Our Tutors
Julie Potter / Alexis Decker / Amanda Coulson / Angela Di Benedetto / Caroline Chatterton / Deborah Le Vene-Page / Dot Eaton / Filomena Duarte / Francesca Rytlewski / Gill Neivens / Heather Parker / Kirsty Hogg / Liz Butler / Meryl Hopkins / Neena Sadanand / Shelagh Binks
Tutor Profiles
Julie Potter (BWY Dip.)
I began practising yoga in 1993, following the birth of my fourth daughter, an impending divorce and the end of my 12 year career in full time pub management.
My studies began with roots in Iyengar Yoga, but over the years I have moved towards the idea of natural body movements, and posture work related to the alignment and well being of the body with particular attention to human anatomy. My personal yoga development is now with teachers such as Peter Blackaby and Gary Carter.
I qualified as a British Wheel teacher in 2004, but began teaching as a cover teacher in 2002. As well as teaching classes at the studio I also teach at several local Health Clubs and Sports Centres. I also teach corporate classes and ‘one to ones’. My classes are suitable for beginners as well as more experienced students. I like to create an atmosphere of dedicated practise, but in a warm and friendly atmosphere where we are able to enjoy yoga together.
The Yoga for Harmony Studio ‘evolved’ in 2006, out of a personal desire to have my own space in which to teach, but also as a business and career challenge. In the future, I hope to develop the studio into a full yoga and holistic centre.
Alexis Decker
Alexis recently relocated to Windsor from America. A classically trained ballet dancer, dancing professionally for 10 years, found her love of Pilates while dancing in Annapolis, Maryland. She began her Pilates certification in 2005 at a Power Pilates affiliate studio in Annapolis. Alexis then continued her training in New York City, at Power Pilates central office, becoming a fully certified instructor for all levels including Beginning through to Advanced Mat and Levels I,II,III of the Power Pilates Systems Training Program. Alexis has attended numerous continuing education seminars on movement in Maryland and New York including:- The Anatomy of Movement, Strategies for Individual Needs with Neck, Back and Knee Pain, Empowering Your Pregnancy and The Pilates Spine with Dr Howard Sichel.
Alexis is looking forward to getting to know you and the community through fitness and helping make positive changes in your life.
Amanda Coulson (Fryog Dip.)
Amanda Coulson has been teaching Comprehensive Hatha Yoga since 1997 having studied with Swami Satyaratnananda Saraswati in the Satyananda or Bihar tradition.
Since qualifying Amanda has taught in both the Public and Private sector. She has specialised in therapeutic Hatha Yoga and Yoga Nidra (deep relaxation) at an internationally recognised rehabilitation clinic.
For the past 5 years Amanda has been a teacher trainer for The Friends of Yoga Society International and is currently Training and Standards Officer for the Society.
Amanda recently became a YogaAlliance Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher at the 500 hour level (E-RYT 500). This is an International Register established in the USA to promote a global standard for Yoga Teachers.
Angela Di Benedetto
Angela Di Benedetto has been practicing Qi Gong and Tai Chi for 15 years. She stumbled upon it by chance when she was working in London as a PA. It slowly changed her life! She first studied for a year with Master Wen Linjun but then found her long-term teacher and mentor Rikka Alborough, with whom she studied and practiced for over 10 years. In 2000 Angela changed her career, qualified as a Sports Therapist and started teaching Qi Gong and Tai Chi. She uses her knowledge of the Eastern Philosophies both in her life and her work as a therapist. Angela believes that health and fitness can be best achieved by merging eastern and western practices, attaining a complete body, mind and spirit balance.
Qi Gong (Breathing/Energy exercises) and Tai Chi (the Supreme Ultimate) are very old Chinese forms of exercise and they are based on the Taoist principles of Yin and Yang and the 5 Elements. The exercises focus on the mind, posture, breathing and movement, stimulating the flow of Qi along the meridians (energy channels). It is the slow movements that help to stimulate the internal organs by promoting and/or unblocking the flow of this internal energy or Qi, therefore enhancing our health!
Caroline Chatterton (BWY Dip & Natural Bodies Dip)
I started practicing Iyengar Yoga in 1997. I have since changed my focus to a practice that revolves around releasing tension, freeing the breath and working from the spine.
I have worked with a number of Vanda Scaravelli inspired teachers, and continue my personal practice along these lines. Teachers I have worked extensively with are Gary Carter, Peter Blackaby and John Stirk. I have also been on workshops with Monica Voss, Diane Long, Liz Warrington, Donna Farhi and Angela Farmer to name a few. I continue to work with Gary, Peter and John on a regular basis.
