The blue mountain difference
We’ve been a practicing Wellness Studio since 2015. The foundation of our studio combines the physical with the inner emotional and spiritual journey. By integrating body, breath, movement, and meditative awareness, we promote awareness of the interdependency of all these aspects in personal health and wellbeing. At blue mountain Yoga Health and Wellness, we use our extensive training and in-depth understanding of the human body and psyche to teach and cultivate awareness of one’s own practice and life process.
Our History
Our love for wellness goes all the way back to 1988 when Diane Ryland began to teach group fitness (known at that time as aerobics!). Out of the beginning 1988, blue mountain Health and Wellness has grown and evolved. All of our team members are certified, well educated and have lots of experience to pass on to our members. We offer an array of wellness classes including cardio dance, Cardio interval, yoga for beginners, Power Yoga, Fit classes for kids and personal training. We will work with you as health and Wellness coaches to help you meet your goals. We also offer Message therapy.
Diane Ryland, E-RYT 500, ACSM CPT
Owner, Lead Instructor
Diane is the owner and lead instructor for blue mountain Yoga. She is a 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher and has been in the group fitness industry for over 30 years. She was raised in Alabama and received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of AL in nursing. Diane continues to work as a traveling nurse while operating the studio. She and her husband live in Ringgold, GA with their sweet dogs and a wonderful cat. They have one adult son who is currently serving the Army in Germany. Diane has a passion for practicing and teaching yoga and cardio. She also enjoys backpacking, hiking, car camping, and live music. She started blue mountain Yoga because she believed that if people have a place to come to that has a caring and supportive community, combined with yoga and cardio practices they can become healthier and happier and the best version of themselves.
Sherry Vaughn, E-RYT 200
Sherry was born in Macon, GA, but grew up in Bristol, VA. While she has lived in Ringgold for 25 years, and loves it here; her favorite place to live is Orlando, FL where she lived with her husband for the first 6 years of their marriage. It has everything- it has close beaches on both gulf and Atlantic coasts and you are next door (sort of) to Disney World and Harry Potter world (Universal). Her "wish for " place to live is on a non-touristy beach, with temperatures in the 60's in winter and 70's in the summer. Why - because BEACH and ocean view. When she has time for hobbies, Sherry loves to read- horror, mystery, romance, history, self-improvement, non-fiction, fiction...She also enjoys day hiking, working in the yard, kayaking, playing pokemon go, playing video or board games, especially with her family. She recently began embroidering. Sherry and her husband, Barry, have a 22 year old son and twin girls who are 25 and they recently added a son-in-law. They are all pretty nerdy and love sci-fi stuff. Since her children were babies, they would try to go to Disney at least once a year (but haven't been since Covid) She also has 2 fur-babies (a cat and a dog), and 3 fur-grandbabies. In college she enjoyed aerobics classes, and later took Karate classes with her children, then kickboxing. Sherry came to BMY for Zumba classes, and enjoyed coming to all of the classes offered -Barre, cardio, pilates, and yoga. She took the 16 hour yoga training to help her son who is autistic and had just ended physical and occupational therapy and found that she loved learning about yoga, its philosophy, history, and benefits. Prior to having children, she had obtained a master's degree in social work, and discovered that yoga and social work share many similar principles. She is now a 200 RYT with 2-1/2 years’ experience and has recently completed a children's yoga teacher training program.
One of Sherry’s favorite quotes is by A.A. Milne: "YOU ARE BRAVER THAN YOU BELIEVE, STRONGER THAN YOU SEEM, SMARTER THAN YOU THINK, AND LOVED MORE THAN YOU WILL EVER KNOW".
