The YoJo Story
Founded 2013
by Jessa Messina
We live in a time where the mental health crisis continues to rise and mental health care is often difficult to find and/or to afford. People are in need of something that is easy and effective to add into their daily lives where they can feel not just connected to themselves but also to other people.
YoJo was born from the desire to be part of this solution with yoga focusing on the health of the nervous system. YoJo’s name came from a men’s yoga class I led at the NYC Tribeca Equinox gym in 2013. Some of the men in the class referred to themselves as “average joe’s” hence the name Yoga for the Average Jo (YoJo) was born. I then partnered with The Stonewall Inn (gay bar & National Historic Landmark) to build an LGBTQ yoga culture.
“YoJo was born from the desire to be part of this solution with yoga focusing on the health of the nervous system.”
In 2014, YoJo expanded with Corporate yoga classes. Corporate classes allowed me to not only reach more people but to create an opportunity for people to have access to yoga and meditation as a job perk. Since then, I have worked alongside HR to build programs that mold seamlessly into the current company culture. Services range from classes on a mat, to educational workshops on Mindfulness as well as Posture & Ergonomic support.
“In 2013, YoJo partnered with The Stonewall Inn to build an LGBTQ yoga culture.”
Over the years I have trained a team of teachers and had them working alongside me. YoJo has hosted classes and workshops for Urban Outfitters, WeWork, NBC and many companies in the NYC area. YoJo’s Corporate wellness offerings continue to adapt to this new era of shelter in place.
In addition, as a response to the pandemic, the YoJo community has re-launched with weekly paid and donation based classes. An online platform for both individuals and companies will be available in the Fall of 2020.
Meet Jessa
She/Her
I started teaching yoga in 2006. I taught yoga at the Florida State University Student Center (The Leach Center), to the Florida State University football team as well as in studios and gyms in the Tallahassee area. In 2010, I moved to NYC and worked at the Tribeca Equinox and was awarded the Trainer of the Year in 2011. At the Equinox, I created yoga programs including yoga for men. I left to focus my effort on building yoga programs catered for people who wouldn’t normally be comfortable practicing in a studio.
I am a certified teacher of Hatha yoga and Kundalini yoga and focus on trauma informed mindfulness practices. I have studied with Guru Dharam, Tias Little, Seane Corn and many others. My practice is also informed by years of healing from an autoimmune disease and surviving a major head trauma after being hit by a car while riding on a moped. My goal is to provide a space that is gentle, inspirational and informative for people who are currently experiencing traumatic symptoms or for people just looking to create more of a sense of ease in their lives. Our yoga and mindfulness practices should be a place of solace not a place that makes us more anxious or feels intimidating. Life is hard. And self care shouldn’t be!
I currently live in Brooklyn with my two dogs and cat. (They make many guest appearances on Zoom.)