Meet Treff Brock

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Treff Brock. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Treff, so great to have you with us and we want to jump right into a really important question. In recent years, it’s become so clear that we’re living through a time where so many folks are lacking self-confidence and self-esteem. So, we’d love to hear about your journey and how you developed your self-confidence and self-esteem.

Growing up, I did not consider myself confident. During elementary school, I began to shy away from being in front of people, talking about myself, sharing my opinions, and I developed a fear of embarrassment in social settings. I would do anything to suppress situations that could bring about embarrassment. Organized sports and challenging myself physically to be fit was where I channeled a lot of my focus. I was big into softball and swimming for most of my life until college. Staying physically fit was at the core of all of that. I was a lifeguard, partook in fitness classes in school and at the gym, participated in personal training, and played/practiced in my sports year round. Being physically fit was a huge part of my life, but I don’t know if I really grasped the mental side until college (and after) when I started studying recreation and yoga. Once I knew I wanted to study recreation administration in school, I worked in Campus Rec and learned almost every aspect of the job. I was awarded the most valuable team member multiple times, and I learned how to teach a (very basic) yoga class. Getting recognized as a valuable employee, especially in the field I wanted to pursue full-time, gave me a lot of confidence in myself. After college, I explored different fields of recreation: trail-building and invasive species removal, being a camp counselor, outdoor education, working in resorts, life guarding, gyms, city parks admin, and yoga teacher training. I fully believe well-rounded fitness, traveling, working in new places with new people, teaching both kids and adults, and taking on many jobs in this field prepared me with the knowledge and confidence to be a good leader. Stretching myself physically, mentally, and emotionally has proven to be beneficial to the success of my business, and who I am as a person. Do the hard things – it’s worth it.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

Currently, I own Guiding Elements Yoga LLC, and I work as a server at a local restaurant. I have been teaching yoga as an accredited RYT-200 instructor through Yoga Alliance since 2017, and I graduated recently from The Minnesota Institute of Ayurveda as an Ayurvedic Health Counselor. I am enrolled in the Ayurvedic Practitioner program now, and I will finish towards the end of winter of 2026. I am located in the Brainerd Lakes Area of Minnesota. Through my business, I offer yoga classes (public and private), workshops, and Ayurvedic consultations. My goal is always for people to leave feeling better than when they arrive either through yoga or through consulting. The beauty of both yoga and Ayurveda is that they are uniquely individualized. Ayurveda is the “science of life” that holds a lot of importance around seasonal living and intuitive practices that help us feel our best. When I have the pleasure of teaching or consulting, the most enjoyable part is seeing clients/students grow while using their intuition and determination under the guidance I provide. I feel extremely privileged to meet so many people on a regular basis who are continually bettering themselves through health and wellness practices. Soon after graduating from the Ayurvedic Practitioner program, I hope to bring different healing modalities through more in-depth consultations, retreats, herbs, oleation practices, and cleansing techniques. I’m so excited to continue learning alongside clients and students while promoting health and happiness through Ayurveda and Yoga.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Willingness to try, empathy, gratitude. I think having an openness and a willingness to try new things, travel, explore, meet people, and put yourself in opportunistic situations gives you an edge when you navigate a new business. You may fail, but you also might succeed – and that’s amazing. Having that ambition and willingness to push yourself to learn (and relearn) and grow in areas that are seemingly irrelevant can ultimately prove to be the most important. I often think that I’m not as ambitious as some, and then I remember how far I’ve come and all that I’ve accomplished that I never even fathomed for myself when I was younger. The second quality that has been my driving force is empathy. If I wasn’t interested in how others were doing in this world, I wouldn’t be on my current path. Ayurveda, yoga, and serving people has challenged my perspective in the best way. The more people I meet, the more I learn about them – it has opened my eyes to the greater picture that everyone has something they are struggling with. It highlights the importance of kindness. Being kind is an invaluable strength – it benefits you and everyone around you. The last big thing that has impacted me on this journey is gratitude. I fully believe that your ability to be grateful, even in the midst of struggle, opens your heart to amazing opportunities. Tiny glimmers of gratitude can chip away at mountains of stress and worry. Of course there are times when finding gratitude feels impossible, but finding it anyway is a powerful tool. A grateful heart only manifests more to be grateful for.

The best advice I could give if you’re just starting on this path (or if you’ve been on it for a while) is trust that the universe is always working in your favor. When you’re open and willing, when you’re empathetic and kind, and when you’re grateful for the tiniest things, you pave the way for more happiness and more success.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

In July 2025, I was diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma. In September, I had a total thyroidectomy and lymph dissection, and in January 2026, I will undergo radioactive iodine treatment. On a physical level, it’s been easier now than it was. On a mental and emotional level, it’s an ongoing challenge. Through Ayurvedic consultations, hypnosis, counseling, and self-reflection, I pinpointed factors that have lead me here: suppression of my voice was a big one. My whole life I’ve had a difficult time expressing myself, but now as I move through this process, I am challenging myself to speak my truth more freely. In business and in life, communication is vital, and now that has become my primary focus. Speaking your truth can be incredibly hard, and it can often seem easier to hold on to it and suppress it (that’s the way I’ve done it for a while now). From my current cancer experience, I’ve found that there is so much healing that needs to happen in my life. Diet and lifestyle regimens can always improve, and meditation, journaling, breathing, herbal remedies, self-massage, and general self-care techniques take up my day-to-day attention. As I prepare to tell people publicly, I do hope that my experience can somehow better others’. Ayurveda, yoga, hypnosis, medical establishments, therapy, walking, exercising my voice, oils, herbs, etc. have all played a vital role in my path towards healing. Regardless of the type or severity of one’s cancer, I believe you can work towards healing yourself while simultaneously improving the lives of others who may be struggling. I just hope I can reduce some fear around it and offer support for those who may be going through something similar.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Guidingelementsyoga.com
• Instagram: @guidingelementsyoga_ayurveda
• Facebook: @guidingelementsyoga

Image Credits

Abby Dietze
Amanda Rau