Naomi Girson | staff writer

At a yoga class, you might expect a room of matching workout sets, expensive water bottles and an hour of confusing, overcomplicated instruction — but not at Open Up Pittsburgh.

The inclusive yoga studio in Lawrenceville is a wellness facility that offers yoga and similar classes that are taught by and for the disabled community.

The organization began with Marissa Vogel and Tessa Karel, almost 10 years ago, both of whom have a background in special education. They worked with the third co-founder Megan Sicheri, who has a wellness background and personal experience in the field, having a sister who has a disability.

Sicheri is also a community leader at Open Up, and helps guide classes with their instructors. The company is important to her, seeing first hand the lack of availability in jobs for those with disabilities.

“I wanted more places for [my sister], options for employment. The only jobs at the time were factory jobs,” Sicheri said. “People deserve to have more fun options that drive them.”

They offer an inclusive workplace, and Sicheri said that in a way the right people seem to find them. Although they are not incredibly well known, the special education and disability communities are familiar with Open Up.

The studio offers free classes for anyone, but they also have specialized programs, such as deaf yoga, with an interpreter to help make the activity more accessible.

Along with yoga and improv — small games that everyone can participate in, to help people express their feelings — they also offer ballet classes and a monthly dance party, which many of their regular patrons look forward to. Open Up sees many friendly faces at classes each week, and Sicheri estimated 80% of their demographic were regulars.

Since many of the classes are led by people with disabilities, there are simple steps they can take to make their jobs more accessible. Sicheri said they just have to figure out what they want to do, how to get them there and what supports need to be in place for them.

The organization encourages open communication, and they take feedback very seriously, always seeing where and how they can improve their facility.

Two of Open Up’s long-time regulars, Jane Lehmann and her son Michael, love coming to yoga whenever they can. Michael has non-verbal autism, and since before he was diagnosed she has been “navigating the journey,” finding what works and what doesn’t.

When Michael was young, Jane and her husband had trouble finding any good resources for their son, with there being much less information and support for autism.

“We started with speech therapy, and we were looking for programs, there wasn’t really much. And [the] ones that we found used negative reinforcement, which doesn’t work for him,” Jane said.

They eventually found a place for Michael at the Watson Institute Education Center, and then after adulthood, in various programs sponsored by human services. Jane finally was able to communicate with her son through a spell board — a simple tool that Michael can carry around that displays the alphabet and symbols on it. Michael is able to point to the letters to communicate to his mom what he is feeling.

“It’s not that the things aren’t in his head, it’s a motor thing, he can’t get the words out,” Jane said. “I’ll ask him if he wants to go to yoga and he’ll use his spell board to spell out ‘stop asking I always want to go to yoga.’”

They learned about Open Up after meeting Sicheri, at a wellness center, where she previously worked.

Since he became a part of Open Up, Michael has been able to make many friends. One of his friends is blind, but Michael can communicate with him with the help of his mother, verbalizing what he points to.

“Everybody here is very accepting, caring and supportive. If someone makes funny sounds or shuts down on the yoga mat during class, no one gives them a second look,”Jane said.

People with special needs tend to have very standardized days and routines they constantly adhere to, she said. They need a chance to decompress, which is exactly what Open Up offers.

The fact that members with disabilities can also become yoga instructors is a testament to the institution, Jane said. Emily Ortman, who taught a class on Monday, was so shy when Lehmann first met her she wouldn’t even look up from the floor.

“That’s the magic of Open Up, it’s been such a great thing for Mike. I feel safe and loved at Open Up,” Jane said.

Lorena Ianiro, who attended a class taught by Ortman on Monday, is an apprentice with Public Allies, a nonprofit leadership organization, and she is working with Open Up until August.

She attends a class almost every week, and loves the group participation and lightheartedness of the workout. She has tried other facets of yoga, but she found she gives up on videos half way through, and finds other classes lack connection.

“In other yoga classes it feels like you’re in your own bubble, and at Open Up it feels more like I’m coming into a community,” Ianiro said.