ABOUT
The Official Bio
Tim Grutzius graduated from the YAM Yoga School (Laurel Park, NC) and is a 500-hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) with Yoga Alliance. He is also a recognized Level Two teacher through Warriors at Ease (trauma-informed training).
Additionally, Tim holds certifications as a personal trainer, holistic health practitioner, wellness consultant, and reiki master practitioner.
Tim serves on the Board of Directors of the local non-profit STAND T.A.L.L. He is also on the Board of PTSD.CHAT, which hosts a global weekly Twitter chat (#PTSDCHAT) for traumatized people. Tim is co-chair of the Thin Line Support Group, an online peer support forum for first responders. He is also an active member of the Illinois Firefighter Peer Support Team. He is a feature writer for the Mind Body Soul column of AT EASE! Veterans Magazine.
Tim retired in 2019 as a Lieutenant/Paramedic after 25 years of service with the Alsip (Illinois) Fire Department. He is also a US Army Veteran and owns Mind Body Badge Yoga and Wellness.
“I became a personal trainer, yoga instructor, and pursued certifications that would allow me to share what I learned through my own personal struggles.”
- Tim Grutzius
My Story of Transformation
The Old Tim
I always felt on edge and stressed. I was sedentary. I averaged 4 1/2 hours of sleep a night. My diet was terrible. I was pre-diabetic. I carried extra weight. By lunchtime, I was so exhausted that I had to take a nap.
My Awakening
During Illinois Firefighter Peer Support training, I realized that I had a major issue with stress in my life. When the topic of post-traumatic stress was discussed, I immediately recognized the symptoms within myself. They were talking about me.
My lifestyle and choices were preventing me from being the very best me. I partnered with practitioners from counseling, chiropractic care, acupuncture, reiki, yoga, nutrition guidance, massage therapy, and advanced exercise routines. Together they steered me down a path towards wellbeing. They pushed and nudged and helped me to find my best self.
As I regained control of myself physically, one component still remained: my elevated stress levels. As I learned ways to better manage my stress, I began to notice that things I once obsessed or worried about (finances, interpersonal relationships, health, etc.) improved.
This important relationship between mind, body, and spirit was so apparent to me. I could not fix one and ignore another and expect optimum results. The mind, body, and spirit rely on and affect one another intrinsically. Once I understood how to get these three connected and working in unison, I thrived.
Who I Am Today
I know how to manage my stress; I’m empowered; my body is in great physical condition. I’m able to tackle the daily bumps in the road with ease and confidence. I became a personal trainer, yoga instructor, and pursued certifications that would allow me to share what I learned through my own personal struggles. With every new day I do the best I can with what I have in each moment to make this world a better place to live not only for myself, but others in-kind.
