Yovana Yoga

This time we are spotlighting Laura Sparks RYT-200! 🌸

Laura’s yoga journey began in the early 2000s when she and her then-boyfriend happened upon a flyer advertising a yoga class in East Point, Georgia. The class didn’t last long, but Laura and Bryan’s enjoyment of the practice did. They sought out yoga classes throughout the Atlanta area and even during vacations in other places, such as Durango, CO, and the Lake Eden Arts Festival outside Asheville, NC.

Fast-forward a couple of decades, and the not-so-newlyweds had a young son, and they had relocated to Chatsworth, Georgia, to care for Bryan’s mother. One day, while their son was in preschool, Laura finally tuned in to the little voice inside her body saying, “You really need some yoga!" She immediately pulled out her phone, Googled "Yoga classes near me" and found a little studio "where yoga and nirvana meet."

That first class in Yovana's Calhoun studio started Laura on a new branch of her yoga journey. Having cared for older family members, she was intrigued by the benefits of chair yoga for people who can't get down to the floor. She already believed that yoga is every body. After trying the class, she was amazed at how much she enjoyed it. She was able to access better alignment and more openness in many poses. She also found the energy and camaraderie of the chair yoga students infectious. Laura graduated from the Yovana Yoga 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2024 and is excited to share her passion for this powerful practice.

We had a family hang today! Join us any weekend to play on the wall. The class is every weekend. It alternates between 2 pm Sunday and 11 am Saturday each weekend. Classes are 90 minutes and $35 per session.

It is time to feature Melody Parker RYT-200!

In 2008 Melody began experiencing lower back pain, after visiting a chiropractor she found that she had two slipped discs, a pinched nerve & scoliosis. After many adjustments she began to heal & with the nudging of her big sister, decided to give Yoga a try. After just a few classes she fell in love and wanted to learn more and completed her 200 hour certification with Aura Wellness Center, along with mentoring coach Rhonda Shannon of Stretch & Breathe Yoga.

Recently, Melody completed her second 200 hour certification at Yovana Yoga under the direction of Sarah DeFoor E-RYT 500 & Grace Stephen E-RYT 500 & PYT. This allowed her to register with Yoga Alliance as an RYT-200. Melody has done advanced teacher training in Yoga for Back Care with Sue Hopkins & Lillah Schwartz both are E-RYT 500 & C-IAYT. She completed her restorative teacher training at Yovana Yoga in 2022 under Sarah DeFoor E-RYT 500 and Certified Rest and Renew Restorative Trainer. Melody teaches alignment based Yoga and Yin.

Melody has been teaching a yoga donation classes benefiting the hot meals program at the VAC for more than a decade. First at her church then at Yovana. Melody is a long time resident of Calhoun and has been married to husband Randy for 27 years, has two beautiful children, Tucker & Natalie, a lovely daughter-in law, Rachel and an adorable grandchild, Caroline, two cats, and a dog.

Share, like, or comment to support Melody!

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT: Denise Cass RYT-200 ☀
In 1976, Denise discovered Richard Hittleman’s Yoga: 28 Day Exercise Plan. As a young mother with an infant and no time or money for studio classes, she taught herself basic poses from the book — and quickly fell in love. Yoga made her feel restored, relaxed, and energized.

Over the years, Denise continued to practice off and on, depending on the demands of work and life. But in 2023, she returned to the mat with a new intention: restoration. She was experiencing pain in both knees and one hip and was determined to avoid surgery.

With a consistent practice, transformation came quickly. The aches and pains vanished. Sleep became restful. Mood swings eased. Mental clarity returned. It was life-changing.

She discovered that the benefits of regular yoga practice are truly immeasurable.

Inspired by this powerful shift, Denise took a leap in January 2025 and enrolled in a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training program. She graduated in September 2025 — and now, she’s ready to share the gift of yoga with others.

👋👋Say hello to Amy Quarles M.Ed, LPC, RYT-500, CCYT, & TCTSY-F

Just before turning 50, Amy decided to make some changes in her life. She saw the Yovana Yoga sign and decided to give yoga a try. Although she had tried some yoga on her own, she had never taken a studio class. Once she took a class, she fell in love with the way it made her body feel. She became a regular student at Yovana, and then became interested in developing her practice further.

Amy completed her 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training in June 2021 at Yovana Yoga under Sarah DeFoor, E-RYT 500 and Grace Stephen E-RYT 500 & Professional Yoga Therapist. She has completed the 95 hour Grounded Kids Yoga Training with Amy Haysman & Sedef Dion. This makes her a certified Children's Yoga teacher through Yoga Alliance. The skills she learned were specific to teaching children and adolescents yoga and Amy has been able to utilize those skills with both individual children she sees within her therapy practice, and with some groups she has done through the Gordon County Child Advocacy Center.

