My Training
The study, the sweat, and the stuff that shapes how I teach.
What informs my teaching.
Ongoing study. Real-world practice. A lifelong love of learning.
Every year, I invest thousands of dollars and commit to year-long, live, mentor-led training so my students get evidence-informed teaching that holds up well beyond a single class.
I’ve been teaching for over a decade and practising for much longer — and I’m still learning. That’s non-negotiable.
I choose respected teachers known for biomechanics, movement science, and intelligent sequencing — not because it looks good on paper, but because I care about doing this well and offering depth over dogma.
There’s a lot of noise in the yoga world: surface-level advice, borrowed cues, and pseudoscience dressed up as wisdom. My job is to cut through it — to stay curious, ask better questions, and build practices that genuinely help over the long haul.
(P.S. I’m picky. If I’m training with someone, it’s because they’re the real deal.)
A solid foundation.
Kate Pell & Dan Alder — 350-hour Foundational Teacher Training (2014)
My journey began at The Yoga Den in Brisbane — a full 12-month, in-person program. Not a weekend intensive, not a retreat certificate. Immersive, small-group, mentor-led learning that moved slowly and thoughtfully.
Kate taught me the power of presence — to lead from the heart, not a script. That standard still underpins everything I teach.
What shapes my teaching now.
These are the mentors and programs that inform how I design our small, in-person 6-week modules — clear sequencing, strength + mobility, and evidence-informed cues.
Jules Mitchell.
300-hour Yoga Biomechanics Teacher Training (2025—present)
We’re digging into the science behind practice — load, stretching, tissue adaptation, and how bodies respond over time. Just as important: research literacy — reading studies well, spotting shaky claims, and holding nuance.
We explore questions like:
Does yoga reverse osteoporosis?
Are headstands inherently risky?
What does “safe” actually mean?
How this shows up in class
A clearer why behind cues (not just “because tradition”)
Progressive strength/load woven into sequences
Fewer rigid rules; more options that fit real bodies
Format: live cohort (~12 months): seminars, mentored labs, applied research homework.
Jason Crandell.
300-hour Advanced Vinyasa Teacher Training (2023–2024)
Clear, intelligent, progressive vinyasa. During this training I formalised our 6-week modular system and leaned into small, high-touch groups. In cohort discussions, Jason encouraged me to prioritise membership-based modules and deliberate repetition over drop-ins and novelty.
How this shows up in class
Repetition + consistency to build capability (on purpose, not boring)
Scaffolded sequencing with week-to-week progress
Strength + mobility woven into flow (not bolted on)
Crystal-clear cues; less choreography-for-choreography’s-sake
Format: live cohort (~12 months) with assessed coursework, practicum, and significant independent study.
Cecily Milne.
Yoga Detour Method Training (2019 & 2020)
Cecily taught me to question defaults: why this cue, for this body, right now? I shifted from teaching shapes to purposeful movement — integrating strength, mobility, and critical thinking.
How this shows up in class
Options > obligations; clear progressions and regressions for real bodies
Joint prep and load tolerance alongside mobility
“Try this, notice that” — you’re encouraged to trust your intuition
Format: Detour Method Online (live cohort, global faculty) → Detour Method Synthesis (follow-on for DMO grads)→ 7-day in-person intensive in Melbourne with Cecily.
Post-training smiles after a week with Cecily Milne and the Yoga Detour crew in Melbourne, 2020. Deep learning, deep lunges, and deep laughs.
Recognised experience.
I’m a Level 2 Yoga Teacher, registered with Yoga Australia.
Formal training includes:
350-hour foundational certification with Kate Pell & Dan Alder
300-hour advanced vinyasa with Jason Crandell
300-hour biomechanics with Jules Mitchell (in progress)
Yoga Detour Method with Cecily Milne (live cohort + in-person intensive)
Altogether, my training hours are in the thousands — and growing. These programs are cohort-based and represent a significant ongoing investment of both time and tuition.
The mentor who changed everything.
Amber Karnes | Mentor, Teacher, Community Builder
Amber entered my world just when I needed her most. After years of doing this work on my own, I found in her not just a mentor — but a true ally, creative collaborator, and wise friend.
She’s helped me navigate burnout, build retreats that feel like home, and hold boundaries that honour my time, my energy, and my values.
Amber is not only a powerhouse teacher with decades of experience — she’s also an artist, a podcaster, a community builder, and an advocate for body-liberated, soul-led practice. And she has a beautifully honest relationship with the wellness world — one that keeps me anchored, too.
These days, we meet most weeks. And now, I don’t know how I did any of this without her.
If you’ve ever felt clarity, permission, or depth in the way I hold space — chances are, Amber’s fingerprints are quietly woven through it too.
Further training highlights.
Donna Farhi — Embodied learning & foundational teaching skills (2014, ongoing)
Francesca Cervero — 1:1 teaching & embodied methodology (2019)
Jill Miller — Myofascial release for yoga teachers (2019)
Drew Hume — Anatomy, mobility & functional movement (2020)
Related development
Ongoing mentoring with Amber Karnes (business, boundaries, voice)
Strength coaching with Gavin Heward
Menopause support & HRT with Dr Rachel Bidgood, integrated with lived experience
In short.
I don’t teach from scripts.
I don’t copy what’s trending.
And I don’t stop learning when the certificate arrives.
What I offer is intelligent, progressive, evidence-informed teaching — grounded in compassion and shaped by world-class mentors.
I teach in a way that supports your body, your nervous system, and your life.