Our Instructors

Life presents everything you need at the precise timing, and it is up to you to pay attention and follow. Through a series of lifechanging events I learned at a young age that how you nourish and care for your body is vital to a long-balanced life.  This understanding grew into a passion for wellness which connected me Ayurveda almost two decades ago. Then yoga presented itself and it was like coming home to a place I had always known. Yoga has helped me to heal deep wounds and to be “ok” to express all of who I am, the sensitive and the fire within.  Through yoga, the energy and ideas that spill into me are able to spill out into the world. It is an expression of my soul and purpose in this lifetime.

In 2014, the opportunity to pursue a 200-hour yoga certification landed in my path.  After completion, I went on to complete additional yoga and healing certifications. In addition to yoga classes I offer individual healing sessions combining all that I have learned to assist clients with self-healing.  I love to collaborate and share yoga with the community including gyms, the public schools, colleges, parks, businesses, sports teams, breweries, and wineries. I believe the journey is a forever learning process for both a teacher and a student. I encourage every student to allow the mind body connection to form organically, be curious about the process and to become a student of their own internal teacher.  Classes emphasize a judgement free space allowing students to focus on their current abilities while exploring the edges of possibilities.  Classes are a blend fun and serious to help students to feel relaxed and open to the growth process.  The work is hard, but with a systematic approach, a delicate nudge and safe support, transformation takes place. 

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Certifications:

200 Hour Registered Yoga Teacher

“REST” Certification

Restorative Yoga Certification

500 hours in the Classical 8 Limb Path of Ashtanga Yoga

Mindful Yoga Therapy Certification

200 Hour Registered Kundalini Yoga Teacher

5 Elements of Qigong Certification

Qigong Infused Yoga Certification

Asana Adjustments with Thai Massage

Yoga for Children

Yoga for Athletes

Yin Yoga

Yoga for stress, Anxiety and Burnout

Teaching Transformational Yoga.  

Reiki Master (Level 3)

Level 2 Thai Massage Bodywork Practitioner 

100 Hour Ayurveda Certification

500 Hour Ayurvedic Nutrition and Digestion Specialist

Certified Ayurvedic Herbalist (currently studying)

"The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step" - Lao Tzu

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My yoga journey has had a lot of twists and turns, starts and stops but always there, waiting for me to come back time and time again. I naturally gravitate towards the yang side of life--bright, hard, fast, driven, challenging—think power yoga, vinyasa, running, and weight lifting. Over time, I was completely out of balance and injured (I am and will continue to be a work in progress). I still love the strength and beauty of a sweaty vinyasa but have gained a profound appreciation for slowing down and finding stillness like in a meditative yin practice. I am grateful to teach these two styles of yoga as a way of promoting balance and well-being for both body and mind. I like to laugh and have fun but also tune in and hold space for silence and reflection. We need both. I was a former personal trainer and fitness instructor before I completed my 200-hour RYT certification, yin certification, and various classes and seminars throughout the years. We are on this journey together. Our paths may look different and unique but we are all one.

I began my yoga journey in 2013. Little did I know that my life was about to change forever! From that day forward, I have had a regular yoga practice, which unconsciously and consciously shapes my experience in the world and deepens my sense of self. It was the physical aspect of yoga that led me to the practice, but it was the emotional and spiritual awakening that truly enveloped me. I was able to let go of my stress and discover a meditative state of consciousness on my mat. That was a so freeing for me. In 2016, I earned my E-RYT 200-hour certification, and in 2021 I got my RYT 500 hour certification. In addition to my yoga certifications, I am a Usui Reiki Master and have a Mindfulness certification. As a yoga teacher, I encourage my students to explore their practice through breath, movement, and intention. With a strong focus on alignment, I support students as they step into themselves physically; while, simultaneously inspiring students to take the time to notice and connect with their true essence. Emotional awareness and transformation occurs when we quiet the mind and tune in.

I have always been passionate about health and fitness.   I was originally drawn to the physical practice of yoga as an added workout.  I quickly embraced the physical benefits of each yoga pose but as I began practicing regularly, I soon discovered a powerful and heartfelt practice that develops strength from within.  I became deeply inspired by the intensity of the practice and began exploring the layers beyond the physical aspects of the poses.   As I continued to explore and deepen my own self-discovery, I found greater self-awareness, empowerment, and peace both on and off the mat.    Yoga, for me, is a lifestyle not just a practice.  I received my 200-hour RYT certification through Karma Yoga. I also competed my Reiki Master training through Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. I will always be a student and continue to explore, grow and change. My hope is to encourage students to find their edge with strength and ease and provide them with the tools to honor and embrace their own unique journey.  Because of my personal journey on life’s unexpected path, I have become even more passionate about sharing the gifts of this transformative practice with others.

Yoga was not a love at first try experience for me.  When I stepped into my first class, I was less than optimistic that I would even like it.  I not only had zero flexibility and complete lack of balance, I also had arthritis in both of my knees and tendonitis in my shoulder.  In my mind I was the complete opposite of what I had thought a “Yogi” looked like. Leaving class that day, I was surprised how good I felt.  I wasn't able to do all of the poses, but I really enjoyed being guided to connect with my breath and move my body. I kept going back…and over time I gained a new perspective that my practice was unique to me and changed every time I stepped on my mat.  I learned to modify poses by using props and eventually was able to do an entire class using these tools. Eventually, I was able to let go of my attachment to how I looked and welcomed the joy of embracing how amazing I felt.

