The Language of the Body
A therapeutic and trauma-informed approach to teaching Yoga
60h continued training course for Yoga Teachers
Next cohort starts 14th February 2025
You love teaching yoga and find joy in guiding others through their practice. Yet, you may sometimes feel uncertain or underprepared when it comes to supporting individuals living with chronic conditions, persistent pain, or anxiety. One of the core reasons you chose to become a yoga teacher was to help people enhance their quality of life. You envisioned creating inclusive, welcoming spaces where everyone feels they belong, regardless of their abilities or challenges. Perhaps you even feel a calling to specialise your teaching in this direction, offering classes that are truly therapeutic and accessible to all.
In this 60h accredited training course you will gain an understanding, techniques and tools to help you support people during their individual healing process.
60h continued training course for Yoga Teachers
Next cohort starts 14th February 2025
You love teaching yoga and find joy in guiding others through their practice. Yet, you may sometimes feel uncertain or underprepared when it comes to supporting individuals living with chronic conditions, persistent pain, or anxiety. One of the core reasons you chose to become a yoga teacher was to help people enhance their quality of life. You envisioned creating inclusive, welcoming spaces where everyone feels they belong, regardless of their abilities or challenges. Perhaps you even feel a calling to specialise your teaching in this direction, offering classes that are truly therapeutic and accessible to all.
In this 60h accredited training course you will gain an understanding, techniques and tools to help you support people during their individual healing process.
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Why this mattersWhen individuals are living with chronic conditions, ongoing pain, stress, anxiety, or depression - or if they are recovering from a serious injury or undergoing medical treatment - they increasingly seek out body-mind practices, including yoga, to find relief and improve their well-being. These practices can help them experience greater ease, manage the severity and frequency of flare-ups, and support their recovery process. However, a typical yoga class may not be suitable for their needs and could leave them feeling overwhelmed or discouraged.
Adopting a therapeutic and trauma-informed approach to teaching yoga creates a supportive, safer space where individuals can engage in their individual process of healing or managing their condition. As we know, meaningful healing can only occur in an environment that feels safe, grounded, and free from conflict. |
This is a 60h accredited training and will take place online. We will meet on Zoom for 8 live modules and a final assessment. You can find the detailed schedule below. In addition there will be numerous other reading/viewing materials, reflection exercises, research, (self-)enquiry and home practice.
As well as a training course, this programme is a true immersion to deepen your understanding of human nature (including your own) and potentially change your own practice fundamentally.
As well as a training course, this programme is a true immersion to deepen your understanding of human nature (including your own) and potentially change your own practice fundamentally.
Changing the storyYou have the opportunity to empower people with Yoga, which is a very important step in their healing process. You can help people change the narrative of the stories that dictate their lives, from a story of pain and problems, to a story of healing and balance.
This course brings together the teachings of:
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This is how these practices changed my life: At the age of 13, I developed quite severe scoliosis, which required me to wear an orthopaedic corset and undergo extensive physiotherapy throughout my teenage years. This early experience sparked my interest and curiosity in the human body and movement. In my twenties, I supported my back through regular Pilates and dance. However, around the time I turned 30, I began experiencing significant discomfort, particularly on my right side, and found myself relying on regular massages to ease the pain. Eventually, I was seeing a cranial osteopath every week for three months, which became both physically and emotionally draining.
During that time, I was halfway through my yoga teacher training. Fortunately, I had already attended a few workshops on fascial release and encountered some non-dogmatic teachers who encouraged exploration and self-awareness. I also began to trust the innate wisdom of my own body, recognising that there had to be another way to manage my well-being. As I prepared to start teaching yoga, I made the bold decision to completely rethink my personal practice and start from scratch. I took responsibility for my own health and healing.
Living in London at the time, I experienced what felt like a small miracle - a Scaravelli-inspired yoga teacher lived just around the corner from my home. The week I began sessions with her, I no longer needed to return to the osteopath.
