Sunsets, sound baths and soul: A Heller Good time | Featured Stories

Looking to reignite your spark? Heller Good offers experiences designed to unwind, energize your spirit and reconnect with nature. What’s their secret recipe? According to their website, it’s “a dash of yoga, a pinch of adventure, a whole lot of fun and a sprinkle of connection.” 

Amid the serene backdrop of the Arizona desert, founder and director Michelle Heller has created something truly special. Her wellness company, Heller Good, is grounded in yoga, sound healing, and outdoor adventure.

From inner peace to community healing

“I’m a very extroverted person and it was the only time that I could just be,” Heller said of discovering yoga more than 20 years ago. “Be with myself, be with my breath, and it helped slow down the ‘go, go, go.’” 

That inner stillness would later become the foundation for Heller Good—a project born before the pandemic, but one that truly came to life through it.

“I created it before the pandemic, but because of that, it’s become what it is today,” Heller said. “A space for people to connect with nature, each other, and themselves on a deeper, more alive level.”

After falling in love with the desert during a 2008 visit to see a friend, Heller knew she had found her place. 

Now based in the Phoenix area, she offers a wide array of experiences through Heller Good: sunrise and sunset yoga with breathtaking views, sound meditation under the stars, guided hikes on Camelback Mountain, nature walks through Papago Park, and personalized private events ranging from bachelorette parties to retreats. Everything is accessible to all experience levels.

Mindful movement in the outdoors

With every experience, Heller focuses on fostering a community and giving people a sense of home.

“I start every group experience with connecting so that people can share their truth or share what brings them joy, what lights them up,” Heller said. “What’s really beautiful is that it doesn’t matter what someone’s experience level is, as long as they’re willing to be in the present moment and try something new… It’s always such an amazing outcome.”

Whether it’s a yoga session or a hike, Heller’s approach emphasizes mindfulness over intensity. Even on Camelback Mountain—known for its double black diamond difficulty—they opt for a more mindful experience rather than conquering the entire trail.

“We go at a slower pace, take our time, smell the plants,” Heller said. “When we start, I say we are a family. We’re together. If you’re not feeling well or if you need an extra stop, say something. You’re not ruining anyone’s time.”

The science and spirit of sound

Sound healing is one of Heller’s signature offerings, blending science and spirituality into a calming, restorative practice. 

“Looking at it scientifically, we are all vibration… Everything in the world is a vibration and some of these vibrations are just slow enough that they manifest into what we see as matter. We are energy… We can’t see it, but there’s all these frequencies traveling everywhere, ” Heller said. “When it comes to sound healing, the goal is to get you into that relaxed state of mind where you can let go of your attachment to your physical body and just become the energy that you are without attaching to it.”

For those who struggle with traditional meditation, sound healing offers a soothing entry point. “It gives your brain something to focus on with curiosity—the way the sound feels in your body. Every sound bath is different and you’re going to have a different experience based on how you show up.”

She often pairs sound healing with Yoga Nidra—a practice known as yogic sleep—inviting participants into a deep state of relaxation that hovers between wakefulness and dreaming.

Nature, play, and purpose

Heller’s joy for the outdoors and movement started early. “As a kid, I loved running around outside and climbing things,” Heller shared. “My dad used to joke that I was raised by monkeys and raccoons.” 

Those same things that gave her an innate sense of joy back then are the same things that do now. That playful, childlike energy now fuels her mission to help others reconnect with nature and their inner selves.

“It’s easy to not connect with people and feel like we’re not part of the same thing,” Heller said. “But when we get out of our own ways and just sit there and feel the energy from the ground… The earth calms us down. When we’re breathing, when we’re feeling, we realize that we are all connected. It’s magic.”

Heller envisions expanding Heller Good’s reach, especially in Sedona, where she’s already led a few transformative retreats. She also supports eco-conscious practices—her yoga mats, for example, are hand-woven in India without microplastics or harsh chemicals.

“The only hope I ever have for anyone that comes is that they feel more connected to their body and feel more peace in their body and in their own skin than when they arrived,” Heller said.

For more information about Heller Good, visit hellergood.com.