In 2002 I embarked on the British Wheel of Yoga Foundation Course. I then completed the 3 year BWY Diploma course in May 2005. I have been teaching since July 2002. In Dec 2006 I also completed the 2.5 year teacher training course with Gary Cater at Natural Bodies.
I find I am drawn to anatomy and physiology, and a way of working that facilitates change.
Deborah Le Vene-Page (FRYOG Dip)
Deborah originally trained as a professional dancer with the London School of Contemporary Dance. She then later evolved from dance to yoga when she discovered that yoga had an extremely calming and centring influence, particularly through difficult times. She has been practicing yoga for many years and qualified as a teacher in 2005 with Friends of Yoga International (FRYOG). She teaches with grace, warmth and a good sense of humour, drawing on her experience of different styles and practices studied with many international senior yoga teachers in London and overseas. Coming from a dance background, Deborah is particularly inspired by a more dynamic style of practice and her main influences are Hatha Vinyasa Flow Yoga, Anusara and Scaravelli.
A general class would commence with quieting the mind with some breathing techniques to bring us to our centre, gently warming up the body with some stretches. Finding alignment with static postures and then progressing to a more challenging but rewarding flow of asanas (postures) with the breath, leaving time at the end for relaxation. Deborah enjoys helping others to realise the benefits of yoga and aims to guide her students to find freedom, flexibility and strength in the body with a sense of peace, harmony and joy.
Deborah teaches in the public and private sector and is a Registered Exercise Professional and a fully qualified First Aider
Dot Eaton (Fryog Dip./BWY Pregnancy Module)
I have been practising Yoga most of my adult life – it leads me back to myself and opens me up to the Universe. I qualified to teach with Fryog International in 2001, and have been taking classes since then. Presently I teach Yoga to prisoners, young offenders and assylum seekers, through the Prison Phoenix Trust. I take local classes, over 60′s and one to ones. I have a BWY Diploma in Pregnancy Yoga, and at the Yoga for Harmony studio I run Preganancy Yoga classes and Postnatal Recovery/Baby Yoga Classes. I have successfully helped many women progress towards a joyful, successful birthing experience. Classes involve strengthening and opening the body, gently encouraging early bonding and helping each individual gain more control of their birthing experience. Postnatal Recovery/Baby Yoga is fun and sociable. Classes involve gently but firmly restoring your body, particularly the pelvic floor and abdominal areas. Songs and gentle yogic moves for the babies help colic conditions, relax them and strengthen the bond between mother and baby. For more information visit my website www.yogawithdot.co.uk
Filomena Duarte (B.W.Y dip. B.Sc.(Hons.)Psych. Dip.C.G)
“If I can get to know who I am, then I will be happy!” This is what I had said aged 16 which I found to be the start of my journey.
This path led me to firstly graduating in Psychology with Philosophy. However, after a 10 year demanding career in Vocational Guidance and Counseling I decided to leave to become a full-time Mother. I then qualified with The British Wheel of Yoga and have since been taught and guided by Meditation teachers of both The Himalayan and Vedantic Traditions.
I have been teaching since the year 2000 from beginners to those with 30+ years experience. These have ranged between 7 to 80year olds including Family Yoga. I also specialise in Relaxation, Concentration/Meditation classes and workshops. These have been for Bucks and Hillingdon Adult Learning, The Youth Service, privately, The Studio, and, more recently, mental health organisations.I have a particular interest in utilizing the tools of Yoga and Meditation. Specifically for, Self-Awareness and fulfilling one’s true potential through self-study, self-therapy and positive living.
I have not completed the quest, but I am certainly enjoying the Journey!
“Meditation gives you that which nothing else can give you. It introduces you to yourself”- Swami Rama –Founder of The Himalayan Institute.
Francesca Rytlewski BY Certified
Fran has been teaching Bikram-method hatha yoga for two and a half years, over 1,000 classes. She came to yoga following a bicycle accident in Chicago which resulted in damage to her spine. Happily recovered, Fran has taught in Chicago and London and has now moved to Windsor and is very happy to be able to bring the ‘joy of sweat’ to Yoga for Harmony.
Gill Neivens (Fryog Dip.)
Gill trained with FRYOG International and is thankful for the depth of training that this course provided. The two year course covered asana work, pranayama, the philosophy of yoga, diet, anatomy, meditaion and much more. Gill has found this an invaluable base and has now branched into the field of power, flow yoga. Her class at Yoga for Harmony begins with a short relaxation to prepare the body, a gentle warm up before moving on to a more dynamic sequence of flowing postures which tone and strengthen the body always ending with a welcome relaxation which leaves the mind and body calm and invigorated. Her regular attendance at the Life Centre and Tryoga in London, and also various Flow Yoga Workshops ensures that her classes are upbeat and challenging. Gill teaches at various Health Centres, a major corporate company and also a Teaching Academy. She also holds chair based classes for Age Concern and gains equal pleasure and satisfaction from teaching these two diverse groups.
