YG Team

E-RYT 500 (Owner/Founder of YOGA GARDEN) Laurel is a Minneapolis, MN based Yogi, Designer and Entrepreneur. She has been practicing yoga for over 20 years and teaching for almost two decades. Her yoga studio, YOGA Garden, is considered one of the leading studios in Minneapolis.  She teaches her students to use Design Thinking concepts on their mats and how to use that experience as a metaphor for their creative pursuits.  She is a teacher to many successful C-Level executives, artists and entrepreneurs who are curious, creative and understand yoga as a way to increase creative confidence through movement.In addition to YOGA Garden she is the owner/operator of LVMGardens Design. She holds a BFA from the University of Wisconsin, has lived in London and travelled extensively through Europe and Asia.

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Discovered her passion for yoga as a solution to the wears and tears on her body as a result of more than a decade as a hair stylist. Since, yoga has centered her in becoming and being a mother. Stephanie’s primary focus and motivation is to empower women and their families in pregnancy, labor, and parenthood through the strength and balance yoga provides. Stephanie strives to create an environment that is wholly inclusive to all levels, abilities, and perspectives. She is guided by the principles of Anusara Yoga and has also completed Blooma’s Level 1 Prenatal Teacher Training with Sarah Longacre and Stacy Seebart. For more info please contact Stephanie at  Stephanie.loes@gmail.com www.yogamamampls.com

Pete Cairns teaches the bio-mechanics of anatomy through yoga and does orthopedic bodywork & shiatsu for a living. Pete’s sessions focus on facilitating neutral qualities of tension within the body, mind, and consciousness. Pete’s goal is to empower people with workable tools so they can create and embody vibrant postures of life.

RYT 200 YOGA Garden Minneapolis (Dec. 2016), LifePower Yoga (June 2015).
Elissa’s connection to yoga began in the mid ’80s, with a small children’s book featuring kids in shapes of trees, cobras, mountains, and more (plus awesome knee socks and gym shorts) – she remembers hours spent admiring the pictures in the book and mirroring the pages on her living room floor. Off-and-on in the many years since then, Elissa dabbled further into her practice, always finding benefit and joy there, but other priorities intervened. In early 2015, after a purposeful career transition and seeking to restore her energy and passion, Elissa dived into Yoga Teacher Training. She is committed to ongoing growth and training as a teacher and student, and in the fall of 2016 completed a 200-hour study with Laurel Van Matre at YOGA Garden. Elissa’s teaching style emphasizes calm and gentle acceptance, while challenging the mind and body and relishing the yoga bliss. In addition to yoga, Elissa fills time working as a Program Attorney for Minnesota Continuing Legal Education—and she loves finding ways to combine these two endeavors.

Hannah’s yoga practice began at age 16 when she started attending classes at a small local studio in her hometown. This initial introduction sparked a deep interest in yoga, meditation, Eastern philosophy, and mindful movement. To better understand the mysteries of the human body, she went on to complete a degree in exercise physiology from the University of Minnesota and is currently pursuing her clinical doctorate in physical therapy at Concordia University. Hannah is passionate about teaching yoga, movement, and helping others better understand their amazing bodies. Hannah is fascinated by anatomy, posture, and bodywork, and how to create healing and transformation through movement and mindfulness. She is excited to be part of the Yoga Garden Teacher Training Team and to connect with you!

Ben has always had a deep desire to know about movement and health. He first took a yoga class 20 years ago and knew it was a great way to connect his body and mind in a healthy way. He studied martial arts and went deep into running to learn more about the body and the connections one can know. While training as a runner and coaching runners for years he turned to yoga for balance in his life. 10 years ago he found Laurel Van Matre’s classes and knew that she taught in a style that spoke deeply to him. Having completed the 200 hour YTT at YOGA Garden he wants to help others connect their mind and bodies in a healthy and positive way.

Jessica Fisher has been teaching yoga for ten years and has had the honor to learn from great teachers and long-time students. Pulling from training in viniyoga and pilates, her classes offer breath-centered movement with a focus on healthy alignment. When not in the YOGA Garden, she’s in her own wild yard growing veggies and kids.