Today we’d like to introduce you to Michaela Goorahoo.
Hi Michaela, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
If you had told me twenty years ago that I would be teaching breathwork, yoga, and holistic wellness, I probably would have laughed.
My journey began in a completely different world. I studied Fashion Design in Chicago and was passionate about creativity, expression, and bringing ideas to life. But beneath the surface, I was also navigating many of the same challenges I see in my clients today—stress, overwhelm, self-doubt, injury, and the feeling of being disconnected from myself.
What started as a search for physical wellness gradually became something much deeper. I discovered Pilates first, then breathwork, meditation, yoga, sound healing, and other holistic practices. With each modality, I wasn’t just learning techniques—I was learning how to listen to my body, regulate my nervous system, and reconnect with parts of myself I had forgotten.
Over time, my own healing journey became my life’s work.
I founded EXPAND+BREATHE with the intention of helping others reconnect with themselves through movement, breath, mindfulness, and ancient wisdom traditions. What began as teaching Pilates evolved into a more integrative approach that supports people physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
One of the most transformative chapters of that journey happened recently when I traveled to India to complete a 500-hour Integrative Himalayan Yoga Teacher Training. Living in the Himalayas, studying traditional yoga, breathwork, meditation, philosophy, and devotion, reminded me that yoga is far more than a fitness practice—it’s a way of living and relating to ourselves, others, and the world around us.
Today, I have the privilege of working with people who are often standing at a crossroads in their own lives—recovering from injury, navigating stress and burnout, searching for meaning, or simply wanting to feel more at home in themselves. The greatest gift is witnessing someone realize that the strength, wisdom, and healing they have been searching for was never outside of them to begin with.
At its heart, my work is about helping people remember their wholeness—and using the breath as a pathway back home.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Not at all. Like most meaningful journeys, it has been filled with twists, challenges, and unexpected lessons.
One of the biggest struggles was learning to trust myself. There were periods where I felt pulled between what I thought I “should” be doing and what I felt called to do. Leaving one path and stepping into another often came with uncertainty, financial risk, and plenty of self-doubt.
I’ve also experienced injuries, personal setbacks, and moments of burnout that forced me to slow down and reevaluate how I was living. Ironically, many of the practices I now teach—breathwork, mindfulness, movement, and self-awareness—were first tools I leaned on to help navigate my own challenges.
Building a business has been its own education. Wearing every hat as an entrepreneur, learning marketing, sales, operations, and creating sustainable systems while still serving clients can be incredibly rewarding and incredibly humbling. There have been moments when growth felt slow and moments when I questioned whether I was on the right path.
One of the most profound lessons I’ve learned is that growth rarely happens in a straight line. The challenges, setbacks, and detours often become the very experiences that allow us to better serve others.
Looking back, I wouldn’t remove those struggles. They taught me resilience, compassion, and the importance of staying connected to my values. They also deepened my belief that healing isn’t about becoming someone else—it’s about remembering who you are underneath the noise, fear, and conditioning.
Today, when clients come to me feeling overwhelmed, disconnected, or uncertain, I can meet them with genuine understanding because I’ve walked through many of those experiences myself.
We’ve been impressed with EXPAND+BREATHE, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
EXPAND+BREATHE was born from a simple belief: true wellness happens when we support the whole person—body, mind, heart, energy, and spirit.
My work combines evidence-based movement practices with ancient wisdom traditions to create a balanced and sustainable approach to health and well-being. Through Pilates, High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), breathwork, meditation, sound healing, energy healing, and Integrative Himalayan Yoga, I help people build strength, resilience, awareness, and a deeper connection to themselves.
Many people know me for my holistic approach, but movement remains an important foundation of my work. Pilates helps clients build strength, mobility, alignment, and body awareness. HIIT training offers a powerful way to develop cardiovascular fitness, resilience, and long-term health. As more research highlights the importance of strength training and impact-based exercise for bone density, especially for women as they age, I believe these practices play a vital role in supporting longevity and vitality.
Beyond the physical benefits, movement also teaches discipline, perseverance, and what yogic philosophy refers to as tapas—the inner fire that helps us grow through challenge and transformation.
What sets my work apart is the integration of these physical practices with breathwork, nervous system regulation, meditation, sound healing, energy healing, and traditional yogic teachings. Rather than focusing on one aspect of health, I help clients understand how their physical, mental, emotional, and energetic well-being influence one another.
One of the experiences that most shaped my work was studying Integrative Himalayan Yoga in India, where I deepened my understanding of yoga as a complete system for living. Those teachings continue to influence how I support clients today—not as something separate from everyday life, but as practical tools for cultivating greater awareness, resilience, balance, and purpose.
What I am most proud of is the community that has grown around this work. Over the years, I have had the privilege of supporting people through injuries, stress, burnout, major life transitions, and personal transformation. Whether someone comes to me for fitness, recovery, breathwork, yoga, or holistic wellness support, my intention is the same: to help them reconnect with their own strength, wisdom, and capacity to heal.
If there is one thing I hope people understand about EXPAND+BREATHE, it is that wellness is not about choosing between strength and softness, science and spirituality, effort and surrender. We need all of it. My work is about helping people build a foundation that is physically strong, emotionally resilient, mentally clear, energetically balanced, and deeply connected to what matters most.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that your path doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.
When I was starting out, I spent a lot of time looking outside myself—wondering if I was doing enough, moving fast enough, or following the “right” formula. Over time, I realized that comparison can become one of the biggest obstacles to growth. Some of the most meaningful opportunities in my life and business came not from following someone else’s blueprint, but from trusting my own experiences, values, and intuition.
I would also tell people not to underestimate the power of consistency. We often celebrate big breakthroughs, but most success is built through small actions repeated over time. The classes with two students, the workshops that aren’t sold out, the social media posts that seem to go nowhere, the countless hours spent learning and refining your craft—those moments matter. They are building something, even when you can’t yet see the results.
Another piece of advice is to stay curious and remain a student. Some of the most transformative experiences in my life have come from continuing to learn, whether through mentorship, travel, study, or simply listening deeply to others. The more I learn, the more I realize there is always more to discover.
Finally, remember why you started. There will be moments of uncertainty, setbacks, and challenges. If your work is rooted in service and aligned with something meaningful to you, it becomes much easier to stay the course.
Success isn’t always about getting somewhere else. Sometimes it’s about becoming more fully yourself along the way.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.expandbreathe.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/expandbreathe/
