meet the founder

Hi, I’m tea Barnes and I created flexibend because I needed it myself.

I’ve dealt with pain and stiffness for most of my life in my upper back, low back, tense shoulders, and that constant feeling of being off in my own body. Like many, I turned to yoga hoping it would help. But in one class, I pushed too far and ended up hurting myself in the very space meant for relief. I’m not against yoga at all, it just wasn’t the right fit for me. I needed something more intuitive and practical. Something built for how real bodies move off the mat.

That experience changed how I saw movement.

Flexibend was born from my own experience with pain and the desire to create something that could help others find relief too. So many people live with everyday tightness and soreness, yet it often goes unaddressed. I wanted to offer guided classes that focus on the kind of discomfort most of us just learn to live with such as tight hips, stiff backs, tense shoulders.

Stretching shouldn’t be an afterthought. It needs to be part of your lifestyle, just like eating and sleeping. When you become more mindful about how you move and care for your body, real, lasting relief becomes possible.

Outside of flexibend, I’m a mom, a runner, and someone who loves to travel. Whether I’m exploring new places or chasing after my kids, I know how important it is to feel strong, grounded, and at ease in your body because life doesn’t pause when you're feeling stiff or worn down.

I hold an associate degree in science, am certified through the National academy of sports medicine as a Stretch and Flexibility Coach, and bring a science-informed, experience-backed approach to every flexibend stretch session.

See you in the studio!