About Me
Me
I'm Jen and I have been teaching Yoga Therapy and Gentle Yoga Flow since 2011, as well as more latterly working for the NHS. I qualified with wonderful spiritual teachers and mentors, Jacky Barr, Shaura Hall and Heather Mason and I am grateful to the late guru Stan Prophet from Uxbridge who introduced me to Hatha Yoga as a child.
I live in Wiltshire, and have two wonderful adult daughters Alice and Sophie. I have always loved the diversity between being a Mother, working, and the many other roles I have had. I strive to live my life with happiness, laughter and balance, and when faced with challenges being aware of how we deal with these challenges, as this makes us the unique individuals we are. Passionate about being at one with nature, doing as much as I can to support our beautiful environment and getting together with friends and family is important to me. I am a positive soul, especially at times when life throws some interesting things into the mix; it is how we react to these situations that is most important. I love skiing, tennis, hiking, my personal Yoga practice, and generally keeping fit and healthy, with a good sense of humour. I play the piano, paint with acrylics and write. My aim has always been to spread my positive and infectious love of life to those around me.
My Yoga
Growing up and subsequently working in and around London for the first 32 years of my life as a Secretary, and Personal Assistant in many fields of industry; at the same time for the latter of those years being a busy senior army wife, and having two wonderful daughters... I decided to venture on a different path, and my life changed.
In 2006 I started working as a Community Carer in West Berkshire area after my step-father died of Cancer, and for 10 years worked primarily with Dementia/Mental Illness and a diverse range major physical illnesses. In 2011 I trained and qualified in a specially designed course of Kundalini Seated Yoga with Jacky Barr of i-SKY, and began teaching Yoga Therapy to individuals with mental and physical health challenges, whilst still working in the community as a Carer. My Yoga training, empathic nature and experience as a Carer have helped me to develop my own unique way of teaching Chair and Mat yoga in a therapeutic and subtle way, focusing on gentle movement, stretching, and postures, meditation, breathing technique, and relaxation, and a whole lot of fun mixed in; based in a chair or wheelchair. My Anatomy and Physiology training, as well as an understanding of mental and physical illness is paramount to what my Yoga Sessions are about. Connecting with clients, passing on my knowledge and teachings, to support a healthier lifestyle. My priority will always be to get my unique way of teaching to the community who already have experienced yoga or indeed those who are new to yoga.
In 2016 I trained and qualified with Shaura Hall and Heather Mason with the 220 hour Pilamaya Qualification in Spiritual Theory, Anatomy, Physiology, and specialising in teaching Hatha/Ashtanga Flow Yoga. After qualifying I launched my Gentle Flow Yoga class, this gentle diverse class has the mix of Kundalini energy, and the grounding postures and Vinyasa Flow of Hatha and Ashtanga, together with Meditation, Breath Technique and Yoga (choreographed) Dance. This is a gentle class for individuals who are starting out in Yoga, for those who have not seen their Mat for quite a while, and for those who are relatively fit and may be recovering from surgery or illness. This class has its own subtle uniqueness, exploring our grounding, core and self awareness....with a flexible mindful approach.
In 2016 I also trained and qualified with the Minded Institute in London in the Minded Addiction Recovery Programme (MARK), teaching Yoga Therapy and Mindfulness to individuals with Addictions. Pre Lockdown I had established individual sessions in Berkshire, and take pride in my ability to connect with my clients. The programme that I teach is known to benefit those with the illness Addiction and teaches individuals the tools to eventually generate their own self help.
My Meditation & Holistic Therapy
In 2011 I qualified in Advanced Meditation Theory/Practice with the BSY Institute. My study enabled me to develop a far deeper understanding of Meditation and Mindfulness which I am passionate about sharing and teaching during my Yoga Classes. The benefits of Meditation and Mindfulness for physical and mental health are vitally important for the fast paced lives that we live - and we don't have to practice for too long to notice a difference in ourselves.
In 2006 I qualified in Indian Head Massage, Eastern Facial Massage, Thai Foot Massage, and Reiki with the Gateway Workshops in London. One of the many benefits of these therapies is a feeling of deep relaxation and calm, with the releasing of endorphins which produce feelings of wellness, and also levels of the stress hormone's cortisol and adrenalin are reduced.