She did her restorative teacher training in 2022 under Sarah DeFoor E-RYT 500 and Certified Rest and Renew Restorative Trainer. Amy studied yoga for back care with Lillah Schwartz E-RYT 500 and I-AYT. In 2024 Amy completed her 300 hour trauma informed yoga therapist training under David Emerson E-RYT & Jenn Turner, LMHC. They Co-direct the Center for Trauma and Embodiment. Amy is the only Trauma Certified Yoga teacher in North Georgia. Amy is only the 6th person in Georgia and the only person in North Georgia to become a Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga Facilitator (TCTSY-F). TCTSY is the only scientifically validated, yoga based treatment for complex trauma and PTSD.

Amy is a Licensed Professional Counselor with a private practice working with children, adolescents and adults. She has lived in Calhoun since 1999 with her husband, Patrick, and 2 sons, Brian and Connor. In addition to yoga, she enjoys gardening, reading, and hiking.

Show Amy some love by commenting, liking, or sharing!

Thanks to two talented local artists, we have a beautiful new sign!

Samantha Altmann created the graphic design, working through countless variations until every detail was just right. Then Diana Bishop brought the design to life with the skill, creativity, and eye of a true artist and painter.

We are so grateful to both of them for helping create something that perfectly represents Yovana Yoga. Thank you, Samantha and Diana!

A special detail about the sign: the silhouettes are based on real Yovana Yoginis. The tall figure in Warrior I is Mary Jane Gross. The middle figure in a Crescent Warrior is Kate Rice. The lower figure in a High Lunge is our founder, Sarah DeFoor.

What makes this even more meaningful is that all three women are real yogis demonstrating different variations of the same pose—a beautiful reflection of the individuality and diversity that yoga celebrates.

We love seeing our community represented in this special way! 💜🧘‍♀️

Kate Rice is up next for our teacher spotlight! Say hi to Kate! Here is her story:

Kate's yoga journey started in college. She signed up for a class not really knowing what she was getting into. She had always been active, but that class surprised her (in a good way) with the challenge it offered to her body…and then came savasana, and she fell in love.

She casually followed video and online classes before practicing in Dalton. Once COVID closed the doors of many places, she reverted back to an occasional online practice. Her and her husband found Yovana through a friend and were reminded about how good it made their bodies feel. They began attending regularly and noticed an improvement with their flexibility and strength. She often had hip discomfort with high activity and noticed that was alleviated when she was able to routinely incorporate yoga. She believes in yoga as a compliment to her active lifestyle to stay healthy and balanced. Kate is a 2024 graduate of the Yovana Yoga 200 hour training program.

Kate works as a full time nurse in Dalton at Williams Plastic Surgery. She is happily married to Matt, and they have an amazing son, Sam. She enjoys painting, gardening, hiking, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Our teacher spotlights are to highlight our expertly trained teachers so you can feel supported by teachers who truly know the body. With Yovana Yoga you're in experienced hands.

Please like and share!

Join us Saturday 6/6 at 11 am or Sunday6/14 at 2 pm for yoga on the strap wall. Your body will be glad you did. $35 per session.

Come and move with us this summer! Try all the classes and all the teachers. They are all wonderful in different ways!

There is only one change to the summer schedule. Sunday's Gentle & Supported class is moving to every other Sunday. It will be the same Sundays at the Strap Wall class.

👋Say hello to Kim Holland! She is our next instructor we are featuring in our "Teacher Spotlight".

After experiencing back & neck pain, Kim sought help from a local chiropractor as well as a spine surgery center. She was trying to avoid surgery and sought out more holistic ways to heal from her pain. Yoga was highly recommended. When Yovana moved into downtown Sarah went around to all the merchants to invite them to the studio. Kim owned the Rusty Zipper on Court St. Kim told Sarah about her 5 herniated discs, spinal stenosis, and pinched nerves. Sarah accepted the challenge and Kim's love of yoga began. So far, yoga has fixed her spinal stenosis, released her nerves and her back & neck pain is much less. Kim completed her 200 hour yoga teacher training in 2022 at Yovana Yoga. Now she is ready to share this healing practice as a teacher as well as continue her learning journey as a student.

Kim did advanced teacher training in yoga for back care with Lillah Schwartz E-RYT 500 and I-AYT who authored the book, “Healing Our Backs with Yoga”. She has also completed both levels of Restorative Yoga training with Judith Hanson Lasater.

Kim lives in Resaca with her husband Zip. She has sold her stores and is now focused on ways to help her body age better.

-Our teacher spotlights are to highlight our expertly trained teachers so you can feel supported by teachers who truly know the body. With Yovana Yoga you're in experienced hands.

Please like and share!
Like and share!