restorative, yin, kid's yoga, meditation, & yoga nidra. My classes are heavily inspired by the power of breath & our connection with the natural world rooted in the Tantric lineage.
I love to respect the authentic origin of yoga by incorporating Sanskrit, Vedic philosophy, and traditional mantras & affirmations.
The science of yoga & meditation plays an important role in my teachings. I weave in psycho education & offer tools of neuroscience within the scope of my practice. It is my passion to relieve suffering of those recovering from trauma & mental health conditions.
Currently, I reside in Seward where I run a private yoga studio and offer one on one sessions, wellness retreats, workshops, & outdoor guided mindfulness yoga & hiking trips in the summer.
I am greatly inspired by the work of my teachers.
I have trained and studied with numerous educated yoga teachers, yoga therapists, and psychologists in the mental health field.
I am an E-RYT 500, YACEP, Certified Trauma Informed Yoga Teacher, Certified Mental Health Aware Yoga Teacher, and currently training as an Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist specializing in trauma recovery.
Trainings and Qualifications:
E-RYT 500 with Zuna Yoga in Bali, Indonesia
Breathing Deeply: Yoga Therapy Training
Lauren Toolin of Yoga Vidya: Trauma-Informed Yoga Teacher Training
Zabie Yamasaki: Transcending Sexual Trauma with Yoga Training
Dr. Lauren Tober: Mental Health Aware Yoga Training
Amy Weintraub: Yoga for Anxiety & Depression Training, Yoga for Your Mood Training
Monique Minahan: Yoga for Grief Training
Understanding Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Certification with Alaska Pacific University
I have also completed continuous education in restorative yoga, yin yoga, accessible yoga, and yoga nidra teacher trainings.
Other teachers that have inspired my work: Yoga Therapists of Alaska, Dr. Arielle Schwartz author of Therapeutic Yoga for Trauma Recovery, Katie Kurtz: Trauma-Informed Space Holding, and Judith Hanson Lasater.
I have a Bachelors Degree from the University of Arkansas in Creative Writing with a concentration in poetry with studies in plant biology, psychology, photography, and certified TESOL (Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages).
I am a published writer of the book She Will Rise and the primary photographer of most of my own yoga photographs, specializing in self-portraiture and nature.
"I teach for myself. I practice for my students."
- Judith Hanson Lasater
"Kara’s smile is contagious. She has a wonderful disposition. Very easy to talk to, laugh with, and take instruction from. In the one on one time I have had with her, she has been extremely patient with me and supportive."
- Jennifer
Seward, AK
Kara has led me through meditations and yoga asanas. She also introduced and guided me through multiple yoga nidra sessions.
I have learned so much from her throughout the process. She taught me about the benefits behind the practice and discussed the different states emotionally and physically I may experience.
She’s a very intuitive teacher and emotional guide. I’ve learned and grown from her and am looking forward to practicing more yoga together!
- Kelly
Nurse Practitioner in Anchorage, AK
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