Today, my body is mostly pain-free, and my spine has become one of my greatest teachers. Through my continued practice and in-depth study of Osteothai, I have also begun to heal the emotional imprints left by the experience of wearing a corset for three years - a period that I now recognise as traumatic. These patterns, both physical and emotional, have influenced my body and the stories I carry.
The creation of "The Language of the Body" is a natural evolution of my personal journey and professional experience. It reflects my deep belief that our bodies hold an incredible capacity for healing when given the right support and conditions.
During that time, I was halfway through my yoga teacher training. Fortunately, I had already attended a few workshops on fascial release and encountered some non-dogmatic teachers who encouraged exploration and self-awareness. I also began to trust the innate wisdom of my own body, recognising that there had to be another way to manage my well-being. As I prepared to start teaching yoga, I made the bold decision to completely rethink my personal practice and start from scratch. I took responsibility for my own health and healing.
Living in London at the time, I experienced what felt like a small miracle - a Scaravelli-inspired yoga teacher lived just around the corner from my home. The week I began sessions with her, I no longer needed to return to the osteopath.
Today, my body is mostly pain-free, and my spine has become one of my greatest teachers. Through my continued practice and in-depth study of Osteothai, I have also begun to heal the emotional imprints left by the experience of wearing a corset for three years - a period that I now recognise as traumatic. These patterns, both physical and emotional, have influenced my body and the stories I carry.
The creation of "The Language of the Body" is a natural evolution of my personal journey and professional experience. It reflects my deep belief that our bodies hold an incredible capacity for healing when given the right support and conditions.
Our bodies are designed to heal
This belief forms the foundation of this approach to teaching and practising yoga.
The body possesses an innate intelligence - it holds within it the blueprint for health and well-being. Healing, therefore, is always a process of self-healing. As teachers and therapists, our role is to create an environment of reduced conflict, where individuals feel safe enough to reconnect with their true nature and begin their own journey of restoration.
This journey often involves unravelling habitual holding patterns, re-educating the body, and rewiring the nervous system. In many ways, it is like learning a new language - the Language of the Body.
The body possesses an innate intelligence - it holds within it the blueprint for health and well-being. Healing, therefore, is always a process of self-healing. As teachers and therapists, our role is to create an environment of reduced conflict, where individuals feel safe enough to reconnect with their true nature and begin their own journey of restoration.
This journey often involves unravelling habitual holding patterns, re-educating the body, and rewiring the nervous system. In many ways, it is like learning a new language - the Language of the Body.
The training course
This is an online course, with 8 live modules taking place on Zoom.
THE SCHEDULE
All times are London/Lisbon based. Most of Central Europe is +1h.
Fridays: 18:30-20:30
Saturdays & Sundays: 10:30-12:30 & 14:30-16:30
THE SCHEDULE
All times are London/Lisbon based. Most of Central Europe is +1h.
Fridays: 18:30-20:30
Saturdays & Sundays: 10:30-12:30 & 14:30-16:30
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14/15/16 February 2025
Friday: Orientation and Welcome
Saturday: Module 1 - Understanding the Nervous System
Sunday: Module 2 - Fascia and Body Memory
28 FEBRUARY / 1/2 MARCH Friday/Saturday: Module 3 - Yielding / Tensegrity / Expansion & Retraction
Sunday: Module 4 - Stillness and Listening, working from a Fulcrum
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7/8/9 MARCH 2025
Friday/Saturday -Module 5: Trauma informed language and practices
Sunday: Module 6 - Sensory Input and Chronic Pain
[TIME TO DEVELOP COURSE PLAN] 4/5/6 APRIL 2025 Friday/Saturday: Module 7 - The Breath and Resiliency
Sunday: Module 8 -The diaphragmatic pressure system
25/26 APRIL 2025 Final assessments |
The individual modules
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In each module we will cover:
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Each module will involve:
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Yoga Alliance Professionals
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This is a 60h accredited continued training course. For the certificate, it is therefore required to not only complete the live modules, but all of the home-study as well. There will be a final evaluation consisting of:
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Who is this course for
There are a few prerequisites for joining this training:
You might particularly enjoy this course if:
However, this course may not be the right fit for you, at least not at this time, if any of the following apply:
- You have completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training (minimum).
