Mental Health Awareness Feature: Allison Holker

Dancer/choreographer and judge on “So You Think You Can Dance,” CorePower Yoga Mental Health Ambassador Allison Holker shines a light on the healing powers of yoga through her inspirational mental health journey. After the unexpected loss of her spouse, she turned tragedy and grief into advocacy and growth through yoga and movement. Allison’s commitment to family and creativity radiates across all aspects of her life, whether she’s spending quality time with her three children, developing new dance routines, or working on DIY projects at home.

Throughout Mental Health Awareness Month, Allison will work with CorePower to spread awareness about mental health tools and encourage people to find safe spaces on their yoga mats. Additionally, in partnership with CorePower Yoga, from 5/6 - 5/15, a portion of proceeds from new Intro Month Memberships will benefit Allison’s selected charity, National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), the nation’s largest grassroots mental health advocacy organization.

We admire your resilience and strength as you have taken your family’s tragic loss as an opportunity to become an advocate for mental health. Can you share a bit about why speaking out on mental health is so important to you?

It’s important for me to speak out about mental health because my family recently went through a very big tragedy, very publicly. As a family, we’ve experienced so much pain and hurt, but also had so much growth by learning to find our joy again. I don’t want others to feel what we’ve had to feel. So I am trying to learn all that I can to protect my own mental health and the mental health of my children, and to share that knowledge with others to help them in their journeys. My hope is that sharing my story will help others speak more commonly about the mental health issues they face. It’s very important for us to learn how to help ourselves and each other in this space. I want to help people find the strength and tools to get through the lows in life as a stronger human. Because the reality is that we will all experience lows, but what counts is how we walk our way through it.

How do you and your family work on and prioritize mental health together?

As a mother of three amazing kids (15, 8, and 4 years old), I wanted to get educated on mental health – for myself, and for my kids to help them stay mentally strong. Something that I’ve found has really helped us is coming together as a family unit that looks out for each other. My kids and I have hard, deep, intimate conversations. Rather than trying to withhold this information from my kids, I was honest and vulnerable with them. And that was really hard for me at first, as was learning how to cry in front of them, but getting to see me be vulnerable opened up the space for them to be vulnerable and honest with me. Together, we’ve been able to create the most resilient and strong versions of ourselves by leaning on each other and helping each other grow.

What advice do you have for others struggling with grief or mental health issues?

I’ve found one thing that really helps me is having discipline in my “non-negotiables.” Things that I do daily that I will not move for anyone or anything. I cold plunge every morning, meditate, do affirmations, write in my journal or day planner, and workout. My workouts consist of yoga, weightlifting, running and dance. Sometimes it steps on the toes of people around me if I’m getting behind on work or friends and family want to see me, but these are the things that help me to be better in the present moment. They help me mentally, physically, and spiritually. Finding your non-negotiables is so important - something that you commit to no matter what. Movement and self-care are so crucial for me and everyone around me; they allow me to be a better mom, better at my job, and overall, the best person I can be.

Also finding someone to talk to that you trust is key. And if you don’t feel like you have that safe space, look into therapy. It is helpful to have someone who can hear you and see you and support you through all the stages of grief.

Our CEO, Niki Leondakis, often shares about how when she unexpectedly lost her husband to a heart attack, making it to her yoga mat everyday was a critical part of her mental health process. Can you relate to this, and if so, how has yoga been a part of your healing journey?

Absolutely. Especially as a dancer, it’s so important for me to find ways to get that energy and angst out of my body physically. This loss was really the first big trauma I’ve experienced and something I didn’t know about trauma was that it actually takes physical form in your body.

So I started doing other workouts and started coming to CorePower Yoga, and I realized how much freedom it gave me! I really found my home in CorePower, specifically in Yoga Sculpt. I love the cardio element - it’s fun and active and keeps me sweating. It’s been so helpful for me to really touch on all three components of mental health - the physical, the mental, and the spiritual.

CorePower became something that was so important for me that I knew I couldn’t let go of it. Overall, yoga helped me find that freedom in my body again.

What are you hoping to achieve in this partnership with CorePower Yoga?

As CorePower’s Mental Health Ambassador, I want to spread the message and gift of yoga to others. I feel like this is somewhere I need to be. I love that CorePower sees me, and I want to continue working with them to empower others.

CorePower Yoga is a place I go to weekly and somewhere I’ve been going for years. It's something that not only I just love but is so necessary for my life.

This place [CorePower] is such a sanctuary to me - it’s a place where I feel safe. So I believe in it, and I hope it believes in me. I know it's been so beneficial for me beyond just the physical, and I just hope to spread that message to as many people as I can.

Can you tell us about NAMI, the nonprofit you are supporting in this campaign? What services do they offer and why is it close to your heart?

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is one of the largest grassroots organizations raising public awareness and providing support for individuals and families affected by mental illness. They bring education programs and advocacy efforts to communities across the country. NAMI has a toll-free Helpline providing free information and support, and also developed resources for youth and young adults in need of mental health services. I was able to work with one of their local programs at a Boys and Girls Club in Los Angeles, CA and was so impressed with the work they are doing at the community level.

Tell us about your journey as a professional dancer. What do you love about it? What does it mean to you?

I really got my start in the industry when I was a dancer on “High School Musical” and “So You Think You Can Dance” at 18 years old. Those shows pivoted my career into other avenues, such as becoming a choreographer, a host of various television shows on HGTV and Disney+, and most recently, coming back to “So You Think You Can Dance,” as a judge. I’ve been so blessed by the opportunities I’ve had in the industry.

I also recently co-authored and published the new children’s book, “Keep Dancing Through: A Boss Family Groove.” This was a true honor to our family, as it focuses on how we use affirmations to get through our day and any struggle we might be facing.

Dance has always been a safe space for me, a place where I am allowed to be free and express myself. It’s always been there for me. I love to make people feel something. As I move forward in my dance career, I hope to encourage the next generation of dancers to become the best versions of themselves and believe in their own artistry and let it shine.

Learn more about Allison by following her on Instagram at @allisonholker and check out her new book.