Some coaches arrive at their work through years of study. Cory Cooper Berens arrived through motherhood. With a background in early childhood education and years spent as a center director, her path took a sharp turn when her young son needed support that traditional approaches alone could not fully provide. What she discovered while helping him became the foundation for everything she does today.
We sat down with Cory to talk about the tools that changed her family, the young student who found her way back to the classroom, and why building a real home online helped her mission grow.
"Having a real website gave me a platform Instagram never could."
Let's start at the beginning. What led you to this work, and how did Yoga for Youngsters begin?
My journey shifted when my son was young and needed support that traditional therapy alone could not fully give him. Through breathwork, mindfulness, and Hatha yoga, I discovered tools that helped him regulate his emotions, build strength, and thrive. What began as support for my son became a mission to help all children develop focus, confidence, and emotional resilience. Today, I work with children, teens, and families to equip them with lifelong tools for self-regulation and success. My belief is simple: let's give our children the tools they need to thrive.
Before you had a website, what was holding your business back?
Getting clientele. Before the website, that was my biggest hurdle.
Part of solving that, Cory told us, was giving families somewhere to find her and understand her approach beyond a social feed.
What was it like building your website with Merlin?
It was a breeze. Merlin truly understood my vision and the result was a beautiful website that organized my services and made it so much easier for me to gain new clients.
How has having a website changed things, compared to just having Instagram?
My website gives me a real platform to showcase my work, explain my process, and share my successes with other clients. That is something an Instagram feed alone could never do, and it has genuinely helped me bring in more accounts.
Is there a client or a moment you're especially proud of?
One of my most memorable clients was a young private student whose parents were at their wits' end. She was struggling in school, socially and emotionally, and begged them every morning not to go. They had tried everything. I asked for four sessions. I taught her yoga poses that build self-confidence, like warrior pose, mountain pose, and Supergirl pose, and we worked through breathing and meditation to ease her worries and help her center herself. The meditation helped her look inward for her own validation instead of relying on her classmates, so she could block out the negativity she was feeling. By the end of those four sessions, she had found her strength again and was able to go back to school.
Beyond the website itself, Cory has leaned on Merlin to actively bring new families through the door.
Has that helped you reach more families?
Yes. Alongside my website, I also run Google Ads through Merlin, set up with the help of Laura, their ads expert. It has brought a steady stream of new leads and inquiries to Yoga for Youngsters.
What would you say to a colleague considering a website for their business?
I would encourage them to invest in themselves and build their website with Merlin. Work with people who understand the long-term goals of your business, and watch your life change.
