What we’re about
Welcome to Behavioral Fitness! Join this growing community in Walnut Creek that is engaging in a new kind of fitness. What is Behavioral Fitness? You can think of it as way of building a life you don’t need a vacation from! You can learn more on our web site Www.behavioralfitnesstoday.com
It’s a multi-dimensional approach to well-being that uses 8 dimensions of wellness as supported by the World Health Organization. Behavioral Fitness offers a variety of ways to engage in experiences that help us connect, learn and grow. Connect or re-connect with your values and purpose. We aim to create safe spaces for people to feel comfortable and feel like they belong. We have opened a studio in Walnut Creek near John Muir Hospital. It’s described like a country kitchen meets a yoga studio.
Behavioral Fitness was founded by a Doctor of Behavioral Health and an emergency nurse. After years in healthcare they realized it was no longer reasonable to wait for a crisis or diagnosis to address health and well-being. So they set out on a mission to help people live better with Behavioral Fitness. It’s really for anyone with a desire and curiosity to learn how they can live life better than imagined. Behavioral Fitness helps you develop insight, apply the insight, and sustain it in such a way that you feel empowered to set the conditions for your best life. We invite people 18 or older to join this growing community of people living a Behavioral Fitness lifestyle. Whether you are 18 or 80 - Behavioral Fitness can help you feel and live better. Behavioral Fitness Meet-Up events include a variety of offerings- pick the events that interest you and know that we are just getting started. We will be posting coffee and connect meet-ups, park meet-ups, walk and talks, Zoom sessions for night owls, nutrition talks, book club events, movie nights, walking meditation experiences, and much more!
You can learn more and see the current schedule on our Behavioral Fitness app. - available in your App Store.
Dr. Ally and Nurse Teri look forward to meeting you soon!
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Monday Evening yoga at Behavioral FitnessBehavioral Fitness, Walnut Creek, CA
There is a $20 Drop- in fee for evening yoga at Behavioral fitness. We also offer affordable memberships starting at $40/month.
Bring your own mat if you have one. We have mats you can borrow. All yoga props provided.
Register in the link HERE
The Behavioral Fitness studio has a warm and welcoming vibe. We look forward to meeting you.
This is a Behavioral Fitness yoga experience designed to gently move our bodies, connect to what's inside and practice mindfulness and connection inside and out. Open to all levels of fitness. We welcome you as you are.
Let's stop stretching ourselves to the edge and learn a better way forward in life. If there’s a knot in a rubber band, and you stretch it, the knot only gets tighter. Yoga is not about stretching, it’s about finding and untying the knots of stress in our bodies. It’s more like untangling yarn than stretching a rubber band.
Feel more energetic, confident, and thoughtful
Find more joy and balance in your day
Discover tools and strategies to create a peaceful path forward
Feel motivated and empowered to achieve the quality of life you desire
Gain hope, connection, and community
Receive peer and professional support and resources
We want to emphasize that WE WELCOME ALL. Come as you are. If all you can do is show up and lay on the mat or heavily modify with a chair by your side for support that's totally ok. There is benefit to showing up and being part of the collective energy at the Behavioral Fitness studio. We hope to see you on the mat so you can begin taking what you learn off the mat.
Need more reasons that support why yoga is beneficial and why we bring it into Behavioral Fitness?
Check this out:
Research shows that yoga can significantly calm the nervous system and help individuals recover from stress, trauma, grief, and other emotional challenges. Here are five key reasons why:
1.Activates the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS): Yoga stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting a “rest and digest” state, which counteracts the stress-induced “fight or flight” response. Studies show that practices such as deep breathing and slow movement reduce cortisol (the stress hormone) and increase heart rate variability (HRV), an indicator of nervous system flexibility and resilience to stress.
2.Reduces Symptoms of Trauma and PTSD: Trauma-sensitive yoga has been shown to reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A study published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that participants who practiced yoga had a 41% decrease in PTSD symptoms. Yoga helps by increasing body awareness and encouraging mindfulness, allowing individuals to process traumatic experiences safely and regain a sense of control over their body.
3.Regulates Emotional and Physical Responses to Stress: By incorporating mindful breathing (pranayama) and movement, yoga teaches the body to respond to stress with relaxation instead of tension. A study from Harvard Medical School noted that yoga enhances the function of the vagus nerve, which plays a critical role in regulating heart rate, digestion, and other key body functions during stress recovery.