- You take your continued education responsibility seriously and are committed to further training.
- You are open to a non-dogmatic approach to teaching yoga.
- You have a solid self-practice.
- You are prepared to engage in personal self-reflection and growth.
You might particularly enjoy this course if:
- You have experienced and appreciated Scaravelli-inspired yoga, embodied yoga, somatic movement, Feldenkrais, or Qi Gong.
- You value and regularly engage in self-care practices.
- You are increasingly learning to trust your gut instincts and body signals when they set boundaries or say ‘no.’
- You are a compassionate and attentive listener.
- You enjoy collecting stories and anecdotes to share and connect with others.
- You prefer authentic teaching approaches and dislike the commercialisation of yoga through superficial advertising.
- You have a curious mind and love exploring topics like neuroscience, anatomy, and research studies.
- You find joy in dancing and moving your body, even if it's just in the privacy of your own living room.
However, this course may not be the right fit for you, at least not at this time, if any of the following apply:
- You are unable or unwilling to commit 60+ hours over three months to this training.
- You are not prepared to dedicate approximately three hours per week to homework and home practice. To get the most out of this training, you need to engage with the material between modules. The hours spent on independent practice contribute to the total course hours required for certification.
- You became a yoga teacher with the mindset of 'fixing' others. This training encourages facilitating healing, not imposing solutions.
- You are currently navigating a deep personal trauma process. While some self-work is necessary during the course, if you are in the midst of your own intensive healing journey, this training could feel overwhelming. Prioritising your personal therapy may be more appropriate for now.
- You are seeking a specialised training that focuses on conditions outside the scope of chronic conditions, pain, injuries, anxiety, depression, and trauma. This course covers these topics in depth, but it’s important to maintain focus within this scope to ensure integrity and depth in learning.
Are you still reading this, and are not actually a yoga teacher? Maybe you are interested in this topic, because you work with people with these conditions but in a different capacity, or because you love diving deeper into your own practice. Get in touch with me to discuss whether this might be a good course for you to join.
What previous trainees say about this course
Training manual
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Training website
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Confidence after the training
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I joined this course because I wanted to create a movement practice specifically for women with lipoedema. Despite having 7 years teaching experience I didn't feel that I had all the tools I needed. I had looked at other courses in trauma informed yoga and somatic experiencing but this was the only course I found that integrated all the elements I was looking for in a spacious and beautifully held container which allowed time and space for the integration of theory through practice. The course was a laboratory for me experiment with different practices and really refine and clarify my intention for my offering. Throughout the course, I have been able to critically reflect on my language choices and build awareness of how to use language more inclusively. By the end of the course, I felt confident to design and successfully deliver pilot course for women with lipoedema which integrates a range of movement practices and creates a brave space which empowers women to explore movement. Thank you for the amazing experience, this course is designed beautifully. Really appreciative of you guiding us in doing the same in creating our own course by the end of the 8 weeks and creating an inclusive learning environment despite the time difference. The Language of the Body is great for every teacher who is looking for a course on trauma-informed yoga with a therapeutic approach. I have learned valuable teaching skills and tools that I can apply to my work and to my own practice. The training is both non-dogmatic and creative and lets you explore your own personal way on how to apply the content to your teachings. I have created a tool box based on these principles that I am using on a daily basis and that I am also sharing with my students. A valuable course all in all with a great teaching platform and an interesting reading list that is still ongoing. Thank you for this experience. :) Great experience for any yoga teacher that seeks to go further in the understanding of and teaching a trauma-informed type of yoga. Very creative and diverse content, as well as a good balance between theory and practice. Highly recommended! I found the Language of the Body such a unique course. Even though I am already a yoga therapist, there were so many new ideas and approaches and it has given me some much needed inspiration! And Katrin is a very caring and supportive teacher. |
