ABOUT MELISSA
Hi!
My name is
Melissa Honkanen.
I help individuals and groups overcome stress and anxiety so they can create & cultivate calm.
I’m the owner and founder of Melissa Ann Yoga.
TALK YOGA TO ME
Feeling stuck in fight, flight, or freeze mode?
Caught in a cycle of doom scrolling?
Worn down by the same routine?
Struggling to make time for yourself?
Yeah. I’ve been there.
That’s why my passion is to hold space for yoga and meditation—
for real life, not just Instagram poses.
Because yoga is for everyone.
Yes, even you.
“But I’m too busy.”
“I can’t touch my toes.”
“I’m not flexible.”
“I don’t look like a yoga person.”
I HEAR YOU.
AND I GOT YOU, MY FRIEND
This space was made for you to pause, to breathe, and to reconnect
with your body, your mind, and what matters most.
I believe great people do great things before they are ready.
- Amy Poehler
Let’s begin before you're ready.
You’re already enough.
Whoa! Back Up a Minute
You’re probably wondering who the heck I am!
For over a decade, I worked alongside America’s top-ranked BigLaw attorneys, supporting everything from pro bono matters to high-stakes Fortune 500 litigation.
In a world defined by pressure and precision, I became known as the colleague who cultivated calm.
But my journey with this work started years earlier, while I was teaching English in Asia.
I was working 60-hour weeks, navigating culture shock, and burning out. A friend introduced me to yoga, and that one class changed everything.
It became my anchor when I returned to the U.S. and dove back into the legal world, navigating multi-million dollar cases, a divorce, and eventually, a breast cancer diagnosis.
Life got hectic, but the practices grounded me. They helped me reconnect with a strength I didn’t know I had.
That strength was tested in a way I never expected when I became the world's first participant in the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine trial, an experience that landed me on NBC, CNN, and the TODAY show.
Through it all, my practice was the constant, a toolkit for regulating my nervous system when the world was watching.
My mission is to share that toolkit with you.
As a RYT 500 teacher, I hold space for you to become more present, more connected, and to cultivate your own calm in the chaos.
Let’s begin your journey, together.
CLIENT SUCCESS STORIES
“Melissa is the ideal yoga instructor for your corporate event. We hired Melissa for a 6 week yoga retreat for our clients. Our clients work in a high-stress industry, and it was imperative to provide a safe and soothing ambiance to have a successful retreat. Her thoroughness, calm voice and overall energy created the perfect ambiance for the 30 individuals that attended each week. The group appreciated her attention to individuals whether they were beginner, intermediate or advanced individuals.”
“Melissa has a way of teaching that feels specifically tailored to her students. She listens, guides, and teaches with honesty. Her classes are both challenging and restorative, and I learn something new each time. She’s the best.”
“Melissa is my favorite yoga teacher. I felt comfortable as a beginner in her class for all levels! She is very attentive and will help customize the moves to accommodate your individual abilities. Her calming voice and soothing soundtracks will leave you relaxed and refreshed all day!”
Hi Human!
Have a question?
Melissa’s Qualifications
(2015) 200-Hour RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher), San Francisco, The Mindful Body
(2018) 100-Hour Training, New York, YogaWorks
(2019) 300- Hour RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher), New York, YogaWorks
(2018- 2019) 6-Month Apprenticeship with Celine Antoine
(2020) Power of Awareness: Meditation Training, Sounds True
(2020) Yale University: Science of Wellbeing for Educators (beta class)
Primary Teachers: Celine Antoine, Maile Sivert, Caroline Kelley
Primary Meditation Teachers: Jack Kornfield, Tara Brach
Yoga Workshops:
Maty Ezraty, Seane Corne, Kathryn Budig, Stephanie Snyder, Dharma Mittra, Jason Crandall, Jodie Rufty, Laurel Beversdorf
JOIN THE COMMUNITY
You’ll receive:
A Free Ultimate Home Yoga Practice Guide
Self-Care Tips
Exclusive extras you won’t want to miss
I need a FREE
30-Min Online Class
Come as you are.
“Love yourself first and everything else falls into line. Your really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world.”
Grab your Ultimate Home Yoga Practice Guide
Free guide for inspiration and tips just for you.
Your customized corporate wellness program is here
Bring zen to your team
“Yoga is not a religion. Yoga is a science, a science of well-being, science of youthfulness, science of integrating body, mind and soul.”
LET’S CONNECT TODAY
“Meditation is not about thinking about nothing. It’s about accepting what you think, giving reverance to it and letting it go.”
HOW DO I GET STARTED?
Grab Your FREE Ultimate Home Yoga Practice Guide