Introducing… Yoga with Eleonora!
For kids of all ages, when you are feeling all the feelings and need to move and ground and flow
I am so ridiculously excited to share the first in a series of Yoga with Eleonora, which I wrote, voiced, and co-created with the amazing fellow kidlit writer and producer, B.T. Gottfred for his new channel, Pillowfort TV.
New episodes are being released every other week for 16 weeks. The introductory video and first video for when your kiddos (or you!) are feeling MAD are linked to below.
Yoga with Eleonora helps kids of ALL ages calm their minds and bodies so they can respond to and communicate their feelings in healthy ways.
I was inspired to write and create Eleonora at the end of the trashfire year that was 2020.
I just had finished my second Master’s degree in Kinesiology with a focus on Integrative Wellness, during which I had researched CAM interventions for pediatric issues such as anxiety and depression, including yoga, which research shows to be especially beneficial for kids who are struggling.
Also, it would be an understatement to say that, at that time, the whole world was on edge; between the pre-vaccine world of the pandemic and election, everyone I knew was feeling all the feelings: anger, sadness, fear, hope. This included my teen daughter, who was facing their own mental health struggles (they have given me permission to write about it here.)
I wanted viewers (whether they are 3 years old or 33 years old or 103 years old) to know that strong emotions are normal and natural and that it is TOTALLY 100% OKAY TO FEEL. And that it’s also helpful to practice movement, breath work, and meditative reflections that invite us to respond mindfully to those emotions, to know that we can ask for help, and that we are never, ever alone.
Believe me — writing this helped me remember these lessons on days when I was feeling it all. I am grateful to have writing as one of my own survival tools. This creative project kept me grounded and hopeful throughout 2021. I wrote and recorded about one each month, and Brad organized the animation.
I named Eleonora after my mom, Eleanor, who was a joyful elementary school teacher who loved — and was beloved by — kids. So I wrote this to uplift her memory and try to spread her joy and love throughout the world, too.
I also wrote this for my daughter, of course.
And for your kids.
And for YOU.
I’d love for you to leave a comment to let me know how you’re feeling after you and/or your kiddos watch! I promise to let Eleonora know! ;)
E. Katherine Kottaras holds an M.A. in English and an M.S. in Kinesiology with a focus on Integrative Wellness, and she is a contemplative writer and holistic teacher, having worked at the middle, high school, and community college levels for over two decades. She is a yoga teacher, personal trainer, and health coach while also living with invisible illnesses and neurodivergence, and as such, she is passionate about mindfulness, bodily self-determination, and health equity. As the queer daughter of an immigrant, Katherine believes that holistic and inclusive approaches to expression, healing, and growth should be accessible to all.
Connect with Katherine on all the social medias: IG, YouTube, FB, LinkedIn, Twitter, or at katherinekottaras.com.
Check out Katherine’s new series, Yoga with Eleonora on YouTube, which helps kids of all ages calm their minds and bodies so they can respond to and communicate their feelings in healthy ways.
Read every story from Katherine (& thousands of other writers) by signing up for Medium. Your $5/month membership directly supports writers (ad free!).