Karin Sprute-Francovich – Founder of Garden Street Yoga.
In 1972, when she was 16, Karin took her first Yoga class which began her life-long love of yoga. Since then, she has been influenced by, studied, and practiced deeply in several traditions including Chinese Medicine, Anusara Yoga, the teachings of Lee Lozowick, Neelakantha Meditation and most recently Katonah Yoga. Her teaching braids together all the above influences, traditions, perspectives, and practices. And now more than ever, she continues to be in awe of and a whole-hearted student of all the aspects of Yoga: the physical and philosophical; the scientific and the mystical.
In 1989, the same year she became a mother to the first of two beautiful sons, she began teaching. In 2001 she founded Garden Street School of Yoga and in 2004 she launched the first Yoga Teacher Training Program in the region, followed a few years later by the first Advanced Teacher Training. Since 2006 she has been joined by a brilliant group of teachers. (read below for more about them)
She teaches ongoing weekly Yoga Asana and Pranayama classes; periodic philosophy, pranayama, and meditation immersions; seasonal workshops and retreats, basic and advanced teacher trainings.
Her professional “tickets” include:
- Anusara Yoga Basic and Advanced Teacher Trainer
- Katonah Yoga Certified Teacher
- Other Yoga Certifications: E-RYT-500 & YACEP;
- Chinese Medicine Certifications: NCCAOM, AOBTA
- B.A. in English Lit. and Chinese history; M.A. in Education from Gonzaga.
Quote: I love poetry, water, stories and humor. I am grateful beyond words to be loved, supported, and inspired by my 2 grown sons, students, friends, and fellow teachers. And by my husband Chris, without whom all this yoga magic would not have happened.
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The Garden Street Garden of Amazing Teachers!
All the teachers are highly trained, deeply dedicated and warmly welcoming to beginners and experienced students alike.
Terri has been a wholehearted student of Karen Sprute-Francovich and Garden Street School of Yoga since it opened in 2001, and since 2006 has been teaching at both Garden Street and North Idaho college. She teaches to all ages from kids to seniors and everything in between! Terri is deeply influenced by the principles of Anusara Yoga, the teachings of Lee Lozowick, the practice of Self Observation and the principles of 12 step recovery. She is a Certified Anusara Yoga teacher, and Certified iRest Yoga Nidra teacher and is experienced in the Level 1 Warriors at Ease protocol and Trauma Informed Care principles. She weaves all these influences into her yoga classes to encourage a deep and embodied unification of body, heart, and mind. Terri is now in process towards earning a master’s in social work so she can integrate trauma informed, mindfulness-based yoga practices into clinical settings with those recovering from substance use disorder and PTSD.
Professional licenses and affiliations: Anusara Certified Teacher, Yoga Alliance Registered Teacher (E-RYT 500), Yoga Alliance YACEP Continuing Education Provider, Certified iRest Yoga Nidra Teacher, Warriors at Ease Level 1, Trauma Informed Care Practitioner.
Terri Quote: What I love about yoga is in my bio but one thing I would add is how much healing yoga has brought me personally. The practice and teaching of Yoga has helped me become a better mother, wife, friend, grandmother and community member in my everyday life
Jenifer (Anusara Certified, Yoga Alliance Registered Teacher (E-RYT 500 & YACEP) , and Certified Functional Range Conditioning Teacher) began the practice of Yoga in 2005, continued in-depth study of Yoga in 2006 with Karen Sprute-Francovich and completed her initial teacher training 2007. She has since completed two Advanced Teacher Training programs at Garden Street and continues to study deeply and widely. Her life-long studentship keeps her teaching fresh and informed. Jen brings her love of Yoga, of the body and its blueprint of alignment, as well as a great sense of focus, fun and enthusiasm to every class she teaches. In addition to her weekly classes, she offers private sessions and is one of the lead teachers in the Garden Street Teacher Trainings. In addition to teaching at Garden Street she teaches Yoga at North Idaho College and teaches Yoga retreats. Jen is a Restorative Institute Certified Foot Practitioner, a member of Int’l Association of Yoga Therapists and a member of the Fascia Research Society. She is eternally grateful to Karen, who is her ongoing mentor, to all her teachers in Yoga, and to the wisdom and inspiration she draws from the lineage of Lee Lozowick and Yogi Ramsuratkumar.
Jen Quote: “I love the practice of yoga because it always meets me where I am— the practice has brought me into relationship with myself and created a dialogue of gratitude. Teaching has deepened my commitment to myself by inviting me to see the beauty in all- without judgement.”