Lamar Ryland
Lamar was born in Miami Florida in 1961 then moved to Central Florida where he grew up and attended high school. After high school he joined the United States Navy and served as a hospital Corpsman. He received a ROTC scholarship and attended Auburn University and got his commission to the United States Navy as an Ensign. Lamar served seven years in the Navy. He then started teaching mathematics and has been teaching for 29 years. He is married to Diane. They have been married for 33 years and have a son, Roman. Roman Lee will be 26 in May and has been in the army for several years stationed in Germany now. Lamar’s hobbies are traveling with my wife, hiking, backpacking, and in a nerdy kind of way mathematics. Lamar and Diane share their home with five dogs and one cat. Their favorite dog is the Jack Russell. He always been a runner, but his knees now have arthritis, so he turned to yoga and swimming. Lately, Lamar has been teaching the weight lifting classes and enjoys the feeling of gaining muscle mass back. He know it’s good for him, and feels good about doing it. Lamar been teaching fitness just over a year, and is glad that it keeps him more fit. His favorite quotes would be “just let it go” and “this too shall pass.
Kaitlin Thomas
Kaitlin was born in Knoxville, TN and grew up in Ringgold, GA. She loves living in Ringgold, it’s what she knows and is comfortable with and loves the charm of the small town. Kaitlin has two young daughters and likes to tell people that her house is full of giggles, squeals, and hair! She enjoys travel and exercise. As a young girl, she was always in dance, they were required to workout regularly and fortunately it is something she has always liked doing. While she has taught and choreographed dance, this is the beginning of her fitness instruction career. She feels like it is very different from dance, and is enjoying the challenge. Kaitlin enjoys fitness and health because of the way it makes her feel, and she enjoys being able to offer that experience to others. She has been known to shout “Let’s rock and roll!”
Sheila McWilliams
Sheila was born in California. She was drawn to balanced movement for staying healthy. Sheila is a 200-hour certified yoga instructor and Pilates certified. Her passion is working with yoga students just starting out.
She is married and has two adult children. She has a love for animals, especially special needs pups!
Sheila is the owner of Epistle Candles and makes beautiful candles. Check out her classes!
Lori Phillips
Lori was Born in Kansas but lived most of her life in California. She now calls Ringgold home!
She has always been involved in fitness - aerobics (think Feel the Burn) and then Pilates. She also ran a lot (not anymore) - the Nike 1/2 Marathon in San Francisco was her favorite race. Being healthy and maintaining strong bones at her age is a top priority for Lori. She plans to keep doing this for MANY years!
Lori has her Pilates/Cardio/Yoga for Athletes certifications. Teaching at the studio is one of her favorite things!
Lori's daughter, Taylor and her husband Zachary live here in Ringgold as well as her son Grant. Lori feels blessed to be here with them after a number of years living in different states.
Besides exercising at the studio, Lori enjoys working in her yard, adding architectural details to her home and painting Barn Quilts (as well as trying any other crafts that she comes across).
RockBridge Community Church is where she spends much of her time, being the hands and feet of Jesus to the community is a privilege.
Ann Cunningham
Ann was born in Athens, Georgia and is a huge “Dawg” fan. Ann was drawn to yoga and movement after obtaining degenerative disc disease as a result of multiple years of running. Lots of years of pounding the bones on concrete. Facing surgery, she began to look at low impact ways to stay healthy. Yoga helped her back and soul!
Ann has two adult kids, 2 cats and 2 beautiful dogs. Her passions include hiking, watching movies, being a political activist, learning Spanish and she is learning to play the ukulele. She is also a Toastmaster! Ann teaches yoga, kickboxing, cardio classes and is Pilates certified. Check out her classes!
Melanie Bramlett
Melanie was born and raised in Ringgold, Georgia. She was drawn to the emotional work in yoga while going through a divorce. She was drawn to movement by her history of practicing yoga and “aerobics” with her mom in high school. Melanie certified as a 200 hour instructor in 2019.
Melanie has 2 adult children-Sarah who is in school at Berry and Matthew who lives in McMinville, Tennessee. He recently got out of the Navy! Thank you for your service.
Melanie enjoys fishing, chicken farming, paddle boarding and gardening. Melanie teaches power yoga and all other types of practice.