How my practice began
logo

What started out as a physical practice in 2000, has evolved into a way of reconciling the ups and downs of my life. Postures were a great starting point, but I soon craved depth of understanding to get into the subtle layers. Two decades later of study, exposure and practice I am blessed to have an inward-facing practice that gives me great stability and strength.

British Wheel of Yoga & Yoga Alliance Professionals Senior Teacher.

Advanced Restorative Trainer® & Integrative Yoga Therapeutics & TCTSY Trauma Informed.

Leslie Kaminoff’s Professional Yoga Anatomy Principles, now studying Yoga Anatomy Practices.

Decades of pressured work as a Executive Assistant took it’s toll on my body and spirit. The one highlight in my week was a yoga class which prompted me to get qualified through YogaCampus in London. In 2006 I was qualified as a 200hr teacher and since then I have had over 300 additional hours of training. I have led numerous privates, classes and retreats in the UK and abroad amounting to 4000+ teaching hours giving me Senior Teacher status. After establishing a good skill base I then started to specialise in therapeutics and trauma safe yoga. I’m currently studying with Leslie Kaminoff on his flagship anatomy training. All yoga is therapeutic but it really does make a difference how it’s applied for your circumstances. This skill helped me unwind two traumatic events and the their imprints in my body; one at 15 years old and again at 23. I was left with c-PTSD, IBS, grief and anxiety and thanks to the advances in trauma, neuroplasticity, fascia and yoga, I’m a healthier and happier Yogi.

I modified my practice whilst training in therapeutics and that’s when I had the courage to unravel my hidden trauma’s. Through a more inquiry based practice I could hold the fractured pieces, set better boundaries to approach the uncomfortable. Going at my pace, respecting my limits, my body was finally being heard and it was a revelation. Behind the habit of suppressing I could tend to the wounds sensitively using tools and techniques to process the deeper layers. My dedication and devotion has paid me back by marrying my physical practice with the spiritual. What once felt dark was now shining bright. So, from those early traumatic events I have uncovered the richness of life through the lens of yoga.

As your teacher, I blend more than just the poses on the mat because I believe we desperately need a diverse set of tools to cope with life’s challenges. High on my list would be resilience, boundaries, deep rest, as well as the other familiar benefits of yoga. I teach specific techniques of breathing whilst the moving and working of the body is organised around the breath. Practicing therapeutically means we inquire within through focussed movement, attentive breathing, considered positioning and how that fits with your emotional state. With an inquiry led practice, it will feel more like your own and less like you’re being told what to do.

Being calm but measured enables us to practice from a more patient place to touch base with our boundaries on any given day. The nervous system can be soothed leading the way for new health and happiness, whilst remaining present with the inner practice. When your body is comfortable enough to shift it’s attention from the physical, you can be at ease approaching the deeper layers if you wish. Recognising your whole experience on the mat gives potential to support broader inquiry off the mat.

WHY I TEACH

My calling as a yoga teacher is to help people read their physical, emotional and spiritual bodies. In my view, yoga should be a whole experience where you draw on life experiences, trust your gut wisdom and personal intellect. My students say I have a sensitive approach and good awareness for their needs and that means they are experiencing yoga as a way to wholeness.

If you cannot find it in your own body,
where will you go in search of it?
The Upanishads

SHARING NEWS

Sweetyoga monthly newsletter for seasonal suggestions, practice tips and event info. Your details are precious to me and I would never pass onto a third party.

SHARING KNOWLEDGE

Sweetyoga videos, articles & useful links on authors, apps, podcasts, meditations, talks and more.