Sara Shotsberger

Sara Shotsberger

LCSW, RYT-200

Sara’s experience and training is rooted in the mind + body connect. She has over 15 years experience working with children and families as a developmental psychotherapist. Sara had the privilege of studying yoga in the Krishnamacharya lineage under Laura Jane Mellencamp and Julie Pate where she completed her RYT 200 hour training in September 2020 at Yoga Among Friends in Downers Grove, IL.

Sara’s passion about building community, connections & clinical programming.

“There are countless methods for healing and moving forward. Emotions and feelings are a gift; they are the natural barometer for navigating our lives. Working through and assimilating the somatic experience of life, freeing ourselves from trauma and bumps in the road. Often we fear or misinterpret those emotions and fall into a holding pattern as to how to move forward. The best work is done when we are honest and open about who we are, and where we want to be.”

In 2020, Sara founded Sangha Space, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization which provides free yoga programming, trauma informed mental health programs, educational workshops & weekend retreats for children, families and volunteers alike. In partnership with Yoga Among Friends, Sangha Space provides scholarship opportunities for professionals and students alike. 

Sara’s Credentials

• Licenced Clinical Social Worker, Illinois

• Yoga Alliance RYT-200

• Chakras for Children

• EMDR trained & certified through EMDRIA

• Certified Clinical Trauma Professional

• Licensed Mediator from Northwestern University 

Sara’s Schedule 

• 1:1 Sessions by Appointment

Deb Zelman

Deb Zelman

RYT

Deb Zelman is a certified RYS 200 Yoga Alliance instructor, specializing in Hatha Yoga. Deb Zelman enjoys the many health benefits of yoga, including increased flexibility and strength, tools for clearing the mind, and practices to increase energy or wind down. She appreciates the way breath and yoga practices intersect with her career as a musician, singer, clarinet and saxophone teacher, where alignment, breathing, and calming techniques serve many purposes.

Deb is a certified RYS 200 Yoga Alliance instructor, specializing in Hatha Yoga. She continues her yoga studies with Laura Jane Mellencamp Murphy, owner and founder of the Yoga Among Friends studio in Downers Grove.

Deb’s class schedule:

Fri, 11-12pm, Gentle Flow Yoga–Studio

Diane Doll

Diane Doll

MSW, LCSW, RYT200

Diane has been practicing yoga for 10+ years, primarily here at Yoga Among Friends.  She has found yoga to be a helpful tool in improving her overall mental/physical health and, subsequently, preparing her to manage her life off the mat.

Diane recently completed the RYT 200-hour training with Laura Jane and Julie Pate in 2024.  She is also currently enrolled in the 300-hour YTT at Bloom Studio in Chicago with Jessica Gonsiorowski and Chelsea Brown.  Julie Stewart and the late J. Michael Taylor are also credited as being influential teachers in Diane’s yoga journey.

Outside of class, Diane works as a psychotherapist. Her goal is to integrate her career in mental health with the tools of yoga to help bring others the benefits she has personally experienced.

Diane lives nearby with her husband and a few of her six sons.

Diane’s class schedule:

Sat, 9:30-10:30a, Foundations Flow,–Studio (Starts March 1, 2025)

Donna Ohman

Donna Ohman

PTA, C-IAYT

Donna is a certified yoga therapist who fell in love with yoga in 1999. Since 2002, she has been a licensed physical therapist assistant with a focus on outpatient orthopedic and neurological disorders. She integrates her physical therapy experience, yoga knowledge, and Pilates training to offer a unique teaching style that blends rehabilitation with the healing and health benefits of yoga.

Donna's classes are alignment-based with a blend of therapeutics and rhythmic movement, emphasizing the breath. She intertwines Eastern and Western healing modalities through the integration of physical therapy, yoga therapy, and facial yoga. She aims to inspire and empower others to reach their health and wellness potential in mind, body, and spirit with the philosophy, “Come as you are; do what you can; and grow from there.”

Her background includes the following:

• Certified Yoga Therapist & Member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT)

• Licensed Physical Therapist Assistant since 2002

• Certified Urban Zen Integrative Therapy practitioner (UZIT)

• Certified in Face Yoga 2020

• Certified in Gua Sha 2023

• Stott Pilates Rehab trained

Jessica Gonsiorowski

Jessica Gonsiorowski 

E-RYT200/ RYT500/ RPYT85

Born and raised in Germany by a German mom and American father, Jessica enjoyed a multicultural upbringing that has given her a curious, open mind and warm heart. Jessica took her first yoga class at 19 years old and discovered that letting go of thoughts and stressors as well as finding inner strength through creating a strong body made her feel better and reconnected with herself. Learning to live in the present moment has been the biggest gift she has received from her yoga practice.

As a teacher, Jessica focuses on the body-mind connection, healthy alignment, creating awareness of personal needs and nourishing the relationship with oneself. She continues to be impressed by the parallels of life on and off the mat and hopes to communicate that within her classes. She strives for her students to have fun and to find their personal practice and become their own agent of change.

Jessica completed her 200 hour certification through Bloom Yoga Studio, Chicago and 300 hour Advanced Teacher Training at Prairie Yoga. Becoming a yoga teacher has filled her life up to the fullest and she is overjoyed about how much happiness it has created in her life.