As an experienced yoga therapist, I found the Language of the Body Course with Katrin Heuser has given me a lot more techniques and postures to teach, as well as helping me to change the language I use when I'm teaching both 1:1 and group classes. This course has deeply changed and inspired my practice to evolve and embrace, safely and progressively, a more therapeutic and trauma informed approach in yoga. It is a much-needed approach to teaching yoga and has been of a great help, personally, to navigate current times. Learning to create safe and inclusive spaces and deepening the understanding of the body in all its dimensions have been only a few of the many valuable teachings of this course, which always included plenty of tools and teaching skills to put every principle learnt into practice. I surely and highly recommend this course and I am looking forward to studying and practicing further what I have learnt over these 6 months with Katrin. I learned so many new poses and techniques for releasing tension/ trauma in the body, soothing the nervous system and relaxing. Throughout the course I taught to a group of friends online, so that I could practice the teaching and it also helped me to remember what I was learning. Katrin is a great teacher - materials were excellent, and the web portal she used is so straightforward to access, and navigate. She encouraged lots of feedback and interaction, so while it was not an in person training it was something to look forward to each month. I highly recommend this. |
What you will walk away with by the end of the course
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Relevance
My biggest wish is that by the end of this training you have gained tools and skills that you can actually put to work, that are helpful in the context of what you do. I want you to have the confidence to bring the focus to your work that you feel most passionate about. |
Personal growth
As Yoga teachers we need to also deal with our own stories, and continuously work on building our own resilience. Study, practice, sharing, connecting with community, deepening our understanding - all so important on this incredible journey. |
Improving other people's lives
When we became Yoga teachers, we also committed ourselves to always keep learning, so we could continue getting better and better at serving our community. With Yoga we have so much potential to support people on their challenging paths. |
Some examples of what previous trainees have developed from this course
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One participant developed a 4-week course for women living with lipoedema. Many women with lipoedema have experienced exclusion in conventional Yoga classes compounding years of accumulated trauma of fat shaming. The course aims to create a brave space for women to explore movement in a supportive community and to build resilience. This course offers movement based practices, rituals and Yoga Nidra.
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Somebody else created a 6-week movement and Yoga course she wanted to propose to a local housing facility for refugees. We discussed how to make contact with the organisation initially, how to develop a proposal from there, and all the logistical things (such as provision of Yoga mats, the possible need for a translator etc) to consider.
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Another trainee designed a 6-week course, that bridges the Yoga philosophy of the Gunas and healing our modern lifestyle disconnect from our natural rhythms. This course facilitates a complete and integrative process, with homework, journalling, resourcing tools, and a retreat option, fostering sustainability of self-practice.
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How people experience this kind of Yoga
In my first retreat I got to know Katrin and her teaching methods. She has a profound and deep understanding on how to learn to listen to the body's signals and to find ease in unease. In a way it really shifted my personal view on Yoga and what it means for a healthy life. One of the unexpected upsides of the pandemic is the chance to have a regular Yoga practice, amongst other things, with Katrin. As I live in the UK and she is in Portugal, previously I only had the pleasure to participate in her workshops once or twice a year. Now I can have lessons with her every week which is amazing! I discovered that Katrin’s yoga style really suits my needs as my battered body and mind try to navigate the new realities of living during the pandemic. Her classes are gentle but I wouldn’t call them easy. There is a profound concentration on natural body mechanics, breathing, creating comfort for the body amongst many other things. It’s all about ease and becoming friends with your body once again. Quite a complex task, but Katrin is very good at navigating you through. She has all the qualities I value in a teacher - caring and dedicated to her students, paying attention to their individual needs, being serious and fun and giving clear instructions and explanations. I feel more relaxed and at peace with my body and mind after her classes. The immersion workshops are brilliant as well, you can delve a bit deeper into the practice. I wholeheartedly recommend her classes and workshops to everyone, but particularly to those who, like me, are feeling a bit fragile at the moment. You’ll find all the help and support that you need! And from a technical point of view, since we have to communicate and do yoga in Zoomland now, Katrin’s classes are top quality. |