Heather Parker (MCSH)
I began my interest in sound many years ago when I did amateur dramatics as a youngster. I was involved in a number of musicals and was always a member of the choir and this continued at university where I completed a degree in Music and Drama in 1996. After 8 years or so of working, unsatisfactorily in an office environment I decided I needed a differenct focus. I trained to become a Medau Movement teacher in 2003 and then came across sound healing in 2006. The journey I have taken since my training course has been amazing. I can now use my love for music in an incredibly healing way. I find the chanting work in large groups is so empowering. It really releases everyday stress and connects people, not only to the divine energy but also to each other.
I am really pleased to be sharing my love for chanting and sound with everyone here at Yoga for Harmony.
Kirsty Hogg
Kirsty began practising yoga in 2004 after a successful history as a competitive swimmer, swimming teacher, and football coach. On starting yoga after returning from her travels, Kirsty has combined the BSc Hons degree in Sports Sciences with qualifications from YogaCampus, London, completing the accredited BWY teaching diploma in 2008. Through this qualification, Kirsty is also regarded as both a REP’s (Register of Exercise Professionals) level 3 teacher and a Yoga Alliance registered teacher. In addition to her yoga studies Kirsty is committed to working with children and young people and has undertaken and continues to complete studies within this field; ranging from teaching Yoga to children, working with children with disabilities and special needs, mainstream teaching and youth justice. Kirsty enjoys teaching accessible classes for all students of yoga, and hopes to take her teaching into therapeutic yoga with hard to reach groups and those with specific health complaints.
Liz Butler (Fryog Dip.)
Liz began practising yoga after leaving her managerial job in a large media corporation to be a full-time mother to her two sons, going on to undertake counselling training and qualifying as a yoga teacher in 2005.
Liz enjoys teaching yoga for different levels, from beginners to the more experienced, offering a serene and inclusive atmosphere in which to explore the practice of yoga to suit individual progress. She recognises the benefits to many of us in modern society of releasing tension, whether this is physical, mental or emotional, and believes that regular yoga practice can help achieve this.
Yoga is a continual journey of exploration, and Liz continues to attend a variety of workshops and classes to deepen her development as both practitioner and teacher.
Meryl Hopkins (BWY Dip.)
Over 20 years of ballet dancing started to produce hip and knee problems for Meryl. However, once she started yoga, working with the body’s natural alignment, she found an ease of movement not known for many years. This started a love of yoga which saw her attending many yoga and meditation workshops, a stay at the Mandala Yoga Ashram in Wales, and ultimatley led to a teaching diploma with the British Wheel of Yoga.
Meryl believes that yoga is open to all – whatever your age and physical ability. Through stories and games, she introduces children to yoga from the age of 2 and a half through Yoga Bugs, which helps then to become calmer, more conficent, better co-ordinated and physically more able. As well as teaching Yoga Bugs Meryl works in schools and local leisure centres teaching yoga to children in a fun and imaginative way. Adult classes, including the very popular 50+ sessions , are taught locally. Meryl’s youngest student is 2 and a half and her oldest is currently 92 – definitely yoga for all ages!
Neena Sadanand
Neena held very successful management positions in a large organisation in the UK, before moving on to other organisations and other things. She was introduced to yoga at the Sivananda Centre in Putney in the mid-90′s. The exhilaration, joy, strength, health benefits, amongst other things on so many levels that it brought her, made her want to pass this on to others and she decided to become fully qualified. She completed her TTC (Yoga Teacher Training) in 2003. The course is certified by the Worldwide Yoga Alliance. She has since been teaching part-time at different centres in Berkshire and Surrey.
Shelagh Binks (Sivananda Dip.)
I first started practicing yoga about 15 years ago when I was doing a lot of running and I found it incredibly helpful for getting a brilliant stretch. I then came to rely on having my weekly fix of not only a wonderful stretch but very much a grounding and feeling like I could step away from my busy life for an hour a half – absolute bliss. My interest in yoga grew with the guidance of wonderful teachers and I loved it so much, I gave up running and took myself off to the Sivananda ashram in Quebec, Canada to take part in their month long teacher training.
I have been teaching yoga for over 2 years and love sharing this wonderful practice with others. I use the Sivananda method as a very good base for my classes, but the recent influences of vinyasa flow and yin yoga are also used. My classes start with a connection to the breath, a proper warm up and using sun salutations working towards a peak pose and then slowly coming back down to earth with a much deserved relaxation at the end. The aim is to feel energised and relaxed by the end of the class having given your whole system a wonderful treat.
