Traci Schwartz has always considered the North Shore her home. As a graduate of Nicolet High School and a lifelong resident of Fox Point, she’s thrilled to live, play and now work in her community. Last year, she opened the MyOm Wellbeing center, which allows her to share her love of yoga and holistic esthetic services while growing a society of like-minded wellness practitioners.

During the 1980s, Schwartz and her mother practiced yoga when there were few resources for yogis and yoginis. Even at 12 years old, she admired her yoga teacher and  dreamed of forming a peaceful wellness community. Schwartz practiced yoga while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in psychology from UW-Milwaukee. After graduating in 1994, she went on to counsel homeless and runaway teens in shelters. Desiring to pursue a more holistic career, she enrolled in the esthetician program at The Skin Institute and Day Spa, an Aveda School of Esthetics. While there, she learned to apply ayurvedic principles to skin care, makeup and body treatments.

“That allowed me to work with people more energetically and grow that mind, body and spirit connection,” Schwartz says. A few years later, she began freelancing as a makeup artist, providing services for fashion shows, weddings, videos and photography. Around that same time, she became a registered yoga teacher. Although freelancing allowed Schwartz to do things her way—using organic, cruelty-free and eco-friendly makeup and skin care in her work—she still desired a home setting to connect with people dedicated to holistic wellness. “I got lucky and found a place right in the community where I grew up,” she reflects. That place—a well-maintained, early 1900s bungalow on Port Washington Road—had been occupied, but then the stars aligned. “The house became available for rent. At the same time, I knew a nice group of women that wanted to offer their services and therapies. It all came together.”

At MyOm Wellbeing, clients can find an array of yoga offerings for adults and children, as well as esthetic services, reiki, shamanic healing, massage therapy and sound healing. Schwartz also offers makeup artistry and skin care education, facials and waxing. She’s proud that the beauty and body care lines she uses—Zuii makeup and Naturopathica skin care creams—are botanically based, eco-certified, vegan and gluten-free. “It feels really good to be able to do this with products I can stand behind,” she says.

Schwartz’s gentle and restorative yoga classes are available through private, one-on-one sessions or small classes of up to eight people. The structure provides a more personalized experience, allowing her to work closely with the participants. The intimate class setting is also less intimidating for those uncertain about yoga.

“If you show up in our studio, you’ll be given the support you need,” Schwartz emphasizes. “Yoga is about breathing and developing inner awareness, and about what’s happening in your own body. Yoga is not just movement or exercise, but more about using the physical poses to get into a peaceful state of mind and let go. We’re not just doing yoga, but also un-doing stress and tension.”

In addition to hatha, vinyasa flow, yin and slow flow yoga, sessions can be customized for private parties and events such as a girls’ night out or kids’ parties. One of MyOm’s main successes since opening has been the yoga class for kids. “The children’s yoga classes have been phenomenal,” she enthuses. “It’s so inspiring to see the kids get excited, welcome new kids into the classes and share the ‘can-do’ attitude we promote.” She notes that there are other child yoga teachers at the center with backgrounds in child psychology and social work like herself.

MyOm also connects with the community by hosting artist trunk shows and meditation workshops. In addition, they have kirtan nights (a chanting tradition from India that helps calm the mind), and instruments used for sound healing such as drums, guitars, a harmonium, chimes and Tibetan singing bowls.

MyOm Wellbeing is located at 7963 N. Port Washington Rd., in Fox Point. For more information, call 414-405-3556 or visit MyOmWellbeing.com.

Sheila Julson is a freelance writer and regular contributor to Natural Awakenings.