Through the love of my own personal practice, I started to experience a strong pull to guide others on their journey of well-being and self-discovery through yoga.  As a hairdresser, I have spent over 30 years talking to thousands of women who share many of the same challenges when it comes to how they feel about themselves, both physically and mentally. These feelings resonated with me and ignited my passion to motivate and support others.  In May of 2023, I completed the Yoga Teacher Training course at Transform where I was certified as a RYT-200 and immediately started teaching gentle classes for all levels. As an advocate of health at every size, I wholeheartedly believe that yoga is the foundational tool for connecting to yourself, where you are now, with love, compassion, and gratitude.  I believe that yoga IS for EVERY body...whether you are a beginner or a seasoned practitioner with an injury, you can do yoga. I am driven to empower others to embrace their own potential and feel confident in their ability to practice yoga.​ “Yoga welcomes all abilities, embracing the beauty of each individual’s unique journey.  It is a practice that honors and nurtures every body, mind, and soul, regardless of limitations or capabilities.”

I began practicing yoga at a time in my life where things were so uncertain. It was through all of the uncertainty that yoga became the one consistent place that provided me safety, comfort, and the space to connect with myself on a deeper level. The stillness, mindfulness and sense of being that was cultivated each time I practiced led to a deep inner knowing and understanding of my truest self that I was once not aware of.  The dedication to this practice and the study of yoga has helped me to continue to grow and embrace my most authentic self in the here and now and has guided me to further study and practice other forms of holistic healing as well. When I completed my 200-hour Yoga Certification at Transform, I was unsure at the time of where my path was leading me. However, once again through the uncertainty, yoga helped me learn to trust and to be. I truly believe that yoga provides more than a physical practice. As a yoga teacher, I want to help cultivate that same sense of safety, comfort, inclusivity and mindfulness in each of my classes and to hold an open space to allow each student to feel rooted within themselves, intuitively connect to their inner knowing and find balance in the mind, the body and the spirit.

My first regular yoga practice began in 2012 while serving in AmeriCorps in Nashville, TN. At the time, I considered myself a wellness enthusiast, and I was open to trying all types of exercise to benefit my physical health. I found myself looking forward to yoga class more than any other type of class, soaking up the benefits of a quiet, more mindful (yet physically challenging) practice. Over the last several years, I have been fortunate to find many inspiring yoga teachers who only deepened my appreciation for the practice, in all its forms. When Transform opened a teacher training program, it came at the perfect time when I was truly ready to explore the practice as a whole. I realized that yoga is not only a powerful physical practice, but a way of living. Through yoga I have deepened my understanding of myself, and developed a more peaceful relationship with my thoughts and actions. Since completing my RYT 200 at Transform, I have also earned my certification to teach Qigong Infused Yoga. I have a passion for learning, and look forward to the yoga journey ahead of me. It is an honor to teach at Transform, and share the practice of yoga with you.

Yoga was always something I felt a pull to try, but I was too worried about not being able to do the poses right and how others would perceive me. They say yoga finds you when the time is right, and this is how my yoga journey started. In 2019 I was given a gift card to a yoga studio. I tried it and instantly loved it! I was getting a workout from just me on my mat. Later that year I became a single mom to two children, one of which is on the autism spectrum. I was diagnosed with anxiety (I'd been living with it and didn't even realize it). What helped me manage all of this was yoga. I started noticing that it helped me in more ways than just the physical workout, I felt calm and less anxious. I decided to look into yoga teacher training. As I was looking, Transform announced they would be starting their first teacher training. How perfect that the first studio I attended a yoga class in was where I would take my training! I graduated in May 2023 with my 200-hour RYT certification. I have already taken additional trainings and am certified in Qigong Infused Yoga and Restorative Yoga. I always wanted to help people and I feel that I have found that with yoga. I teach from my heart and enjoy sharing yoga with others. 

I began my yoga journey in 2000 with an Iyengar yoga practice at a local gym.  At first, every pose seemed impossible. I didn’t understand the connection between breath (prana) and pose (asana); and my mind did everything but settle. The personal challenge proved to be both addictive and calming. Slowly my practice evolved; my breath began to guide my poses and my mindset. Since that time, I have practiced a variety of styles to include Sivananda, Baptiste, YogaFit, Embody, Kripalu, Yin, and Ashtanga. I am certified through Yoga Alliance as both a teacher (2010) and a teacher trainer (2013). I completed Mindful Yoga Therapy training and a course called Asana Lab (2021). I am currently enrolled in Yoga Physics (2023). I enjoy teaching a variety of classes such as restorative, yin, flow (both warm and hot), and yoga nidra. Yoga changes individuals from the inside out, and this belief guides me to continually share the principles and practices with others – your mat, your breath, your yoga. After all, it’s called a yoga practice…not yoga perfect!

Join Denise for a Sacred Sound Journey and Guided Meditation!

Come relax in our healing space while the sacred sound frequencies of Tibetan and crystal bowls, rhythm of the drum, rattle, and gong wash over and through you clearing stuck energy. 

Give yourself the gift of relaxation and inner peace through the transformative power of sound. Connect with your body and spirit, quieting the mind, and immerse yourself in some luscious healing sounds that relax, uplift and rejuvenate.

Denise is an Energy Medicine Practitioner, Sound Healer, Guided Mediation Facilitator and Reiki Master Teacher.
Please wear warm, comfortable clothing and bring a blanket and/or pillow and yoga mat. Bolsters will also be provided.