Meet the Team

A Senior Teacher with the Yoga Alliance Professionals, I first encountered yoga whilst travelling in India in 2008. My friends took me to a class and I was amazed at how different I felt afterwards, in both body and mind. I soon realised that yoga was special. Before long I was a dedicated yogi on a mission to learn all that I could about this ancient & mystical practice (I’ll let you know once I’m finished).

Since then, I have returned to India many times, & I continue to train and learn from teachers in various locations. I have exposure to various styles of yoga. I learnt alignment based Hatha Yoga in the Himalayas in North India. I spent time living in ashrams learning various meditation techniques. I travelled to Mysore in the south of India to experience Ashtanga. Most recently, I have studied Ayurvedic Yoga massage techniques. I still remain open to learning and love to expand my knowledge and practice by experiencing new styles of yoga. This varied background of yoga ‘lineages’ that I have practised has given me a rounded practice and a deep understanding of the subtleties of yoga. I also have a degree in religious philosophy and specialised in eastern religions, which also gives me a sensitive understanding of the historical and cultural sources of yoga, and how they play an important part in shaping modern yoga practices.

My own practice helped my body to become stronger and more flexible, it helped me find confidence, health, and generally become happier within my own skin and life. I teach because I want to share this with everyone. Of course, I cannot and would not guarantee that practicing yoga will have the same results for everybody, but I do believe that the tools in the ‘yoga toolbox’ are very powerful. It is my passion and joy to share these tools so that everyone can have the same opportunity to make lasting & positive changes in their life.

When not practicing, thinking, or writing about yoga, my varied interests include landscape and travel photography, piano, drawing, baduk, and hiking.

I hope to see you on the mat sometime soon.

Very much an ‘Earth Child’ from South Africa, Brenda has been practicing yoga since 2000. This started while working on a cruise ship as a massage therapist, attending Hot Yoga and Sivananda classes when possible, but mainly self-taught from books and an Ashtanga DVD.

​She trained as an Ashtanga yoga teacher in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 2006 with Brian Cooper of Union Yoga. At that time she also trained with Ana Forrest, David Swenson and Dharma Mittra

​Brenda established ChillOut Yoga in Aberfoyle, Scotland, in 2007. One of her students, Jane, wanted to train as a Yoga Teacher. After Brenda recommended numerous courses, Jane insisted that she wanted to be trained only with Brenda, so that’s how ChillOut Yoga Teacher Training developed.

​She moved to Suffolk in 2013, establishing the Old School Studio in Long Melford where regular classes, workshops and teacher training happen with herself and other teachers. She continues to train as and when she can, attending workshops with Catherine Annis, Pete Blackaby, Juilan Baker and John Stirk.

‘Like everything else, my practice is constantly evolving. From a strong Ashtanga practice, I have moved into a more Scaravelli-inspired practice, still enjoying the strong asana practices, but with a different focus. I appreciate that yoga is an immensely deep and personal journey, but I also like to bring some light-heartedness and fun into my practice and teaching. I get a lot of inspiration from nature, and my interest and passion in how the body moves is a bit geeky, and I tend to get overly excited about it all. I love teaching and learning, and although I have had, and still have, some amazing and inspirational teachers, I learn the most from the lovely folk who keep coming to my classes and trainings.’

I had been practising yoga and other movement practices for well over a decade when I first came to Brenda’s classes. After a while I decided that I felt very much at home with her approach to teaching yoga: that being to provide a safe, non-judgemental and enriching environment suitable for any ability.

I therefore undertook training with Brenda completing the CYTT 300 Hour Diploma in 2017. Undertaking teacher training supported and encouraged me to follow a journey of personal growth and greater acceptance within myself. Since qualifying, the development of my interest and ongoing practice has been on the impact and connections between our emotional and physical wellbeing, with a focus on relaxation, mindfulness and meditation.

Now retired, my professional background is in Social Work Management and Training, primarily in the fields of Mental Health, Substance Misuse, and Safeguarding. My qualifications include Adult Education Teaching, Mentoring/Coaching, Counselling and Psychodynamic Group Work.