Daily Inspiration: Meet Ashlynn Howe

Today we’d like to introduce you to Ashlynn Howe.

Hi Ashlynn, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
Hi! Thank you so much for having me! I am a school counselor by day and a barre instructor in-between. I absolutely love meshing these two worlds by teaching barre and connecting the importance of movement to mental wellness. I have been teaching barre for four years and find so much joy in instructing, moving, and sharing the mind-body benefits of barre with others!

I taught in-person at multiple studios until late 2020, when I began to dream up the idea of building a virtual barre studio of my own after having adjusted to livestream teaching for months. I wanted to recreate the boutique barre studio-feel in a way that was accessible from the ease of home, placed value on mental wellbeing, and emphasized the idea of moving for enjoyment. In May of 2021, Be Well Barre came to fruition and launched its first class, and our community has been growing members and livestreaming classes every Wednesday and Saturday since. The Studio+ Membership is the latest membership launched, offering a full on-demand library that adds new classes weekly and features classes of different lengths, unlimited live class bookings, and access to all live class recordings.

Running a small business has been such an exciting challenge that has encouraged me to grow both personally and professionally. I am so appreciative of and thankful for Be Well Barre’s community of members, participants, and supporters. I can’t wait to continue serving our community, reaching others through movement, and growing the Be Well Barre platform!

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Since launching in May of 2021, I truly have been blessed with the support of people and community around me. My close friends and family were some of the first to support my small business and attend classes weekly (and still do!). Since then, I’ve been working on expanding business by offering both on-demand and livestream classes, as well as facilitating The Recovery Barre, a sober movement community, online and in the Grand Rapids, MI area.

When structuring Be Well Barre, I knew I wanted to offer an additional space that felt safe and unique for women who were sober-curious, sober, or in long-term recovery to connect and move together. My personal journey to becoming a barre instructor is intertwined with my own recovery story, so The Recovery Barre serves as a way to give back to our community and help other women find strength through sober community. I personally remember how much isolation, shame, and fear you feel as a young woman in her 20s secretly struggling with addiction, so I wanted to create a supportive space that felt both accessible and relatable. The Recovery Barre consists of a recovery-style meeting followed by an express barre class and is free and/or donation-based for the movement portion of class. Class follows the same format each week and encourages additional communities of recovery support, treatment, counseling and/or step work to all who seek long-term sobriety. Virtually, we have women who join each Sunday from all corners of the United States! I give all gratitude to God for leading me to a safe and sober life, so providing other women with community and growing The Recovery Barre is close to my heart!

I work full-time in addition to running the virtual studio, so my main obstacle is practicing patience with some of the ideas I wish I could put full energy into now. I spend most evening and weekend hours that I have free working on Be Well Barre. I am excited to continue reaching others, growing members, and serving the recovery community!

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I have my M.Ed. in School Counseling and am an elementary school counselor by day, so I absolutely love incorporating movement into my work with students to teach new coping strategies and support preventative mental health care. My experience as both a school counselor and group fitness instructor inspired the vision of an accessible movement community that places value and intention on the mental-health-and-body connection. I am currently studying for the NCCA-accredited Group Fitness Instructor Certification and have applied to become a Barre Above Master Trainer. My dream is to someday be running Be Well Barre full-time and have The Recovery Barre certified as a program of recovery support.

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?
Be Well Barre Studio+ members are SO valued and help grow access to our movement community, so joining with membership or sharing membership with others is always deeply valued and appreciated! If you’re within a few hours of the Grand Rapids, MI area, I love holding private in-person classes for specific gatherings, celebrations, or events! I offer these virtually as well. Additionally, sharing about The Recovery Barre to reach others who would benefit from a sober movement community or donating to The Recovery Barre would greatly help outreach efforts. I am always happy to speak with others and/or businesses about potential collaborations, memberships, or private classes!

Pricing:

• Intro Class: $5
• Drop-in: $10
• Studio Membership: $39/month
• The Recovery Barre: FREE (and/or donation-based for the movement portion of class)

Contact Info:

• Email: ashlynn@bewellbarre.com

• Website: bewellbarre.com

• Instagram: bewellbarre

• Facebook: bewellbarre