4.Increases GABA Levels: Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter associated with calmness and reduced anxiety, has been found to increase after yoga sessions. In a study by Boston University School of Medicine, participants experienced a 27% increase in GABA levels after a 12-week yoga practice. This rise in GABA levels is linked to improved mood and decreased anxiety, which can help those dealing with trauma, grief, and chronic stress.
5.Enhances Body Awareness and Mind-Body Connection: Yoga emphasizes mindfulness and being present, which can help individuals reconnect with their body after traumatic or stressful experiences. Research shows that regular yoga practice improves body awareness, increases the sense of ownership of one’s body, and fosters a more positive relationship with it. This reconnection is essential for emotional healing and recovery from trauma.
By calming the nervous system and fostering a deeper connection between mind and body, yoga provides a powerful therapeutic tool for managing stress and emotional challenges.
- Monday Evening yoga at Behavioral FitnessBehavioral Fitness, Walnut Creek, CA
There is a $20 Drop- in fee for evening yoga at Behavioral fitness. We also offer affordable memberships starting at $40/month.
Bring your own mat if you have one. We have mats you can borrow. All yoga props provided.
Register in the link HERE
The Behavioral Fitness studio has a warm and welcoming vibe. We look forward to meeting you.
This is a Behavioral Fitness yoga experience designed to gently move our bodies, connect to what's inside and practice mindfulness and connection inside and out. Open to all levels of fitness. We welcome you as you are.
Let's stop stretching ourselves to the edge and learn a better way forward in life. If there’s a knot in a rubber band, and you stretch it, the knot only gets tighter. Yoga is not about stretching, it’s about finding and untying the knots of stress in our bodies. It’s more like untangling yarn than stretching a rubber band.
Feel more energetic, confident, and thoughtful
Find more joy and balance in your day
Discover tools and strategies to create a peaceful path forward
Feel motivated and empowered to achieve the quality of life you desire
Gain hope, connection, and community
Receive peer and professional support and resources
We want to emphasize that WE WELCOME ALL. Come as you are. If all you can do is show up and lay on the mat or heavily modify with a chair by your side for support that's totally ok. There is benefit to showing up and being part of the collective energy at the Behavioral Fitness studio. We hope to see you on the mat so you can begin taking what you learn off the mat.
Need more reasons that support why yoga is beneficial and why we bring it into Behavioral Fitness?
Check this out:
Research shows that yoga can significantly calm the nervous system and help individuals recover from stress, trauma, grief, and other emotional challenges. Here are five key reasons why:
1.Activates the Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS): Yoga stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting a “rest and digest” state, which counteracts the stress-induced “fight or flight” response. Studies show that practices such as deep breathing and slow movement reduce cortisol (the stress hormone) and increase heart rate variability (HRV), an indicator of nervous system flexibility and resilience to stress.
2.Reduces Symptoms of Trauma and PTSD: Trauma-sensitive yoga has been shown to reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A study published in The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry found that participants who practiced yoga had a 41% decrease in PTSD symptoms. Yoga helps by increasing body awareness and encouraging mindfulness, allowing individuals to process traumatic experiences safely and regain a sense of control over their body.
3.Regulates Emotional and Physical Responses to Stress: By incorporating mindful breathing (pranayama) and movement, yoga teaches the body to respond to stress with relaxation instead of tension. A study from Harvard Medical School noted that yoga enhances the function of the vagus nerve, which plays a critical role in regulating heart rate, digestion, and other key body functions during stress recovery.
4.Increases GABA Levels: Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid (GABA), a neurotransmitter associated with calmness and reduced anxiety, has been found to increase after yoga sessions. In a study by Boston University School of Medicine, participants experienced a 27% increase in GABA levels after a 12-week yoga practice. This rise in GABA levels is linked to improved mood and decreased anxiety, which can help those dealing with trauma, grief, and chronic stress.
5.Enhances Body Awareness and Mind-Body Connection: Yoga emphasizes mindfulness and being present, which can help individuals reconnect with their body after traumatic or stressful experiences. Research shows that regular yoga practice improves body awareness, increases the sense of ownership of one’s body, and fosters a more positive relationship with it. This reconnection is essential for emotional healing and recovery from trauma.
By calming the nervous system and fostering a deeper connection between mind and body, yoga provides a powerful therapeutic tool for managing stress and emotional challenges.
