WEST HARTFORD -- "I was really trapped in that cycle of depression," said Cyndi Roberts of West Hartford who also battled anxiety. She was even misdiagnosed with bipolar disorder. She was given medication and also abused drugs and alcohol.
"I was suicidal, just really run down, fatigued. I had gained 80 pounds from the medication," she explained candidly. "I had to make a choice - if I wanted to fight or keep going with this life."
She chose yoga and meditation, two practices that helped her kick the bad habits and get in touch with her mind and body. After getting certified, Roberts started teaching group classes but found that one-on-one sessions - of restorative, therapeutic yoga - were more fulfilling to her and her clients.
"I could make yoga work for them, specifically. So I had people who wanted to lose weight, people with injuries," she said.
Now, the mother of a two year old, Roberts wrote a book called "Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby," a guide to prenatal yoga which will be available in July. She co-owns Zen: Body and Mind Holistic Healing where she often works with moms.
"It’s giving my clients a mantra to practice while they’re washing the dishes or a mindfulness exercise to practice while they’re sweeping or picking up toys because those are the moments in our life when we need yoga the most," she said. "Take a breath when you feel like life is out of control and you can’t breathe. Take that beat, that pause, recharge yourself, it’s ok. Putting yourself first is not selfish, it’s necessary and then we can be better for our families."
Roberts is proud of her journey back to health and peace. She hopes to inspire others to take control of their lives and futures.
"I am absolutely a different person," she says. "I have such clarity and a lust for life that I didn’t have before. I’m in love with every day of my life."
Click here to learn more about Cyndi Roberts Yoga and an upcoming therapeutic crystal workshop.