Healing, Community, and Accessibility at Yoga & Co.
A Donation-Based Studio Built on Equity
Yoga & Co. sets itself apart by being one of the few yoga studios in Iowa that operates entirely on a donation basis. This pricing model ensures that financial constraints never prevent someone from accessing yoga, healing, and community. Participants are encouraged to pay what they can, and no one is turned away for lack of funds.
The donation structure is part of founder Lindsay Bordwell's vision to break down the socioeconomic barriers often associated with the wellness industry. By removing financial gatekeeping, Yoga & Co. actively works toward inclusivity and equity in practice.
The studio offers a transparent space where students are welcome to contribute however they're able—whether financially or through community engagement. This structure has attracted a diverse and committed community that values shared responsibility and mutual care.
This model has also inspired community support in return: locals frequently donate above the suggested amount to support others, ensuring that the studio can remain open and thriving for all. It's yoga with a soul—and a purpose beyond profit.
Inclusive Yoga for Every Body and Identity
Yoga & Co. prioritizes inclusivity, actively creating a space for BIPOC, LGBTQ+, disabled individuals, and anyone historically excluded from traditional yoga environments. Classes are led by trauma-informed instructors who emphasize safety, autonomy, and non-performativity.
Students are not expected to master complex postures or achieve visual perfection. Instead, the studio promotes yoga as a personal, internal journey that supports healing, self-awareness, and nervous system regulation. This philosophy is reflected in all class formats—from gentle yoga and yin to sound baths and guided meditation.
Yoga & Co. also takes proactive steps to elevate underrepresented voices in the wellness industry. They offer scholarships for teacher training and retreats to marginalized practitioners, helping to shift the landscape of yoga instruction in Iowa and beyond.
All teachers and staff receive ongoing anti-oppression and inclusivity training, ensuring that the space evolves alongside its community. The environment is consciously curated to be gender-affirming, anti-racist, and free from pressure or comparison.
Classes and Events That Foster Connection
The class schedule at Yoga & Co. is varied and intentional. Offerings include restorative yoga, hatha, trauma-sensitive classes, and special modalities like sound healing and yoga nidra. Most sessions are beginner-friendly and emphasize breath, presence, and nervous system support.
Classes are offered in-person at the cozy, welcoming studio on University Avenue, with occasional pop-up sessions in local parks and partner venues. The vibe is grounded, calming, and community-oriented—more about how it feels than how it looks.
Special events, including workshops, community markets, and full moon circles, draw in people from across Des Moines and surrounding areas. These gatherings are designed to deepen relationships between community members and offer expanded healing opportunities.
In addition to physical classes, Yoga & Co. hosts wellness retreats—both local and destination-based—which emphasize rest, restoration, and reconnection. Many of these events include sliding scale pricing or scholarship options, reinforcing the studio's ethos of accessibility.
Leadership Rooted in Advocacy and Care
Founder Lindsay Bordwell is a trauma-informed yoga instructor, social justice advocate, and deeply committed community leader. Her personal experiences with marginalization and healing shape every aspect of the studio's philosophy and operations.
Yoga & Co. is not only about postures—it's about creating cultural change within wellness spaces. Under Lindsay's leadership, the studio continues to challenge toxic fitness culture, spiritual bypassing, and whitewashed versions of yoga that exclude its roots and deeper purpose.
The team behind Yoga & Co. includes practitioners from a wide variety of backgrounds, many of whom are actively engaged in local activism and social justice work. Their lived experience helps build trust and relevance with a broad spectrum of students.
The studio also partners with nonprofits and community organizations in Polk County, offering yoga at shelters, schools, and for mental health-focused programs. This outreach ensures yoga reaches those who need it most, not just those who can afford boutique studio rates.
A Space for Personal and Collective Healing
Yoga & Co. views wellness as both personal and collective. While students gain tools for emotional regulation, stress reduction, and physical well-being, the studio encourages these individual benefits to ripple outward into broader community care.
Participants consistently report feeling safe, seen, and restored after attending classes—often describing the studio as a 'sanctuary' in the midst of daily stress. This atmosphere has helped build a loyal following and word-of-mouth growth in Des Moines and beyond.
By weaving together movement, stillness, education, and activism, Yoga & Co. offers a radically inclusive model for how wellness spaces can serve real human needs. Whether you come to stretch, to grieve, to connect, or to simply breathe, there's room for you here.
The studio's model proves that business can be both sustainable and ethical—where care is currency, and everyone belongs. Yoga & Co. isn't just changing bodies—it's helping to shift the heart of wellness culture in Polk County.