Laughing Dog Yoga

Voice Colors Yoga w/ Hannah Gould
2025-08-24 11:00 - 12:15 UTC | In Studio Only
By popular demand we have added new classes – the class meets Sunday, 11-12:15p. This Summer we have one more class on 8/24. To sign up go to schedule-page and click the class date (ie. 8/24) on the Monthly Calendar and Sign up – $25 /drop-in or use your 10 class card – this class is In STUDIO ONLY

Voice Colors Yoga is a unique approach to yoga instruction developed for and with autistic yoga students!
Voice Colors Yoga unique?

Visual supports: All poses and sequences will be shown on large, clear photographs with color-coding, text and numbers.
Structure: Voice Colors Yoga classes follow a visual schedule. Classes are structured, consistent and predictable.
Community: Voice Colors Yoga classes are rooted in community. Sharing yoga is a powerful way to connect and celebrate our common humanity.

Who is this class for?
This class is open to anyone ages 16 and up including: Autistic / neurodivergent students, their friends, family members and allies.
What to expect?

A great yoga class! While the teaching approach will be visual, the yoga flows and sequences will be familiar to experienced yogis.
Diverse communication styles: AAC devices, verbal expressions and gestures will be part of the Voice Colors Yoga community experience.
All abilities and levels of experience are welcome!

Who is the instructor?
Hannah Gould has been teaching at Laughing Dog for many years, and you may know her from her flow and R + R classes. Hannah is also a highly experienced special educator who has been teaching yoga to autistic students for almost 20 years.
For more info:
Voice Colors Yoga was developed by Hannah Gould and Eve Megargel. Eve Megargel, Executive Director of Voice Colors non-profit, is an educator, a parent and a yogi who has also been part of the Laughing Dog community for many years.
To learn more about Voice Colors Yoga, please visit the website: https://www.voicecolors.org/voice-colors-yoga
For questions email Hannah directly: hannah@voicecolorsyoga.org

Gentle Yoga & Sound Bath w/ Jennifer C. & Kelly Mayes
2025-09-26 18:00 - 19:30 | In Studio & on Zoom, Link will be provided when you register.
9/26/24 with Jennifer Cooper & Kelly Mayes –
Join us for our last Gentle Yoga & Sound Bath before we close. This will be a special event and we would love to have you there.
There is both an In STUDIO & on ZOOM option
Time: 6-7:30p
To Register – Go to schedule-page – then click 9/26/25 on the Monthly Calendar and Sign up – you will see 2 options 1. In Studio 2. on Zoom – make sure to choose the option you want –
Indulge in 45 minutes of gentle yoga w/ Jennifer followed by 45 minutes of a soothing sound bath with special guests each month. Experience deep relaxation with yoga and the healing vibration of sound.If you have never experienced a Sound Bath – you are in for a treat. Our guests will play a variety of singing bowls (ie. tibetan or crystal) and chimes to create a sound vibration that fills the room and reverberates through you – so you are bathed in sound waves. It is very meditative experience and some say can bring a release of tension and a deep sense of calm. You will be immersed in peace.
Yoga-Sound-Bath

Gentle Yoga & Cello Sound Bath w/ Jennifer C. & Daniel C.
2025-09-26 18:00 - 19:30 | In Studio & on Zoom, Link will be provided when you register.
Monthly Gentle Yoga & Sound Bath is held the 1st or 2nd Friday of every month
On Friday, 9/26 ~ Jennifer will be joined by Cellist, Daniel Chouinard ~ this will be a Cello Sound Bath and it promises to be mysteriously beautiful and soul provoking.
In STUDIO and on ZOOM options
Time: 6-7:30p
To Register – Go to schedule-page – then click 9/26/25 on the Monthly Calendar and Sign up – you will see 2 options 1. In Studio/In Person 2. on Zoom – make sure to choose the option you want.
Indulge in 45 minutes of gentle yoga w/ Jennifer followed by 45 minutes of a soothing sound bath with special guests each month. Experience deep relaxation with yoga and the healing vibration of sound.If you have never experienced a Sound Bath – you are in for a treat. Our guests will play a variety of singing bowls (ie. tibetan or crystal), chimes and on 9/26, the cello – to create a sound vibration that fills the room and reverberates through you – so you are bathed in sound waves. It is very meditative experience and some say can bring a release of tension and a deep sense of calm. You will be immersed in peace.

Tuesday Yoga for Men w/ Mary Kaye Chryssicas - drop-ins Welcome
2025-09-30 19:15 - 20:30 | In Studio Only
Join us for this GREAT series for Men. Designed for men, this class will help you de-stress, gain flexibility, strength and learn to meditate. This is an All Levels class and especially beneficial for those new to yoga and those who have stopped coming to class due to the busyness of life and want to resume a weekly practice. It is so worth it!!
TIME: Tues. 8/5 – 9/30 – 7:15-8:30p – In Studio ONLY (No Class 8/26)
This is a weekly Summer Class (not a series), so sign up in advance each week

To sign up go to schedule-page – click the specific date (ie. Tues. 8/5) and sign up – you can pay for individual classes as a drop-in – $25/class or you can buy a 10 class card – $180 (which is good for any class on the schedule and valid until 9/30/25)