Melissa Dodge Hutchins
Yoga RYT-500, Pilates Master Trainer, Embodied Anatomy and Yoga/Body Mind Centering Practitioner, Owner of Metta Movement, mom, grateful wife & lover of life. Melissa is a lifelong learner, mover & teacher. She was a four-sport high school athlete, earning a full ride basketball scholarship to the U. of Vermont. She coached H.S. volleyball & basketball in SLC, UT for 6 years. In SLC she also taught Neuromuscular Re-education at Pinnacle Performance PT studio, working with clients to re-educate movement patterns, rehab from injuries and heighten overall body awareness. Melissa was adjunct faculty in the Exercise & Sports Science Department at the U. of Utah, teaching Pilates Reformer & Matt Classes. Her love of movement led her to discover Yoga in 2008 when she completed her first teacher training followed by studying Embodied Anatomy and Yoga with Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen and Amy Matthews. Melissa and her family of four moved to CDA, ID in 2011 to be closer to family, water and to enjoy the beautiful Northwest. She was delighted when she found Garden Street School of Yoga where she met Karen & completed her third teacher training. She is honored to share her love of kind, challenging & intelligent movement with the beautiful Garden Street Students. Melissa enjoys spending time in Mother Nature with her family and exploring the beauty that surrounds her. Running on Tubbs Hill, mountain biking, skiing, swimming, and snorkeling in priest River are some of her favorite activities.
Missy Quote: “I love yoga because it is medicine and a way to bring attention inward to connect body, mind and soul. I love Yoga because it heals.
Danielle Stuffing
Danielle took her first class at Garden Street Yoga in 2006 and fell in love with its welcoming environment and amazing teachers. She knew right away it would be the perfect place to grow her Yoga practice and her heart.
Her steady studentship and dedication to yoga led her eventually to enroll in the Basic 200-hour Anusara Yoga Teacher Training after which she continued on to complete the very rigorous 300-hour Anusara Advanced Teacher Training at Garden Street Yoga. She is now an Anusara Yoga Inspired Teacher – RYT 500
Danielle loves the early mornings and through her ongoing 6 am Yoga classes she has helped many students fall in love with the magic of early morning Yoga practice. She is the official Early Bird Queen Teacher at Garden Street.
Here is what one student said so perfectly about Danielle: “She is such a gift! I appreciate her calm and gentle way of explaining things. Her knowledge and precision of alignment are amazing. She communicates clearly and understandably as she gently corrects us into proper alignment. She always pauses to ask if we have questions. Really impressed with her teaching skills. I love learning from her!”
Danielle shares her life with her sweet husband and their four cats, one dog, and six chickens. She has worked as a Veterinarian Assistant for many years and is much-loved as the “person to call” about all things to do with friends, family and neighbor’s pets.
Daniel Quote: I love how Yoga shows up in my life on and off my mat. It has given me a much greater capacity to connect to myself and others, to breathe and move with greater stability and grace, and to balance the many roles I have in my life with skill and dexterity.
Jackie Doyle
Jackie Doyle did not set out to be a yoga teacher, but something magical happened when she experienced the benefits of the practice for herself. Now she says “I cannot help but share it with others. What began as a sanctuary for my own healing now feels like a calling”.
Jackie fell in love with the practice of yoga 20 years ago and it quickly became her anchor through difficult emotional times. It also became a source of physical healing. She had a thriving career as a hairstylist as well as a very active outdoor lifestyle and a few years ago this physically active and demanding lifestyle created a repetitive strain injury. She thought she might have to step back from both her profession and her active outdoor life due to an impinged nerve, which caused severe muscular atrophy in her shoulder. Instead, she credits the consistency of her yoga practice with truly saving her body and her career.
Jackie completed a 200-hour Basic Teacher training in 2017 at Sivananda Ashram. Next, she embarked on a 2-year journey to complete her 500-hour accreditation at Garden Street School of Anusara Yoga.
Outside of yoga, Jackie spends time outdoors or painting landscapes as often as possible. You might see her skiing at Schweitzer or Lookout Pass, hiking a mountain to take in the view, walking Tubbs Hill, kayaking or paddle boarding.
She enjoys teaching Yoga to all ages and abilities, infusing her classes with poetic themes, breathwork (pranayama), and meditative elements. She always says, “Any age, any ability, start where you are… but by all means, start.”
Jackie Quote: I love yoga! Yes, I really do! …….It grounds me, keeps my body and my mind healthy, and connects me with God, myself, and others.
Aleta Musante
Aleta’s love of yoga started right here in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. She has had the good fortune of studying with some of the most respected teachers in the Pacific Northwest including Karen Sprute Francovich with whom she completed the Basic Teacher Training as well as the very rigorous Advanced Teacher Training at Garden Street.
Helping people feel better in their bodies is Aleta’s life-long work and joy. This central theme led her to become both a yoga teacher and a licensed massage therapist. By combining her knowledge of the physical body with Anusara Yoga alignment and philosophy, she inspires her clients and students to develop greater self-love, gain strength, and experience holistic healing.
Aleta’s long and thriving career as a bodyworker helps her understand and appreciate how amazing we truly are, and how important it is to move, gain flexibility, and develop strength at any age. As an Anusara Elements teacher, she feels she has found the perfect method to help students of all levels and walks of life increase mobility, tap into their innate brilliance, refuel the soul, and have fun.
Aleta is a hands-on, creative soul in all aspects of her life. She always has something to work on and loves to create beauty in her surroundings, from gardening to repurposing items for her home to building furniture. She loves to spend time with friends, dancing, cooking, and enjoying the beauty of the great outdoors. And she LOVES to travel.
Aleta Quote; I wish everyone, of whatever age, could discover this incredible practice. It’s never too late to start something new. I look forward to seeing you in class!