Julia Flanagan is a vocalist, educator, and somatic facilitator who helps people reconnect to their voice—from technique to truth. Based in downtown Salida, Colorado, she blends classical training, trauma-informed education, and embodied arts into a grounded, heart-led teaching style that meets each student exactly where they are.

Julia fosters holistic well-being and self-discovery by creating nurturing spaces. She prioritizes vulnerability, zeal, and balance, drawing from her own transformative journey rooted in intentionality, authenticity, and continuous learning. Julia empowers individuals through her teaching approach, emphasizing intentional and authentic movement, mindfulness, breath awareness, and alignment in practices. Striving to foster a deeper connection to physical skill and strength, mental resilience, and spiritual awareness, while inspiring balance, harmony, and a transformative journey to health, happiness, and fulfillment on and off the mat, facilitating the transformation of trauma and enabling true healing.

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During her tenure as a music teacher on a Tribal Reservation in Wisconsin, Julia became immersed in Trauma Informed Education. This led her to many certifications as she studied trauma healing methodologies, resilience-building, understanding the layers of trauma - some of which includes generational trauma, mental and physical illness, and the transformative power of self-work. Witnessing the meaningful impact, she seamlessly integrated yoga, movement, breathwork, and mindfulness into her daily lesson plans, later initiating an after-school yoga and movement program for students, further emphasizing her commitment to holistic well-being and empowerment. Still teaching music, now via individualized voice, violin, and piano lessons, Julia continues to incorporate these modalities into her teaching techniques.

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With a degree in Choral and General Music Education and Adaptive Music from the University of Wisconsin–Eau Claire, Julia spent the early years of her teaching career in public schools on a Reservation in Wisconsin, working with learners of all ages and abilities. Always continuing her learning journey, completing many supplemental Trauma Informed Education Certifications.There’s not a time in her life when she recalls music and the arts weren’t a focal point; spending a dozen years Irish dancing, beginning violin lessons at age five, and always singing, her studies were shaped by incredible mentors—including a former Metropolitan Opera singer and a Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra violinist. That classical foundation launched decades of performance in opera, musical theater, both solo and ensemble productions, and international touring.

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Completing her 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training with Moksha Yoga Amózonica in Peru and her 200-hour Trauma Informed Yoga Teacher Training with School Yoga Institute, she also holds her Theta Breathwork Certification, training directly with the founder. Julia's adventurous spirit extends beyond teaching; she departed from Minneapolis, Minnesota in 2022, embracing a nomadic lifestyle, combining remote work with adventurous exploration. Often accompanied by her ever-curious cat, Milo, they have embarked on countless adventures, house-sitting quests, camping excursions, and cross-country road trips, creating a life rich in stories and experiences. Stumbling upon Salida in 2023, while housesitting in Westcliffe, and craving an in-person yoga class (enter Yoga Olas to this tale), whenever her travels led elsewhere, whether guiding yoga and breathwork classes in the Philippines and Australia for nearly half of 2024, or various excursions throughout the USA, Julia continued to be called back to Salida, officially making it home in the fall of 2024; although, adventures always awaits! The newest adventure in her life is Julia’s sweet kitten, Calliope, and teaching her to discover the world with her big bro Milo-cat and to become a river loving, adventure kitten! Julia is grateful for the joy-filled life she’s created and the blooming opportunities to pursue her dreams, while recognizing the challenges overcome, traumas processed, and glorious triumphs that have shaped her joy-filled life.

 

Julia’s love for song is matched only by her passion for creating spaces where music becomes a tool for healing, confidence, and community. A lifelong music lover, she infuses her work with song, heart, rhythm, joy, and authenticity.

 

Julia believes every voice matters and every voice can sing—singing is both a skill and a remembering. Her mission is to help others uncover their sound, their voice, their heart, and feel empowered to share it with the world.