Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Lawley.
Hi Lisa, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I spent over 20 years in corporate event marketing with a Silicon Valley company before being laid off during a restructuring at the end of 2019. After that, I decided not to return to full-time corporate work.
In 2022, I enrolled in yoga teacher training, initially just to deepen my own practice and understanding. I’ve been practicing yoga off and on since high school as a way to manage stress. After earning my 200-hour certification as a Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, I began teaching locally in Acworth and Cartersville.
In 2024, I expanded my offerings to include online yoga classes and a monthly online women’s circle. This year, my daughter and I began hosting local events, both free and paid, through our Meetup group, TOGETHERNESS, which serves women in the North Metro Atlanta area.
I also recently completed an additional 300 hours of advanced yoga training and earned my credentials as a RYT-500 Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It’s been pretty smooth up to now. I love the community I’ve built with my yoga students as well as the women’ who attend the monthly women’s circles and my local events. I have to say one of the biggest roadblocks to getting older women to start with yoga is the idea that they think it’s “Instagram yoga”.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I created Turquoise Sanctuary as a soft place for women to come together and take care of themselves. I teach gentle yoga, host a monthly online women’s circle, and hold local community events throughout the year.
My yoga classes are designed to be very gentle, ideal for women who may be healing from injury or navigating the natural changes that come with aging. I love teaching both in-person and online, where most of my students are my age or older. I offer plenty of modifications and encourage everyone to adjust the practice to fit how they’re feeling each day. We weave breathwork, meditation, and energy work into each class to create a truly restorative experience.
The Online Sanctuary Women’s Circle provides a safe, nurturing space for women to connect, share, and take time for themselves. I close each circle with a blend of restorative yoga, meditation, and Reiki energy. My daughter, Jen, offers Tarot readings for the group, and participants are invited to bring something to share: poetry, reflections, or whatever calls to their hearts. Our circle has grown into a beautiful global community, with women joining from across the U.S. and around the world.
I also host local gatherings called Sanctuary in the Wild, created to build community here in my local area. Most of these events are co-hosted with my daughter and shared through our TOGETHERNESS Meetup group. We meet for lunches, movies, park walks, visits to gardens, and other simple joys that bring us together. It’s been so much fun—and we’ve met some truly wonderful women since we began.
In addition to my regular classes and circles, I periodically host workshops for artists and crafters, sharing easy ways to ease overtaxed bodies, especially the hands and upper body. Being a knitter myself, I understand how creating can take a toll, so I include gentle stretches and breathwork practices to help reduce stress and improve focus.
I’m also part of the design team for the 2026 Three Rivers Yoga Festival, which will be held in Rome, Georgia on February 21, 2026. I’m thrilled to be involved for the second year—it’s such a fun day filled with yoga, creativity, and connection.
Do you have recommendations for books, apps, blogs, etc?
I love to learn new things and do lots of classes on Udemy on whatever topic interests me.
Pricing:
- Drop in online yoga class $18 (first one is free by downloading the Sanctuary Starter Kit on my homepage. Packages are available for per class discounted rate.
- Online Sanctuary Women’s Circle –free (donations accepted)
- TOGETHERNESS Meetup outings (free to $30)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.turquoisesanctuary.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisa.lawley
- Other: https://www.meetup.com/togetherness/
