A mother’s mind can be like a bag of Pop Rocks; bursting and firing with the hum and hiss of incessant reminders to self and ringing alarms: Do this, do that. For Meg Artman, yoga became a chrysalis of peace, allowing her to emerge from its steady practice as a more confident mother and wife. For Pam Perini, yoga mirrored Artman’s wellness metamorphosis at a time when she needed to stretch outside of her comfort zone as an empty-nester. Though in different chapters of their lives, Artman and Perini were in search of a home — one where the watches stopped ticking and the weight upon their shoulders wasn’t crippling.
Meg Artman, a co-owner of MY Studio Yoga (Medford Yoga Studio) and mother of two, had flirted with yoga for years before having kids, finding that she always returned to its grounding benefits. But after she moved to Medford and started a family, she knew she had to make yoga a key part of her own development again. With her husband’s support, she began to devote one hour on the mat to the poses.
Artman didn’t step into the practice expecting muscles and toning benefits; she sought it as a mental sanctuary. After integrating yoga into her routine, she quickly realized the difference it made in her ability to show up as a mother and a wife. The hour belonged to her and her alone.
“It wasn’t about the physical part,” Artman explains. “It was about a place to get away for an hour solely for myself. We get so busy running a household, running the rat race in life, that we — especially mothers — don’t put ourselves first.”
“You get to choose what comes first,” says Meg Artman (above left), co-owner of MY Studio Yoga. “May- be you’re coming for the physical part, and leave feeling emotionally stronger. Maybe you came for the emotional part, and leave feeling physically stronger. Either way, to me, yoga is a no-brainer.” Top: Co-owner Pam Perini leads a class.
Motherhood wasn’t the first time she relied on yoga as a haven. Before becoming a mother, Artman hit a wall while living in Philadelphia, experiencing all the throes and woes of adulthood; her career crossroads, uncertain love life, and the struggle to practice self-care all seemed overwhelming. In an effort to quiet life’s demands, Artman took her first Bikram yoga class and fell in love. She found a friend in the grounding, intentional practice and wanted to stretch deeper into its roots.
In 2019, she committed to completing her Yoga Teaching Training Program at Balanced Planet Yoga in Marlton. In her 250 hours of training, she met Perini and the two instantly clicked over their shared passion not only for the practice but also for their search for a “yoga home.”
Perini was navigating the changes in her own home, balancing being a mother and a grandmother, while caring for her parents and her 9-to-5 job as a real-estate agent. She showed up for her loved ones and career like the goddess Durga with her arms outstretched to everyone all the time, even as she needed something for herself.
And if she was able to find a tranquil time to call her own, she wanted others to be able to have it too. She dreamed of a place that could open its doors to those seeking the sanctuary she and Artman found in the practice.
“We both had visions of owning a studio some day and had the same ideas of how we wanted it to be and feel for our students,” Perini says. “We wanted a space where all were welcome and felt at home.”
The two yogis stayed in touch after their training concluded and went on to teach at separate local studios, still longing for a place to call their own. As a realtor, Perini kept her eyes open for a space that could house their vision and in 2024, she called Artman with exciting news. Nestled in downtown Medford was a space that had windows and wood beams and could hold their dreams. (It just needed a little TLC.) Artman called her back later that night and asked, “Do you still need a business partner?”
In January 2025, the inviting and quaint MY Studio opened its doors to Medford.
“We came up with our name MY (Medford Yoga) Studio because we wanted people to know it was their studio,” Perini shares. “I love when we hear people saying, ‘I am going to practice at my studio.’” The studio space and time on the mat belong entirely to the individual; it’s personal and intimate.
“We teach from the belief that mental health and physical health grow together,” Artman adds. “When the body softens, the mind softens and you feel safe.”
Artman and Perini’s studio and wellness philosophy is bringing back “old-school” yoga, where the intention of the practice is not to chase poses, but presence.
“The poses are the container but the real work is happening inside of you,” Artman notes.
Their style is simple: show up as you are — messy buns, tight shoulders, creasing concealer. In a fitness community saturated with twisty inversions and handstands, Artman’s down-to-earth approach makes the practice feel like an old friend with whom you can always pick up where you left off.
“We wanted to create a community where newcomers felt welcome, where it felt like a true community, where everyone left feeling lighter, or smiling, or a little giggly,” says Artman. “Sometimes, after a class, I sit in my car and think, ‘This is it. This is why we do this.’”
Perini’s “why” at MY Studio echoes her partner’s.
“Through the practice of yoga, I have learned to relax and breathe more, and being able to bring that to others — even if it’s just for an hour — has been so rewarding,” says Perini. “We are making a difference in people’s lives.”
Artman’s passion is yin yoga, the practice of holding poses for extended periods of time, which she believes offers the deepest physical and emotional benefits. While this form of yoga is often regarded as “deep stretching,” it improves emotional well-being. Through hip-openers and intentional breathwork, you can release dormant emotions or stagnant tension.
Perini favors teaching vinyasa flow and a meditative yoga nidra.
MY Studio offers a variety of classes: vinyasa, yin, mat pilates, and yoga sculpt, all 60 minutes long. Each month, the studio hosts special events such as crystal bowls and sound baths, sunset and wine nights at Stokelan Winery and reiki.
To Artman and Perini, it doesn’t matter whether you are drawn to yoga for the body or the mind.
“You get to choose what comes first,” Artman says. “Maybe you’re coming for the physical part, and leave feeling emotionally stronger. Maybe you came for the emotional part, and leave feeling physically stronger. Either way, to me, yoga is a no-brainer.”
Since opening MY Studio, the busy moms and yogis have less personal time on the mat. Until more teachers join their community, they will spend most of their mornings in the studio sharing their practice through asanas and mantras, deep breaths and lighter chests. But they will remain true to their wellness beliefs, honoring the time they devote to themselves, even if that’s just a couple of deep breaths with the birds before sunrise in the tranquil studio they call home.
