Tanya Aviles-Therrien, B.S., M.S.Ed., DAS
Tanya Aviles-Therrien, B.S., M.S.Ed., DAS, is the founder of Breathe Body & Balance, a personalized coaching practice dedicated to helping women navigate perimenopause and menopause with strength, science-backed strategies, and compassionate support. A Certified Menopause Coaching Specialist (CMCS), Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), and Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS), Tanya integrates fitness, nutrition, and lifestyle guidance to help women 40+ build strength, manage hormones, and thrive through midlife. She believes that midlife is not a period of decline, but a transformative phase that, with the right approach, can become a woman’s strongest chapter.
Before founding her business, Tanya cultivated a diverse career in education and leadership. She served as an assistant principal, team leader, and middle school math teacher, roles in which she honed her skills in mentorship, curriculum development, and team leadership. Her background also includes experience as a fashion buyer and camp director, reflecting a lifelong interest in creativity, personal growth, and community engagement. These experiences laid the foundation for her client-centered approach to wellness, emphasizing education, empowerment, and individualized guidance.
Tanya’s personal journey with midlife health challenges inspired her specialized focus on menopause coaching. Drawing on nearly a decade of experience in fitness and wellness, she combines evidence-based education with practical, personalized programs that support hormonal health, muscle preservation, metabolic resilience, and stress regulation. Fluent in both English and Spanish, Tanya creates safe, trusting spaces where women can gain clarity about their bodies, build confidence, and embrace this stage of life with empowerment and vitality. Her work continues to impact women across Connecticut and beyond through in-person, home-based, and virtual coaching.
• Certified Menopause Coaching Specialist
• Certified Personal Trainer
• Certified Nutrition Specialist
• Certified Pole Fitness Trainer
• TRX Certification
• Aerial Yoga Certification
• Stretch and Flexibility Certification
• First Aid AED CPR Certification
• University of Bridgeport- Master's
• University of Bridgeport- B.S.
• London College of Fashion, University of the Arts London
• Community
• Volunteering
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to kindness, respect, and active listening, combined with a genuine desire to help others and a curiosity to keep learning. My passions for family, fitness, writing, and reading also keep me grounded and motivated.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve ever received is to make up your mind, go after your goals fearlessly, and believe that you can achieve anything. Embrace new beginnings, be proud of who you are, stand tall, and never be afraid to start over—bigger and better.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering the wellness and menopause coaching industry is to prioritize self-care and self-compassion, be flexible in how you deliver services, focus on educating and supporting clients through life transitions, and always show up as the best version of yourself—own the room, know your worth, and stay true to your vision.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I see tremendous opportunities in reaching out to as many women as possible to help them get through menopause struggles and lead happier and healthier lives. There's so much more that happens with your body that people don't realize. When your hormone levels drop, it affects every aspect of your body, including your emotional and mental state, your patience level, and your tolerance level for things that maybe suddenly drive you batty. The conversation about menopause has become much more open in the past 2-3 years compared to when I started going through it. I've noticed that even when meeting people on vacation, women's shoulders would relax when I mentioned I talk about menopause, and they would start asking questions. The impact that menopause has on relationships is an area that is not really spoken about, and that's something I feel really passionate about because I see it in my clients and their relationships. There are a lot of women out there that need support going through menopause, not just the physical, emotional, and mental aspects, but also how it affects their relationships with partners, husbands, children, parents, and friendships. I try to let women know that it is okay and teach them to show themselves self-compassion, because once they show themselves compassion and understand what their body's going through, that is the gateway for them to begin feeling empowered about themselves and building their confidence back up.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important values to me are being truly there for my clients, being totally transparent, and creating a safe space for discussions and conversations that may otherwise be challenging for them in other environments or with others. I'm proud of being very flexible and accommodating because it lets my clients know that I am truly there for them. I practice a doctor-patient confidentiality approach so they know they can trust me. When they share with me, I realize there are a lot of women out there that need support going through menopause, not just the physical, emotional, and mental aspects, but also how it affects their relationships in their lives. I try to teach women to show themselves self-compassion, because I think once they show themselves compassion and understand what their body's going through, that is the gateway for them to begin feeling empowered about themselves and building their confidence back up. I've also learned over the years to give myself more compassion and take care of my own self-care, because you're always so busy taking care of everybody else. I take myself away on trips, go out to dinner, and enjoy myself because when we take time for ourselves, we feel refreshed and renewed.