BIG NEWS - Laughing Dog Closed / Stepping Stone Studios Open ~ Thank You for 23 Years
2025-12-31 00:00 - 2026-01-31 23:30 | Stepping Stone Studios – 316 Washington St. Wellesley
Greetings – below is the letter I wrote to the community announcing our closure after 23 remarkable years at 151-159 Linden St. 2nd Flr, Wellesley. Please read for full details about out need to close and the opening of Stepping Stone Studios.
It is now January, 2026 and Stepping Stone Studios opened 12 weeks ago (see details in letter below). Most of the teachers from LDY are now teaching there, including me. It is a beautiful space, full of light, with great classes and fabulous teachers.
We would LOVE to have you join us as you continue your journey to great health and well being.
Go to: https://www.vagaro.com/steppingstonestudios/classes to check out the classes, teachers, create an account and sign up for classes. They are offering GREAT Studio Opening Specials – 1. Newcomer Unlimited Monthly for $65 1. Unlimited Yearly for $2000.
Thank you so much for commitment and support.
In Gratitude and Love,
Jennifer
__________________
Greetings to the Laughing Dog Yoga Community from Jennifer
It is with much reflection and gratitude, I am writing to let you know that Laughing Dog Yoga Studio will be closing its doors on September 30, 2025.
As I sit in the studio, I am filled with a multitude of feelings and memories about the 23 remarkable years we have called 151-159 Linden St. in Wellesley our home. I want to express so much, yet don’t know where to begin or end.
I will start by saying my decision, was made with care, thought, guidance and deep trust in what is unfolding and lies ahead. It comes in part because, with the recent sale of the building where we are located, the new owners (without telling us) made an agreement with another business (the owner of the business – which is another yoga studio – is a personal friend of one of the new owners) to lease our space, making it impossible to stay, and leaving LDY without a home. Our last day is 9/30/25. That said, I have faith in my heart I can step into a new phase of my life. And as life would have it – when one door closes, another opens. More on that below after I take a moment to honor everything that Laughing Dog is and has been.
For over two decades, LDY has been my heart and soul. What started as a small studio has grown into something far greater than I ever imagined and so much more than a yoga studio. It has been a sacred space of community, connection, healing, laughter, compassion, and shared transformation.
I realize I am speaking to many who have been with us since we opened in 2002. There are also those who walked through our doors for the first time last week and then there is everyone in between. That said, the relationships built within these walls, the classes shared, the moments of stillness, tears and joy, of breathing together as we moved through our practice, have been the lifeblood of Laughing Dog. I am endlessly grateful for the community we have created and for all the love and dedication you have brought into this space. You have made the studio what it is – warm, welcoming and full of spirit.
Owning, and teaching at, LDY has been an extraordinary journey and one of the greatest privileges of my life. I have been blessed to share in your journeys and our life stories. I could never have done it without you and without our wonderful teachers. As you know, LDY has an incredible and dedicated staff who have always brought their best to their classes and provided a safe place to land. And though I can’t speak for others, I have talked with all of them, and their commitment to teaching remains as strong as ever.
As we prepare to say goodbye to Laughing Dog, I want to share about a new beginning which brings me to my earlier comment – when one door closes, another opens. Many of you know Marissa Farrell. She was the first teacher at LDY, 23 years ago, and has been a driving force in our success and longevity ever since. Her dedication, commitment, masterful teaching and support behind the scenes has been beyond measure, so when she came to me with a new vision and possibility, I listened and took it to heart. In fact, I was all in. Given that we were no longer able to stay at 151-159 Linden St, I knew the time was right to close and support the opening of a new yoga and fitness studio in Wellesley instead of trying to find a new location for Laughing Dog.
Many of you may know Stepping Stone Acupuncture and Wellness, a locally loved business, located at 316 Washington St. Wellesley – across the street from the Unitarian Church. They are expanding and opening Stepping Stone Studios for Yoga, Fitness and Being Well. The opening date is the 1st week in October, with Marissa as Director. Under her thoughtful and inspiring leadership, this will be a welcoming space for everyone, with a full schedule of great yoga, fitness, functional flow, meditation and other movement classes. I am also happy to share that many of the teachers you know and love at LDY will be teaching there, including me. Along with familiar teachers and classes, there will be new offerings, new teachers and a variety of innovative programs. Marissa has exciting plans and is creating a beautiful, new, unique home for students and teachers seeking a vital community that prioritizes and explores what is means to Be Well.
For Stepping Stone Studios details go to: https://www.steppingstonewellesley.com/studios
Also, join the Studios email list by filling out this form: https://forms.gle/4nRW3C9FpXn7kNyt8
Though we are near the end, we are not at the end. We are still open through September so please come to class. We would love to see you. If you have 5, 10 or Monthly class cards they are valid thru 9/30/25 so use them up before then since we will not be giving refunds for unused classes.
Finally on a more personal note, though I will no longer own a studio, I am thrilled to continue teaching and hope you will join me and other LDY teachers at Stepping Stone Studios. I will also be focusing on my work as a Death Doula and Grief Educator, supporting individuals and families through one of life’s most profound transitions and providing a space for all of us to open up conversations about death as a part of life. It is a path that calls to me and I am grateful to be able to explore it more fully. Stay tuned – details of upcoming programs coming soon.
I speak for all the teachers in saying thank you for being a part of this incredible journey over the years. Thank you for your presence, dedication, kindness and trust. Thank you for showing up – in all the ways that matter – and being a part of this beautiful community and thank you for being YOU.
Check back to the website and your inbox for emails throughout September, with updates, LDY memories from students and teachers and more.
With all my love and appreciation,
Jennifer and the LDYoga Team 💞 🙏