Discovering Katrin’s Yoga teaching with her mix of Scaravelli inspired Yoga and Eastern bodywork traditions was life-changing 10 years ago. I’ve been delighted recently to work with her again online. Katrin’s approach is deceptively simple yet the benefits are profound. The careful attentive approach and the kindness of the Yoga make it suitable for people of any age, and I continue to learn from Katrin's subtle insights into the body/mind connection. I’ve particularly benefited from her workshop focusing on the breath. I try to use her breathing exercises now daily- great to help feel grounded in these challenging times! After five years of varied Yoga experiences, I initially met Katrin for a 5-day Thai Yoga Massage course in Lisbon. During this time I really got in touch with my own body and its own specific language. I started to listen, translate, feel and touch in a different way. These were great tools to solve my long-lasting problems with my own personal yoga practice. Later, Katrin introduced me to Scaravelli inspired Yoga. My body responded in a way it never had before in my practice. I found open spaces and a new kind of lightness. My practice turned into something very different without pulling and stretching. I'm very happy with this change. Now I work with Katrin on the breath and it's amazing how my breathing capacity grows through such soft practices, instead of the usual teachings I was used to before. Katrin is an amazing person and an authentic teacher with a universe of knowledge always willing to share. I'm really thankful to know her. |
We will empower each other
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This training course is designed to support your growth as a teacher and deepen your skill set, equipping you to work more effectively with those navigating chronic conditions, pain, or emotional challenges. And yet, it is much more than that - it is an invitation to personal transformation.
The course requires your full commitment, not only in terms of time and financial investment but also energetically and emotionally. To fully benefit from this experience, you will need to create space in your life for this work. If you make that space, you’ll find it to be a profound opportunity for self-enquiry and accelerated healing. In learning to empower others, you will discover greater empowerment within yourself. The challenges of recent years - the pandemic, ongoing global conflicts, and an uncertain future - have brought up difficult emotions for many of us. More than ever, we need to tap into our resilience and take courageous steps toward our personal and collective well-being. And more than ever, the world needs yoga teachers, therapists, and movement practitioners to step up and guide others toward that resilience. This programme is intentionally small and intimate, with only 12 places available. This ensures you will receive my undivided attention throughout the training. I’ll have the opportunity to get to know you personally, support your journey, and provide guidance tailored to your unique path. Together, we’ll create a community of learning, exploration, and growth. |
Flexible pricing options
This training course is offered with a scaled pricing structure with three options rather than one fixed price. The intention is to allow more people to access the course, supported by the community and those who have access to more funds. Please choose the option that feels appropriate to you and your circumstances. You will not be asked to justify your choice.
What's included
In addition, also part of the programme are:
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Booking termsIn order to guarantee your place on this training, you need to make a minimum payment of at least one instalment.
If you choose to pay in instalments, the first one is due on registration, and the remaining two will be charged in one-month intervals from the date of your booking. All payments are non-refundable and non transferrable. Please make sure you are absolutely certain you want to make this commitment. Only in the case that I have to cancel the course for some reason, you will of course receive your money back or you will be offered a place on an alternative training. Please ensure you have a working computer and internet connection to join this training. |
Any concerns you might have
1) You can’t make all of the live modules
> There will be recordings available of all the sessions, and you can watch them on replay. Ideally, you join at least 80% of the webinars live in person, so if you have to miss a small chunk, it’s not a problem. And, I also know that it suits some people much better to learn in their own time, and so this is not a hard and fast rule. If doing the majority of the modules on replay means it's more accessible for you, then that's good for me, too.
2) You feel Zoomed out
> I hear you. I tried to schedule the modules with big enough breaks, so we really have time to eat, move, and get away from the screen. Any session longer than 2h will have a little comfort break half-way.
3) Is it really possible to learn this stuff online?
> All of the modules have been created from well tested workshops and seminars, and have gone through several rounds of improvements. I teach online a lot, and have planned lots of additional time into the modules, so the nature of working on Zoom can be accommodated. And the course will be limited to 12 people, which means we can all comfortably see each other and connect and communicate.
