A bit about me.....

Having struggled with chronic asthma and anxiety for most of my life, I know how scary and hard it can be to not be able to trust your body and truly relax.

I tried yoga at home a few times, but any relaxation exercises or simple postures felt really inaccessible and made me feel more anxious. As part of my mental health work with adults and children, I read extensively about the healing power of yoga for trauma, and was desperate to give it another try.

I went to my first yoga class with a neighbour a couple of years ago, and the yoga teacher made the space feel really safe, inclusive and helped me to access yoga in a way that worked for me and my body. From these first few classes, I then found a way to feel the magic benefits of yoga in my own practice, and it became a massive part of me feeling rested and bought my anxiety levels down massively. Having experienced the huge difference an inclusive and understanding teacher made in my life, I wanted to train to help other people who may not be able to access yoga on their own. It has such a huge potential to help to lower levels of anxiety, restore confidence in the body, and give such profound moments of peace. I completed my 200HR Trauma-informed Hatha Yoga Qualification in September 2023 and I am excited to start helping people access yoga and feel good. I enjoy spending time sea-swimming, reading, walking my beautiful whippet ‘Luna’ and visiting as many beaches in Cornwall as my schedule allows.

·The maximum class size will be 6 women only so that I can ensure that the class takes into account their needs. If anyone chooses to leave the classes in the middle of a term, I will add a new student in to keep the class as a group of 6 if possible.

·You always have a choice to sit out of certain aspects of the class- I will never publicly question this but I’m happy for you to feedback to me if needed to come up with a suitable alternative.

·You can hold the postures for as long or little time as you feel is right for your body. I will suggest an ‘average’ time, but it is your choice.

·When you login to the class each week on Zoom, I will expect you to privately message me to let me know if you have any different needs for the session due to physical or mental health. Even if nothing has changed, it is important for me to have received a message from you either way even if this is ‘no changes’.

·At the start of each practice, we will do a simple breathing exercise to ground yourself and start to raise awareness of your body. This can be accessed either lying down or sitting up being supported. You can choose to close your eyes, or have a soft gaze downwards.

·We will then move gently between a range of seated postures. This will follow the same structure for the first few weeks of the practice so that you can gradually improve your strength and comfort in the postures over time. It will also create a sense of familiarity and safety within your practice.

·At the end of the practice there will be optional relaxation exercise which will be lying down on your mat. If you feel like this is not right for you at any time, please feel free to leave the class.

Before you start my online classes there are some practical things to consider:

 Will you have a safe, private, comfortable and uninterrupted space to access the class from at the same time each week?

 Have you bought a yoga mat and considered the range of options available in terms of textures/sound?

 Do you have cushions and/or a blanket available to make yourself more comfortable during the session if needed due to specific health conditions or injuries?

 Do you have a soothing strategy so that you can have a ‘plan B’ in case some parts of the yoga class feels too much on any particular day?

 Will you be comfortable joining a small online class where there is a requirement to have your camera on for the length of the class and positioned in a way so that I can see you whole body and yoga mat?

 Will you be comfortable with me giving you individual verbal feedback to support your practice by suggesting amendments to your postures?

 Have you read the class information and does it meet your needs?

One-to-one beginner yoga sessions

I understand that being part of an online class may not be suitable for everyone who wants to access yoga initially, so I also offer one hour one-to-one sessions in my home in Shoreham-by-Sea.

Prior to our initial session, I will send you a short questionnaire to ensure that I can meet your needs in the best way. Once this has been completed and payment confirmed, I will be able to send you photos of the space. You will be able to access a toilet and refreshments anytime in our session. I will have a fan/heater available and an air filter. Our initial session will be 1hr 15 minutes so that we can talk through your needs and discuss any questions you have before we start our practice. We will go at a pace that suits you, and I will suggest modifications if needed.

£12 per 1 hour online class

£55 per 1 hour one- to-one in-person class

amysayeryoga@hotmail.com

amysayeryoga