April Schmidt’s home yoga studio is small and intimate, just the way she likes it. That’s because the Bismarck woman is certified in Yin yoga, and she caters to a niche audience: pregnant women and new moms.

“Yin yoga is extremely relaxing; it’s to reduce stress and ease depression. I don’t just want to teach people how to keep in shape, I want them to be healthy in their minds, too,” April explains. “That’s my motivation in yoga.”

April’s own experience inspired her to become a yoga instructor. After the birth of her second child two years ago, April was diagnosed with severe anxiety and postpartum depression.

“When I went in for help, the first thing the doctor said I should try is yoga. At that point I wasn’t even eating or drinking water; I was just taking care of the baby and not myself.”

April says yoga helped her get through the hardest time in her life. She was going to a class nearly every day.

“It wasn’t so much for my body, it was for my mind. When you can take your focus away from all your anxiety and yourself and do yoga and balance poses where you have to concentrate to stay in a pose, you forget about anything that harmed you.”

April leads yoga classes five days a week at various times. She recently added yoga for emotional balance to help fight anxiety, depression, and emotional trauma. April is also certified to teach yoga for children. Follow her on Facebook and save a spot in one of her classes at LiveWellYoga.