Jessica's Schedule

Mon 9:30–10:45a, Plus Size Yoga 6-Week Series – Studio

Mon 11a-12:15p, Multi-Style Yoga–Studio (Starts May 1, 2023)

Julie Stewart

Julie Stewart

Julie's intention for her teaching is to present a well balanced practice that includes all aspects of the journey. To bring into her teaching her knowledge of ayurveda, pranayama, meditation and stillness to help us all live a balanced, grounded life. As we say in ayurveda, "living is costly, so use the tools that we have from the seasons, the asanas, meditations, proper intake of foods and lifestyle that will allow us to live in harmony with nature and our fellow beings."

Julie has been lucky enough to study and practice with some wonderful teachers: Erich Schiffman, Barbara Benagh, Laura Jane Murphy, Tias Little, Doug Keller, Todd Norian, Gabriel Halpern, and Tricia Fiske to just name a few. Her blend of style comes from all of these different teachers and outlooks. Her ayurveda training is from Pat Layton who is the director of Bhavana Institute in LaGrange, and she received her panchakarma training from Diva Ayurveda in Milwaukee.

Julie's Schedule

Thu 9:30–11a, Vinyasa Flow–Zoom & In Studio

Lynette Pitrak Bromiel

Lynette Pitrak Bromiel

RYT-200

Lynette is a teacher, librarian, and member of the Yoga Among Friends 200-HR Teacher Training “Eagle Sangha.” She has been blessed to study with many incredible yoga teachers, including Julie Pate, Laura Jane Mellencamp, and the late J. Michael Taylor. Her daily practice enhances every aspect of her life, and she is excited to share what she has learned and continues to study!

Lynette's Schedule

• Wed 9:30-10:45 AM, Chair Yoga
  Limited Run : June 4-Aug 27, 2025

• First Friday Evenings with Eagle Sangha

Marla Mothershed

Marla Mothershed

CYT

Marla began as an instructor to all ages and abilities in a faith community setting after being inspired her to deepen her understanding of how yoga brought calm and energy to her life.

After 20 years of practice, she is still enthusiastic about learning this transformational practice, through training with Laura Jane Mellencamp and Linda Troutman.

With a genuine passion for bringing people together, Marla invites students at all levels, including those who have never tried yoga. She brings her love of nature into class and sometimes teaches outdoors. Her class includes slow and gentle movements, and everyone will learn how to use their breath to nourish their bodies as well as their mental and spiritual well-being.

Marla’s greatest hope is that her students feel more inner peace and strength, and her class brings more community and healing to our world.

Marla's Schedule

• Wed 4:30–5:30p, Beginner’s Yoga–Studio & Zoom

Meredith Harbour

Meredith Harbour

C-IAYT, CYT 500

Meredith has been teaching since 2010 having received her training in the Krishnamacarya tradition. She received her training with Krishnamacharya Healing Yoga Foundation, studying under master teachers Chase Bossart and Amy Wheeler.

Meredith's breath based classes are designed to bring focus to the mind while creating strength & flexibility in the body and reducing stress.  Her practice is perfect for students looking to find balance in their lives.

As a yoga teacher and as a certified yoga therapist, she brings joy and understanding to every class and private session, meeting her students where they are.

Meredith's Schedule

• Mon 7:30–8:30p, Fundamentals of Yoga–Studio & Zoom

• Thu 7:30–8:45p, Yoga for Stress & Anxiety–Studio & Zoom

• Sat 8–9a, Fundamentals of Yoga– Studio & Zoom

• By Appointment, Yoga Therapy

Patti Yates

Patti Yates

RYT 200, RN

Her love of yoga inspires her to share her passion with others. Patti has taught yoga for over 30 years. She was yoga certified at Yoga Source Teachers Training Program in conjunction with Yoga Alliance. 

Patti is a registered nurse.  She practiced nursing in the hospital and at Martha Jefferson Out-Patient Surgery Center. 

She has taught yoga therapy to patients at the Chronic Pain Center and to oncology patients. She has also held restorative yoga classes for students with Multiple Sclerosis and their teachers.

Patti worked at the Mind Body Studio in Virginia and taught healing and wellness classes as well as Yoga for Health. 

She gets great joy spending time with her grandchildren.

Patti's Schedule

• Tue 5-6pm, Beginner’s Yoga, Studio & Zoom

Therese Carlson

Therese Carlson

RN, CYT 500, Prenatal Yoga Teacher

Therese is a registered nurse and yoga teacher. Therese has taught hatha, a mindful Vinyasa, and gentle yoga but found a love for Prenatal yoga. She uses her 33 years of nursing experience and her love of yoga to nurture, strengthen and guide moms-to-be through this exciting journey. The teachers that have strong influence on her life and yoga are her mom and dad, Tricia Fiske, Lori Gaspar, Julie Gudmestad and Tias Little. She also works as a nurse in the community and is the mother of 3 young adults. Her background includes the following:

• Certified Yoga Teacher, 500hr, Prairie Yoga, Lisle, IL

• Certified Prenatal Yoga teacher, Global Yoga Center, Chicago, IL

• 8 years of yoga teaching experience

• 20 years of yoga practice

• 33 years of nursing

Therese's Schedule

Wed 6-7:15pm, Prenatal Yoga–Studio (on hiatus June-Aug 2023, returns September 6, 2023)