Dr. Carolyn Baxter

When Dr. Carolyn Baxter discovered the physical and mental healing powers of yoga, there was no turning back.

It was six years ago, and she had just given birth to her third child. Dr. Baxter was feeling a bit off her game, but yoga tightened up her core while relaxing her mind.

"I noticed the stress just melting away," she says. "I thought, I need to share this with others."

So the board-certified psychiatrist for Prevea in Sheboygan immersed herself into a 200-hour yoga teaching program and became certified. She teaches at Yoga on the Lake in Kohler.

"The foundation of wellness is healthy food, exercise, stress management, sleep, social support and spirituality," she says. "Yoga fits into all of that. It covers exercise, stress reduction and, if you attend classes, social support. I always sleep better and make better food choices when I keep up my yoga practice. As a mother of three with a full-time job, I think yoga keeps me sane."

A year after becoming certified as a yoga teacher, Dr. Baxter competed in her first triathlon, comprised of a half-mile swim, a 12-mile bike ride and a 5K run. She can't wait to do another one.

As for the Movers & Shakers Gala, Carolyn says she's wanted to dance since she first heard of the event in 2011. There are three other reasons she wants to hit the floor and shine.

"I'm doing this for my children, too," she says. "I want to show them they should dream big, work hard and go for it!"

Carolyn is sponsored by Prevea and has chosen Nourish as her recipient charity. If Carolyn is the gala champion, her charity will be the 2017 partnering charity and will receive $10,000.

She will perform an east coast swing routine with her dance partner, Jay Morth.