We have closed our old city yoga center and hostel.
Classes, workshops and Yoga Teacher Training programs are now being held at local studios and other venues worldwide.
Our Training Team
Train with our world-class team of dedicated, experienced instructors and trainers.
Deva Parnell
Deva Parnell, E-RYT500+, YACEP, founder and director of Discovery Yoga Center, is a certified professional level Kripalu Yoga teacher and Discovery Yoga Lead Trainer. She has been a yoga instructor and teacher-trainer since the 1970's and has trained more than 2600 yoga teachers.
A Kripalu Center resident and senior program teacher (1983-1995), she developed many of Kripalu's core yoga programs and has been instrumental in the development of Kripalu Yoga and Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training. As Sadhana Acharya, she coordinated daily yoga practice and yoga education for the 350-member resident staff.
After leaving her position as director, coordinator and curriculum developer of Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training, Deva began training teachers at Discovery Yoga Center through her own RYT200 program. She also developed the center's RYT300 Master Yoga Teacher Certification program, which feachers a faculty of world-class teachers.
Deva's detailed, intuitive teaching style reflects the depth of her personal practice and her many years of study and training in a variety of yoga traditions, both in the U.S. and in India.
Scott Farber
Scott Farber, Ph.D., E-RYT 500, YACEP, is a certified Discovery Yoga Lead Trainer. He has a doctorate in philosophy and holistic education, and over twenty years experience as a university professor and educational trainer. Practicing yoga, t'ai chi and meditation for nearly 40 years, he is a graduate of Discovery Yoga's Master Teacher Training program, having studied with Amrit Desai as well as Deva Parnell and other senior Kripalu teachers.
A longtime apprentice teacher in the School of T'ai Chi Ch'uan, he also is trained in various forms of meditation, including TM, Kabbalah, Qigong, Buddhist, Arica, Osho, and African drumming. Having taught in Hawaii, Asia, Europe and Central America as well as throughout the US, he now teaches Kripalu Yoga, Yin Yoga, Chakra Yoga, Dynamic Gentle Yoga, and Yoga Basics Training courses, and leads 200- and 300-hour Discovery Yoga Teacher Training programs.
Scott's integrative healing sessions blend Eastern and Western bodywork modalities, including energy work and sound healing. He founded 5 Waves Learning to integrate the art of tranformational learning with the science of holistic wellness. He is an avid surfer, paddleboarder and waterman.
Claudia Saucy
aka "Karuna Pragya"
Claudia Saucy aka "Karuna Pragya" M.Ed., E-RYT500, YACEP, began practicing yoga and meditation at age 18, and later in life completed her 500-hour certification under Don and Amba Stapleton, renown teachers in the Kripalu tradition. She studied Ayurveda with Dr. Vasant Lad and Matthew Remski, among others, and is an Ayurveda Lifestyle coach, a Bach Flower practitioner, and a private YogaGuide®. Holding a master’s degree in education, she moved from teaching academic subjects to children to teaching yoga in a variety of settings in Costa Rica, Canada, Italy, and the USA.
Karuna brings to her Discovery Yoga classes the qualities that she is named for: karuna (compassion) and pragya (discernment). Combining breath, focus, and mindful flow, her movement explorations develop strength, and offer opportunities for relaxation and opening. Karuna's classes are an invitation to hold yourself with kindness while you explore with awareness the unique makeup of your body-mind-spirit.
Micki "Padma" Higgins
Micki “Padma” Higgins, E-RYT500, YACEP, is a certified Discovery Yoga Lead Trainer and owner of Padma Yoga studio in Palm Coast, Florida, where she offers 200-hour Discovery Yoga Teacher Training programs.
Micki became interested in yoga at age 56, and what began as a “once in a while stress relief class” became her passion. After receiving her 200-hour Discovery Yoga Teacher certification in the Kripalu tradition, she continued her professional training, attending workshops with world-class teachers and completing her 500-hour Master Yoga Teacher certification through Discovery Yoga. Micki is also a certified Yin Yoga instructor, and a Yoga Alliance continuing education provider.
Kim Friedman
Kim Friedman, E-RYT500, YACEP, had her first Yoga experience with a teacher trained in the Kripalu Tradition and knew this was her new path in life. She invested in a yoga studio, and realized her path as a yoga teacher. Kim completed her RYT200 Discovery Yoga Teacher Training with Micki Higgins at Padma Yoga, then finished her RYT300 Master Yoga Teacher Certification at Discovery Yoga Center. Having assisted Discovery Yoga Teacher Training programs with both Micki and Deva, she is now a certified Discovery Yoga Lead Trainer, co-teaching with Micki at Padma Yoga Studio.