4) You have students suffering from any of the conditions already and want to help them straight away
> After each module, you are highly encouraged to apply what you have learnt. This is the best way to really understand it and to embody the principles. The more you share this with your students, the more you will have to share and contribute in the upcoming modules and the more it will all make sense.
Is there something else, I haven’t thought of? Please contact me.
> There will be recordings available of all the sessions, and you can watch them on replay. Ideally, you join at least 80% of the webinars live in person, so if you have to miss a small chunk, it’s not a problem. And, I also know that it suits some people much better to learn in their own time, and so this is not a hard and fast rule. If doing the majority of the modules on replay means it's more accessible for you, then that's good for me, too.
2) You feel Zoomed out
> I hear you. I tried to schedule the modules with big enough breaks, so we really have time to eat, move, and get away from the screen. Any session longer than 2h will have a little comfort break half-way.
3) Is it really possible to learn this stuff online?
> All of the modules have been created from well tested workshops and seminars, and have gone through several rounds of improvements. I teach online a lot, and have planned lots of additional time into the modules, so the nature of working on Zoom can be accommodated. And the course will be limited to 12 people, which means we can all comfortably see each other and connect and communicate.
4) You have students suffering from any of the conditions already and want to help them straight away
> After each module, you are highly encouraged to apply what you have learnt. This is the best way to really understand it and to embody the principles. The more you share this with your students, the more you will have to share and contribute in the upcoming modules and the more it will all make sense.
Is there something else, I haven’t thought of? Please contact me.
Get to know me and about the programmeThere will be a few free orientation calls you are invited to.
This will be an opportunity to ask me any questions you might have, to understand more what to expect from the course, how much of a commitment it will be, and also to get to know me a little more. I will give an overview of the modules and also show you the online platform, where all the materials will live and where you can connect with everyone else. Friday 10th January 2025, 19h-20h Tuesday 4th February 2025, 10h-11h Introductory events & workshopsIn addition, between now and the start of the course, I am making a whole series of workshop recordings available for free, so you can get a real taste of what I and my approach to teaching is about.
> Take a look at the full list Or join me live, either in person at the Little Yoga Space or online via Zoom, for one of these workshops on a PAY WHAT YOU CAN basis. Sunday 15th December 2024: The Story of the Pelvic Floor Saturday 11th January 2025: Managing Chronic Pain in Yoga |
Do you have any questions? |
Thank you for reading this long page
If you are truly drawn to this approach to teaching yoga but feel that now might not be the right time for a 60-hour training, you may wish to explore my event schedule for shorter workshops that cover similar themes.
However, if you’ve read this far and feel a buzz of excitement or a deep sense of knowing in your gut that this is the direction you want to take your teaching - that this is how you wish to support people through your work - then I would love to welcome you to this course.
However, if you’ve read this far and feel a buzz of excitement or a deep sense of knowing in your gut that this is the direction you want to take your teaching - that this is how you wish to support people through your work - then I would love to welcome you to this course.
More about me
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My whole life, I have been interested in the body and movement. After many years of dance, my Scoliosis led me to Pilates and finally to Yoga, Thai Massage and Osteothai, which then became my path in life.
For me, my work is about the never-ending exploration of the body. As we bring awareness to what is happening inside and where we are in the present moment, the body is encouraged to release where it is holding. Then we can embark on a journey of restoration and growth. I hold a 500h Level 4 NVQ Yoga Teaching qualification, have completed over a 1,000 continued education hours on therapeutic and somatic approaches, trained in Manual Lymph Drainage and have studied extensively in Thai Yoga Massage and Osteothai, including a Master Osteothai qualification, over the past years. Mostly through my work as a bodyworker comes also my understanding of trauma, chronic conditions and pain, as well as the influence of working with fascia, the craniosacral system, structural support and the nervous system. I used to run a Yoga Festival in London and launched an online anti-stress breathing programme. Since 2015 I live in Lisbon and run Little Yoga Space, where I teach and give Osteothai treatments, and I am the director of Hadadi, offering foundation and advanced training courses in Thai Massage and trauma-informed Yoga worldwide. |
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