Reconnect Des Moines: Provider Spotlight

When a longtime friend and body worker you admire tells you she is doing a project highlighting personal stories from women in the wellness world and asks if she can interview you, you say “YES!”

Licensed Massage Therapist Anne Vander Naald has created a beautiful Substact drawing parallels between self-care and life. Here is a portion of our Q & A:

Please enjoy reading about Sandi and the celebration of women’s wisdom she facilitates through energy and movement practices, as well as her healing journey of reconnection with her own body.

Q: Who are you?

Hi! I’m Sandi Hoover. I am a nurse, movement & energy teacher & Guide-ess.

Q: How long have you lived in Des Moines?

My dad was in the army and we moved here when I was in third grade in 1983. I moved away for college and then returned to be close to family.

Q: What services do you provide?

I lead group and private movement sessions for yoga: pre/postnatal yoga, toddler yoga & baby yoga. These classes are also available online.

My signature class for women is She Moves Me Magical Movement which incorporates circle time, feminine flow, core and pelvic floor work, stretching, & guided meditation.

I also lead seasonal movement, energy & wisdom memberships for women.

I offer energy work and teach Reiki.

Q: Why did you become a bodyworker/fitness/wellness enthusiast?

I’ve been a dancer my whole life. I fell into yoga when I was working as a Supervisor in adult oncology at the hospital. It was a super stressful time and I was looking for a way to get out of my head and get into my body.

My first yoga class I took was very confusing and I didn’t really enjoy it. Luckily, I took more classes with better outcomes. That first challenging experience helped inspire me to make classes more accessible and easy to follow.

I got into Reiki when I was pregnant with my first son. I was experiencing a lot of anxiety about becoming a mom. I couldn’t believe how relaxed I felt with the energy work and the insights the practitioner shared with me. I was so intrigued after my son was born I took all three of her trainings!

It’s been such an honor to share both movement and energy work with this community.

Q: If you could grant just one wish for your clients, what would it be?

I sincerely wish for you to feel at home and peaceful in your strong, agile, flexible, mobile, balanced body. And if you don’t feel all of those things my wish for you is to pick the one that calls out to you the most, and start working with that quality.

Q: Can you discuss a time when you were disconnected from your body, and then how did you reconnect with it again?

I was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2020.

After surgeries, chemotherapy and daily shots for several months, my body was so sore. I had gained a lot of weight, I felt so fatigued and had become so accustomed to just lying in bed or on the couch.

I found it so challenging to move my body.

Beyond bald and scarred my body had changed so much. I really didn’t feel like me. I kind of lost who I really was. I had to start with my breath.

I spent a lot of time first expanding my in breath and my out breath. Then I began to do a little self massage and eventually found my way back onto my yoga mat for some very simple stretching.

I only did child’s pose for like two weeks and then slowly added on cat and cow and then slowly added on a pose or so every other day. It was the same slow progression with walking. Just started with going down to the fire hydrant, then around the block, then more in my neighborhood.

It was quite a process, and I wouldn’t wish cancer on anyone, but there were so many gifts from being able to reconnect to my body and building it back to a stronger, connected version of myself.

Q: What self-care practices do you incorporate into your own life or what self-care are you aspiring to incorporate?

• I start my day with grounding, centering and stretching. I try to move my body more days than not and rest when I need to.

• Nature is my medicine. Walking in the woods is my best self-care.

• I’m a fan of baths.

• I recently committed to receiving a monthly massage.

• I eat relatively healthy and cook most of my own meals.

• I aspire to make my own vitamin C powder and skin care.

Q: How can people learn more about you?

Please visit me at on Instagram at: @shemoves_me

I look forward to connecting with you soon!

Read more from Anne HERE