Testimonials:
	Massage
	Yoga
	Prenatal Yoga
	Nia
	Other

On Massage

"Zach is the most talented massage therapist my husband and I have ever experienced!  We have travelled extensively and taken in massage treatments across several continents...never have we found someone so in tuned with our bodies and the underlying issues of our pain.  I don't want to have a massage from anyone else now that I know how truly therapeutic massage can be!"
--Kathleen Caudill

"Bridget gives a great massage that works out all of my tension and leaves me feeling renewed and ready to face another day. She's by far one of the best I've ever gone to."
--M. Nizzi

"I first encountered Sandi Hoover @ Firehouse Yoga five years ago where she taught myself and a friend private yoga classes, she was an absolute delight to work with and I felt very fortunate to have her leading me through my introduction to the world of yoga.  After a class I was complaining of overall stiffness and she suggested I try a massage with her husband Zach.  After my first massage with Zach I was hooked for life having weekly massages now for almost five years, Zach understands how to make my 56 year old body feel young again and I can't imagine life without my weekly "adjustment".    As I continue to enjoy my very active lifestyle I can without reserve highly recommend both Sandi and Zach and the Family Tree as a means for enriching your life!!"
--Steve Vilmain

On Yoga

Be sure to visit our YouTube page to see video testimonials!

"I first met Sandi when I signed up for a Yoga class that was being offered through my job at the time. I knew I would love her class just by the way she greeted us all as we walked in and set up. That series was a breath of fresh air during each work week. After that series was over I ended up leaving that job and moving on to a more stressful environment. After quickly realizing that I needed an external outlet for finding balance, I took my friend Cara's advice and contacted The Family Tree, which just happened to be run by the same lady that I had liked so much from my first series! It was a sign that Sandi and I were meant to impact each other's lives in some way. Sandi is my inspiration for balance and her classes provide a great platform in which to teach and promote that in others."
--Kati N.

"I have taken 3 separate series of the Baby & Me yoga practice with Miss Sandi. Sandi is an amazing and inspiring instructor; and what is exciting is that she is adept at so many different levels of yoga instruction. Due to her flexibility (both physically and intensity-level-wise) she easily adjusts her yoga in the Baby & Me classes to an appropriate level for young babies in the class. Sandi also has a wonderful personality and manner about her which encourages her students to feel comfortable challenging themselves, even with their babies close by. She's so sweet and gentle with the babes, and is happy to hold a baby while a Mom (or Dad!) tries a new pose. There was laughing, there was singing, there were smiles all around. I'm so grateful that I found these classes when I had my daughter, it was truly was a wonderful way to meet new Moms, exercise my body, calm my new-mom soul, and feel a part of the community."
--Monica Gaffney

On Prenatal Yoga

"I'm having an EVEN better pregnancy this time than my last, and attribute at least part of this to the fact that I've been enjoying Sandi's prenatal yoga class.  Not only has this class given me a greatly needed break away from responsibilities at home and delightful camaradarie with other mamas, but Sandi's class has provided me with additional flexibility, better breathing techniques and fantastic poses that I know I will be able to utilize more effectively during my labor.  Practice in breathing and posing will make my efforts to do these things during labor seem much more natural!"
--Kathleen Caudill

"If I could write a story of the perfect birthing experience for me, I had it!  I have been promoting your class even more to all my pregnant friends.

Sometimes I wondered if I was getting anything out of the class because a workout to me is the sweaty, make you really tired kind.  I made sure to go to your class because it was the one way for me to focus on the baby growing in me and to slow my life down.  I never realized how much the mental part of your class would ever help me. 

I started labor at 6:30 on a Thursday night.  I went downstairs in my basement, lit a couple of candles and wrote in my pregnancy journal.  I also reviewed the breathing techniques from the hospital book I got a couple years ago.  I loved the silence.  My contractions stayed about 3 minutes apart for 3 hours.  I called the midwife and asked if I could stay home since the contractions didn't hurt.  My husband and I laid in bed while we slept until 11:30.  (He slept, I rested)  I started getting shakes real bad and the contractions were hurting more so we checked in at 12 am.

I was able to get in the whirlpool.  I remember reading the article you gave us about how the pain in labor really isn't that long even though you are in "in labor" for a while.  That article really motivated me as I was having contractions.  I was at peace the whole time and that was because of what I learned in your Yoga class.

After the whirlpool, I got back on the exercise ball.  Labor moved fast just like it did the first time around.  I warned them how fast it went once I got serious contractions so the nurse and midwife had everything ready.  My midwife, Sea from Methodist Midwives, was with me the whole time.  Sea, my nurse, and my husband were awesome!  They kept telling me how great I was doing.  Labor moved fast.  Sea broke my water when I was at 8 cm and about 20 minutes and two pushes later, Avery arrived.

I was on cloud nine because of my mental-being during labor.  I didn't realize until after Avery was born that your class kept my brain right where it needed to be.  I have been meaning to get this email out to you to share my joy.  It feels so great to write this email after five weeks so I can relive the whole experience again.  I loved being pregnant (both times) and after this delivery, I'm ready to go again.

Thank you so much and I will continue to promote your class to my expectant friends. Thanks for providing a great experience."
-- Amanda Mertz

"Out of all the advise I got from classes, books, friends and relatives, I used my knowledge from yoga and our talks before class in the labor room.  I was suprised to hear the nurse in training and the medical student comment that this was their first natural birth they had witnessed. It was not easy, but I feel very empowered that I did it. Thank you for everything, Sandi. I don't know what would have done without your class. I even gave you credit after she came out. My doctor said you would have been proud. You have a lot of fans out there!"
-- Lizzie G.

On Nia

"I love taking Nia with Sandi because of the positive energy she always brings to class. She's great at making each class easy for a beginner and yet challenging for experienced dancers. Nia is so much fun, it's almost like you forget you're exercising! It's a great way to kick off my Saturday morning with such a fun and easy to follow dance class!"
-- Mari B.

On Everything Else!

On Couples Yoga:

"People need to do this -- I wish it were every Saturday evening or afternoon, actually. It’s really difficult to find healthy, fun activities for us to do together that we both like and that actually are good for us (except sex). (Eating cookies and watching movies is fun but not that healthy!)"
-Kim, a repeat Couples Yoga attendee

 

The Family Tree | 3817 Ingersoll Ave. Des Moines, Iowa 50312 | 515.202.2584 | 515.202.2585
info@thefamilytreedm.com