You could say that finding balance has been a theme for Katie Kelly’s life, a life that looks quite different from how it did when she founded Shanti Yoga at age 27.

The now 37-year-old has two kids, a career in nursing, and a business with locations in both Tower Grove and Maplewood that has left an indelible mark on the community and on Kelly. “So much has happened in these 10 years,” Kelly says. “I’m so grateful that this studio has been a grounding force throughout it all.”

In 2020, Kelly was inspired by her pregnancy to add prenatal classes. Those mothers-to-be are now mothers who need further services, she adds. New programming for 2025 includes interactive kids’ sound baths, tea-time chats after classes to build community, sound healing, manifestation workshops, energy healing sessions such as Reiki and Himalayan Kundalini, and various strength-based and cardio practices that build resilience and vitality. 

“The idea is to expand beyond traditional yoga—which we hold sacred—into areas like philosophy, chanting, and sound baths,” she notes. “I wanted to create offerings that enhance wellness and community connection.”

Kelly owes a large part of her transformation in perspective to raising and involving her children. “With my kids now [ages] 3 and 5, I finally feel my energy returning,” she adds. “It’s exciting to reimagine what we offer and how we do things. The studio has become a family-friendly space, and it’s important to me that my kids feel connected to this community. I love introducing mindfulness to the younger generation and seeing how the community continues to grow and evolve.”

Abby Erker of Materra Method in University City felt a similar pull this year to add offerings to her studio–a business already designed around pre- and postnatal wellness, both in-person and virtually–amid experiencing her most recent pregnancy.

“Motherhood is athletic,” says Erker, a pregnancy and postpartum exercise specialist who’s a mother of one, with another on the way. “It’s realizing, ‘I’m going to have to be strong for this. I want to be able to move my body in the way I need to as a mom, to be the mom I want to be.’”

During the past year, Erker’s personal prenatal back pain led her to develop lifting classes, the SI joint issues experienced so commonly by her clients inspired a specific course, and the overall physical toll of pregnancy sparked the idea for a pregnancy prep course to support bodies even before conception. The fitness boutique has always been built on the premise of movement that’s made for motherhood, not just modified for it.

“When I first launched my business, in 2019, I had the benefit of learning from other women without the bias of my own experience,” she says. “And now, dealing with my own weight of motherhood while helping others hold theirs–it’s not easy–but it’s so inspiring and motivating.”

In 2025, Erker says, it’s all about easing the pains of early motherhood, especially those experienced as a direct result of pregnancy, labor, and delivery. She plans to launch programs to help with lower-back pain, pubic symphysis, and round ligament pain, as well as a fourth-trimester program constructed around Erker’s own upcoming fourth-trimester experience this year, designed to assist newborn moms both before and after they receive exercise clearance. Each new client should start with a personal intake session to tailor their fitness experience to their needs, from breathing techniques to core strength to pelvic floor issues.

Similarly, Kelly recommends that new clients sign up for Shanti’s introductory offer, which provides access to all classes. “This allows people to explore and find what resonates with them. Not every modality is for everyone—for example, sound baths can be calming for some and anxiety-inducing for others,” she notes. “We also act as yoga and wellness advisors, recommending classes and teachers based on individual goals. Our team includes registered nurses, clinical social workers, psychotherapists, and counselors, so we’re equipped to support emotional moments, like a tearful savasana.”

Kelly has an aim to spread this mission beyond her studio: “I’m particularly excited about the new training we’re offering, like Reiki certifications and sound healing practitioner courses. These will help people deepen their wellness practices and even become leaders in their own communities. As we move into our second decade, our vision is to continue creating an inclusive and nurturing community where wellness extends beyond physical practices to include self-exploration and collective growth.”

With a continued commitment to its founding ideals, including international, immersive retreats centered on self-reflection—the next of which is in Portugal in May—Kelly hopes that Shanti will grow in a manner that aligns with the studio’s ultimate goal.

“Opening the studio was transformative for me, guiding me through my 20s, motherhood, and finding my place in the world. This work is my dharma—it feels written in the stars. Despite the challenges, I’ve never doubted my purpose. Our tagline, ‘Come home to yourself,’ reflects the mission: to create a space where everyone feels they belong, just as they are.”

Erker and Kelly both view their work as a way to connect individuals with communities that will understand them–and to connect to themselves during their journeys.

“Over the past six years, I’ve been so inspired by the women I work with,” Erker says. “The biggest compliment isn’t, ‘Here’s my six-pack.’ It’s, ‘I feel connected with my body again.’ Movement can be, and should be, healing.”