When Kim felt a strong desire to serve her community, she found the Christina Phipps Foundation and became certified to teach Yoga for Cancer. She currently teaches a free yoga class to cancer patients, cancer survivors, and caregivers. Her passion for giving to her community has led her to pursue additional certifications from Y4C Methodology by Tari Prinster, a certificate from Yale University in Science for Well-Being, and additionally, a Restorative Yoga Teacher Training certification from Cyndi Lee, Yoga International.
Pamela Fausset
Pamela Fausset, RYT500, has been practicing yoga for over 20 years, completing her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2016 with Deva Parnell at Discovery Yoga. She has been teaching and continuing to deepen her skills and knowledge ever since, completing her RYT500 certification.
Pamela feels that yoga practice is a form of self-improvement and care for the whole human being. What you learn on the yoga mat can be applied in daily life. Meeting challenges with a sense of relaxation, self-acceptance, courage, strength and openness to change can help to bring about an unbroken awareness of our oneness with body, mind and Spirit.
"My mission is to be a light that helps people feel safe and inspired to discover and deepen their yoga practice. Helping others through yoga to benefit not only physically, but mentally and spiritually, carrying a sense of peace, kindness and acceptance into the world, touching others with the light we share."
Hanna Nemecek
Hanna Nemecek, RYT200, serves as a morning Sadhana leader and teaching assistant in the Discovery Yoga Teacher Training program.
A Saint Augustine native, born and raised on Vilano Beach, Hanna enjoys reading, writing, singing and dancing. "A mermaid without her tail, I feel most comfortable near the ocean. Surfing, sailing, fishing, and swimming are all favorite pastimes."
Hanna's yoga journey began over a decade ago when her mom took her to a yoga class. In 2020 she began practicing regularly and fell in love with the flow. A dear friend suggested she embark on the 5 week intensive Discovery Yoga Teacher Training program, thus beginning her journey into the realm of teaching in 2021.
"I’m honored to be on this path, and learning from my students is the highest reward!"
Hanna Gilbert
Hanna Gilbert, RYT200, serves as a morning Sadhana leader and teaching assistant in the Discovery Yoga Teacher Training program.
Tony Cooley
Tony Cooley, MD, RYT500, has been a physician and yogi for more than 20 years. He is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, and is board certified in both pediatrics and hospital medicine. In addition to his passion for caring for hospitalized children, he dedicates scholastic work to education and research in several areas - physician wellness, continuing medical education, and improving the hospital experience for patients and clinicians.
After completing Discovery Yoga Teacher Training in 2016, Tony started teaching a men’s yoga class and soon completed his 500-hour Discovery Yoga Master Yoga Teacher Certification. Since then, he has been honored to lead yoga practices to meet specific needs, such as those of patients, men and physicians. He also serves as a trainer on the Discovery Yoga Teacher Training team. Tony's hope is to continue to explore and share the many gifts from both the ancient wisdom of yoga and the modern science of medicine.New Paragraph
Lakshmi Voelker
Lakshmi Voelker, E-RYT500, C-IAYT, YACEP, AYC Ambassador, has over 50 years in the fitness industry specializing in office and senior fitness as well as adaptive/disabled fitness.
Lakshmi developed Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga in 1982. It was followed by Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga - The Sitting Mountain Series CD in 1990 and the DVD - Get Fit Where You Sit in 2007.
Lakshmi has certified more than 2000 teachers nationally and internationally. This includes healthcare professionals at the Mayo Clinic and The New York City Department of Education. She regularly runs teacher trainings at the Kripalu Center, The Open Center, YogaWorks and Discovery Yoga. She also offers Online Teacher Training over Zoom worldwide.
Brenda Yarnold
Brenda Yarnold, MA, E-RYT 200, E-LVCYTT, has always desired to help others, particularly those who feel challenged in their bodies from illness, weight, age, or other issues. Brenda was certified in Lakshmi Voelker Chair Yoga in August, 2014, and knew that she had found her path to bring yoga to every body.
After Brenda served as lead assistant for seven certification programs, she earned her E-LVCYTT and codirector designations. She is trained in functional anatomy and is currently working toward her 300-hour yoga therapy certification. Brenda has a compassionate, non-judgmental training style and her programs are challenging, yet fun.
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