The Story Behind The Well Yoga Dubuque

My name is Kellie Cook. I aspire to be here for others and this is my why!

Unworthy of love, belonging, and connection. That’s how I felt in 2019. I had been married for almost 15 years, had 3 beautiful children, many friends, a supportive family, and a job I enjoyed. I was a Christian➕, my husband and I attended church⛪ almost every Sunday, and I served in the kids' ministry.

Despite outwardly appearing happy😊, even to myself, the devil👿 was subtly at work in my life, as he had been for years.

 As I managed constant demands at home🏡, significant changes at work🖥️, frustrations in my marriage, and depression, the devil pointed out all the things I did wrong. He leveraged my stress to build my shame, deepen my depression, and lead me away from God. Despite my efforts to hold everything together, it was all falling apart.

1 Peter 5:8 (NLT): "Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour."

 In Brene Brown's book Atlas of the Heart, she defines shame as “the intensely painful feeling or experience of believing that we are flawed and therefore unworthy of love, belonging, and connection." Deep inside, I felt this at my core. The devil convinced me that I was flawed, unworthy, and unseen. Resentment brewed within me, and I felt unappreciated by everyone. I withdrew and isolated myself from church, family, friends, and ultimately God.

I decided I’d rather be alone than try to mend my marriage and I sought a divorce.

 During the years that followed, the lies and shame continued—I wasn’t good enough, something was wrong with me, I wasn’t loved, and I made bad choices. This made my depression deeper, my thoughts darker, and my suicidal ideation more frequent. It also prevented me from asking anyone for help, even when I was in an emotionally abusive relationship.

 In July 2023, at the height of my shame and depression, I tragically lost my niece, Laney, at the young age of 16. She was a beautiful child, and it was heartbreaking. I felt guilty that I hadn’t spent enough time with my sister's family, so I started to go to church with them. Little did I know, God would use Laney to change my life.

Luke 24:45 (NLT): "Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures."

 I started going to church regularly again and the sermons resonated with me. One Sunday, after a message about God’s love and the redemption of sin through the death of Jesus Christ, I was convicted and realized that my shame, and the lies of the devil, were separating me from God and all the good in my life. I reflected on the Parable of the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32, which speaks of repentance, forgiveness, reconciliation, and a father's love. I realized I was the prodigal son. I cried for days and accepted His forgiveness again.

I accepted that I would always be a sinner and vowed never to let my sin stop me from sharing the love of Jesus Christ again.

 In early 2024, during my redemption journey, significant changes at work occurred that did not align with my values and the transformation within me. While I felt the love of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit, I also started to experience panic attacks—waves of heat, a tight throat, feelings of fear and hopelessness, and constant self-doubt. It overwhelmed me and regularly occurred, sometimes hourly or more, especially at work, and almost every night. The stress and trauma from 2020-2023, compounded with changes at work and hormonal shifts, took a significant toll on my well-being. I spent more time praying, meditating, and asking God for help. 

Romans 12:2 (NLT): "Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect."

 God made it clear that a successful corporate career was ‘of this world’, and that ‘his will’ for me was to help others heal from shame, stress, trauma, anxiety, and depression. He showed me that my failures, hurts, sins, and past regressions were intended for good.

He helped me see that my lifelong battle with depression, newfound panic attacks, and stress and trauma experiences made me the perfect person to create a place of healing through yoga.

 I listened to what God placed on my heart, pushed away my fears, accepted his will, and put my trust in him. I can feel the Holy Spirit guiding me. I have seen doors open that I never thought possible. I’ve had relevant information, connections, and resources placed in my path, that I wasn’t even seeking. God cleared the way so that I could move forward without resistance.

 John 4:13-14 (NLT): "Jesus replied, 'Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.'"

 I’m honored to call my studio “The Well” as a reminder of the permanent, soul-satisfying fulfillment that Jesus offers and to symbolize transformation and renewal.

 Come to The Well Yoga Dubuque, a place to AWAKEN to your possibility, LET GO of limiting beliefs and lies, CONNECT with God, GIVE THANKS for all that is good and all that is coming, and BE NEW!