Instructors

Mary Pat found Element Yoga, (then Inner Spring Yoga) in 2014 and from there, fell in love with the mind, body and breath connection. She started yoga as a way to relieve stress and continue her practice to get through this thing called “Life”. 

While Mary Pat finds joy in all kinds of yoga classes she seems to gravitate towards Hatha Flow the most. She enjoys the flow of the poses and the connection of breath work that helps to keep her in the moment.

Mary Pat decided to enroll in teacher training at Element in 2020 to deepen her knowledge of the history, language and philosophy of yoga. The training has enabled her to teach a level 1 Hatha class at Element.

Mary Pat tries to incorporate a bit of lightness in her classes and she has a motto, “come as you are, where you are and do what you can do today to honor yourself!” 

Mary Pat has also worked through 2 injuries while practicing yoga and with the help of her mentor, Laura Dement, she has learned many lessons that come with injuries. She believes more importantly, she made it through stronger and more resilient on the other side. Learning to accept day to day what her body was giving her, adapt and keep moving at her pace and in her bodies’ time.

Off the mat, Mary Pat nourishes her soul with gardening, walking her dog Bailey and spending time with her Significant Other, Paul and ever-growing extended family and friends.

Taylor started her yoga practice after finding Element Yoga (formerly Inner Spring Yoga) in 2018. Eventually, Element Yoga hired Taylor for the front desk position, which acquainted her with a wide range of local yogis. Though she always aspired to teach, a last-minute opportunity to sub for another teacher confirmed that goal. After that first class, she felt confident that she wanted to teach yoga. 

Taylor graduated from Element Yoga and Āyurvedic Wellness’s 200-Hour Teacher Training in 2022. She is primarily inspired by her teacher, Carrie Klaus, E-RYT 500, and the rest of the wonderful teachers at Element Yoga. She also incorporates postural alignment knowledge gained from workshops with Desiree Rumbaugh, E-RYT, and hands-on-assists knowledge from Carrie Klaus and Michael Johnson, E-RYT 500.

In August, 2023 Taylor accepted the opportunity of becoming studio manager and hopes to further serve the community at Element Yoga in this new role.

Taylor teaches and enjoys practicing various styles of yoga, finding benefits across all challenge levels. Her regular morning classes focus on finding what works for your body by offering modifications and encouraging self-exploration, even within challenging postures. Incorporating philosophical themes into her classes, Taylor also challenges students in her classes to look inward.

While free time is hard to come by, Taylor enjoys spending time with friends and family, including her adored cats. Additionally, she enjoys reading mostly fiction, traveling, live music and camping.

Inspired by many knowledgeable and respected teachers from many different traditions, you'll find Carrie's classes to be a mix of serious yoga focus and light-hearted fun. Carrie believes that every person can practice yoga and will help you find your most comfortable pose through the use of props and various modifications. Carrie's classes also include a good dose of yoga philosophy. Pairing the sister sciences of yoga and āyurveda, Carrie understands that just as nature has her cycles, so do we. Her classes will help you find true balance by honoring the natural cycles of life.

Carrie began her yoga practice in 2006 after the birth of her second daughter. She started yoga as a way to get her body in shape after pregnancy, but quickly realized that yoga had so much more to offer. While continuing her physical practice she began to deepen her knowledge of yoga. As a result of experiencing greater peace in her life, Carrie decided to begin sharing her love of yoga with others. She enrolled in teacher training and has been sharing her love of yoga ever since.

Carrie and her husband, Rob, opened Element Yoga (formerly Inner Spring Yoga) in 2013 with the intention of creating a heart centered community in which Southern Indiana and Louisville residents can learn the teachings of yoga and equip themselves to spread peace and kindness into the world.

Carrie completed her 200 hour teacher training at Eternal Health Yoga under the guidance of Shelli Carpenter, and an additional 300 hours of Advanced Yoga Studies at Asheville Yoga Center. In addition to holding a 500 hour certificate and being registered with Yoga Alliance, Carrie also holds a teacher training certificate in Yin Yoga Practice and Theory which she received under the guidance of Paul Grilley. Carrie is also a Certified Ayurvedic Yoga Specialist through the Himalayan Institute.  Carrie has practiced under many amazing teachers including Sharon Gannon, David Life, Doug Swenson, Anna Ferguson, Julie Kirkpatrick, Michael Johnson, Desiree Rumbaugh, Saul David Raye, Libby Hinsley, Leslie Kaminoff, Kathryn Templeton, and many others. With over 5,000 hours of teaching experience, and hundreds of hours of training Carrie’s classes are rooted in a solid foundation and understanding of the practices of yoga and their evolution and application to our modern experience. 

Carrie is a lifelong resident of Southern Indiana, where she lives with her husband Rob, their youngest daughter Stella, and two cats. Carrie’s oldest daughter currently lives in Bloomington, IN.  When she isn’t teaching yoga or watching her daughter compete in diving and gymnastics you’ll find her out in nature hiking or foraging for mushrooms. Carrie also enjoys cooking and creating recipes, and reading.

Chris has been a physical therapist for 36 years and has practiced yoga for many years.  In 2016 she completed her 200-hour teacher training at Yoga For All in Cincinnati Ohio.  She has taught classes at her hospital’s health and wellness center as well as chair yoga for her patients on the rehab unit. 

Her focus is Hatha-style Therapeutic Yoga. Chris is heavily inspired and influenced by mind-body- spirit concepts from “Love Your Brain” yoga as well as Feldenkrais’ “Awareness Through Movement” and Suzie Hitzmann’s ”MELT" (Myofascial Energetic Length Techniques).

 In her free time, Chris enjoys spending time with her husband, exploring her new hometown of Sellersburg and spending time with her 2 daughters, sons-in-law and her young grandson.