Petti Groth, ERYT-500, YACEP, MMI Certified Mindfulness & Meditation Teacher, NCPT
Since 2007, Petti has been a full-time mind/body teacher, and the proprietor of Synergy Studio in Cookeville, Tennessee.
Petti is a fully credentialed teacher in both yoga and Pilates.* “These disciplines have given me a non-threatening and non-competitive way to maintain health and balance in my mind, body and spirit. It is a great gift to have discovered these precious ‘life tools,’ and I want to share that with other people."
Rather than following the traditional approach of identifying clients’ imperfections or weaknesses, and setting goals to "fix" them, Petti takes a holistic mind-body approach. She states, “The key is starting with gratitude. All of our challenges are simply an opportunity to grow, and all of our desires for change are God-given. They spur us onto the path to our best self.” Petti helps her clients place the emphasis on their journey, rather than the destination.
As a result of a personal injury that created severe chronic pain, Petti began to question what was next for her as a teacher. A meditator for more than a decade, she began to cling to her morning “quiet time” as a lifeline. Led to explore further in her personal practice, and to have a credential that allowed her to share meditation with her clients, she enrolled in a 200-hour meditation teacher training program under the direction of Sarah McLean. In 2014, she graduated from the Meditation Institute of Sedona. “Meditation has been a great gift to me, and I am excited about teaching these techniques to my students. I’ve come full circle,” says Groth. “Meditation is an integral part of mind/body practice; it makes our physical practices—and our entire life—fuller and richer. It’s a wonderful tool for cultivating acceptance and peace."
Petti is currently teaching meditation and movement sessions at Synergy. She is accepting a limited number of private clients and duets, with referral from a physician or clinical professional. Petti is also available for retreats, special events, and on-site employee training. Please e-mail or phone the studio for pricing and details.
In 2014, Petti received ERYT-500 status from the Yoga Alliance. In 2012, she graduated from the Yoga Teachers School of Excellence in Jackson, Tennessee. Additionally, she has studied with many popular yoga teachers in recent years, including Cyndi Lee, Jill Miller, K. Lea Gifford, Doug Swenson, Elise Browning Miller, Baxter Bell M.D., Mary Paffard, Carrie Gaynor, and Rebecca Dennis. Petti also had the privilege of attending the first ever Yoga Alliance Professional Development conference in 2011, where she had the opportunity to study with many gifted teachers including Devarshi Steven Hartman of the Kripalu School, Siddhi Ellinghoven, Dr. David Frawley, Rhadeya Michael Plasha, and Lilias Folan. She completed a 3 day training with founder and developer of the Great Yoga Wall, Bryan Legere in 2018, as well as level 2 Yoga Wall Training with Mary Ann Metzger in 2019. She also has completed yoga wall workshops with Terry Brown of Triad Yoga Institute.
Petti has also completed a Pilates studio apprenticeship program, accruing over 1000 hours of Pilates teacher training. This work was under the direction of PMA certified mentor and teacher trainer, Susan Butkus, who Petti refers to as her “Pilates Mom.” Since 2007, Petti has held a Certified Pilates Teacher status with the Pilates Method Alliance®*. She is also a graduate of the Pilates Excel program, a secondary education program for experienced Pilates trainers and studio owners, and has had the privilege of completing a Pilates-specific cadaver anatomy lab, under the instruction of Dr. Rebecca Love at the naturopathic medical school of Bastyr University in Washington. She has the privilege of hosting and studying with Ruth Alpert, creator of the BodEase method, once a year. Petti has also completed two Anatomy Trains courses, and most recently is completing the Polestar Pilates Transition program under the mentorship of Shelly Power, NCPT