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Faculty & Staff
Our Experienced & Passionate Teachers & Staff
A Committed Family of Yoga Professionals
BIYOME has a diverse and respected faculty of Senior yoga & meditation teachers & allied health professionals. We believe in bringing to you the highest quality educators in their respective fields. Our teachers are amongst some of Australia’s finest Senior teachers. They are sought after, dedicated and passionate teachers with years of experience in delivering high quality teacher training programs.
Our latest faculty contributors include University professors, engaged for their outstanding contributions in their chosen field of study in Integrative Lifestyle Medicine.
BIYOME is run by a close and small team of managers and administrators who are always happy to assist you with your every need with the hope of furthering your education and success.
Our Yoga & Meditation Teachers
Our highly comitted and passionate teachers and trainers work together with Celia in order to provide you with the highest standard of yoga and meditation training and education. Find out more about our faculty members below.
Alicia Carter
PhD and Masters of Health Psychology Candidate, UQ
Alicia is a PhD and Masters of Health Psychology candidate at UQ. Alicia graduated from her Bachelors of Psychological Science from Griffith University in 2011 and Post Graduate Diploma in Psychology from Queensland University of Technology in 2012. In addition, Alicia has completed certificates in Nutrition (2013, Plaskett International College), Global Health (2017, Duke University) and a Diploma in Hypnotherapy (2015, Hypnotic World). Alicia has worked in private and government spaces. Her main area of research interest is compassion with particular focus upon eating, body image, body weight and exercise.
Marian Cavanagh
Senior Yoga TeacherRegistered Relax & Renew Instructor
Marian Cavanagh is a Level 3 Yoga Australia registered yoga teacher with a wide range of training. Marian is a registered Relax and Renew Trainer, certified by Judith Lasater and is passionate about sharing this nurturing, healing practice. Marian specialises in long, deep, quietly held poses. She has been teaching yoga for over 10 years, and restorative yoga for over 6 years, with hundreds of hours of restorative teaching practice. With BIYOME Marian provides workshops that emphasise the need for deep internal rest. Her practices incorporate a focus on long-hold, quietly held spaces, with the use of props to truly support holistic relaxation.
Leanne Davis
Yoga Australia President ViniyogaSenior Yoga TeacherYoga Therapist
Leanne undertook teacher training in 1988 with Sivananda Yoga and Vedanta academy in India and commenced her second teacher training in the tradition of Krishnamacharya in 1996.
Leanne is honoured to have the opportunity to serve, along with the wonderful team of Committee members and office staff, as President of Yoga Australia. She has great enthusiasm for contributing to the profession of yoga teaching and helping to foster the practice and understanding of yoga in our community. Leanne brings a level of training to BIYOME that is second to none: her interest in preserving the authenticity of yoga from its cultural and textual roots whilst embracing the evolution of yoga into contemporary Australia provides teacher training that truly encompasses BIYOME’s values.
Jamie Denham
Iyengar Yoga
Jamie first discovered yoga in 1989 in Norwich, England, while studying at the Norwich School of Art and became driven to look deeper into the art of yoga, travelling to India to meet many great teachers of varied traditions. Jamie is now a dedicated teacher committed to upholding the excellence and purity of Iyengar Yoga, one of the world’s most widely practiced forms of yoga.
Having worked with Celia for many years BIYOME welcomed Jamie in its foundational years bringing students immersive experiences of understanding and applying yogic tools for health and well-being.
Dr. Sue Jackson
Flow & Mindfulness Specialist
Dr Sue Jackson is a practising psychologist, with a specialisation in sport and exercise psychology. Recognised internationally as an expert in flow state research in performance, Sue has co-authored the foundational book, Flow in Sports: The Keys to Optimal Experiences and Performances’ with flow founder, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi. As well as having a PhD in psychology, Sue has trained in yoga and meditation teaching, and enjoys practice of both.
Tam James
Senior PhysiotherapistSenior Yoga Teacher
Tam has been a qualified and registered physiotherapist since 1994 and obtained She obtained her yoga teaching qualification with the British Wheel of Yoga (BWY) in the United Kingdom. Tam is a current senior level 3 member of Yoga Australia (YA) and has completed a Diploma of Yoga Therapy with Yoga Therapy Australia. She has extensive experience in treating a variety of problems ranging from acute injury to long term persisting pain and as such immensely valued her yoga therapy training was with Dr NC (N Chandrasekaran), a medical doctor and yoga therapist with in excess of 25 years of practice. Tam brings a level of training and teaching to BIYOME that illustrates the integrative and complementary nature of yoga and western biomedicine.
Edwina Kempe
Licenced TCTSY SpecialistSocial Worker
Edwina is a Brisbane based Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, trauma-sensitive yoga facilitator, trainer, counsellor, and social worker. Edwina’s framework is trauma informed and draws on values of social justice and human rights. Edwina completed her initial 350 hour Level 1 yoga teacher training with the renowned Kate Pell and Dan Alder and a subsequent 300 hour certification in Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) through the Trauma Center at Justice Resource Institute in Brookline, Massachusetts.Edwina has been working with Celia for over five years teaching students the value of connection to the body and breath through yoga and providing useful tools for Trauma Informed Yoga Teacher Training.
Dr. James Kirby
Lecturer in Clinical Psychology UQ School of Psychology
James is a Lecturer and Clinical Psychologist. He graduated with his PhD in Clinical Psychology from the University of Queensland in 2013. His focus of research is on compassion. He has a broad research interests in compassion. James also holds an Visiting Fellowship at the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University and is an Honorary Member of the Compassionate Mind Foundation UK.
Samantha Lindsay-German
Kundalini Yoga
Samantha Lindsay-German is a powerful, engaging teacher with an enormous healing capacity. Sam’s energy is palpable ~ you can feel her powerful presence. She is an incredibly emotionally intelligent woman, who has completed Kundalini, Vinyasa, Restorative and Pilates training.Sam has also completed an extensive study in Women’s Teachings called The Mothers Journey; Kundalini level 2 Conscious Communications; Massage and Reiki; holistic counselling; as well as Trauma Sensitive Yoga and Trauma Release. Samantha has been working with Celia since 2012 and is a teacher who imparts both austerity and kindness in equal measure. Her manner of teaching is emotionally uplifting to all. BIYOME works closely with Samantha providing students with traditional methodologies backed by evidence-informed reserach and understanding.
Dr. Lisa McLean
(BA. Hons. Psych., PhD) MAPS Psychologist
Lisa is a registered psychologist currently working in private practice on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. Prior to this Lisa spent over 20 years in the community sector supporting people who have been impacted by interpersonal violence. She has extensive training in mindfulness and compassion-based interventions and has recently completed a PhD on compassion-focused group therapy for adult female survivors of childhood sexual abuse.
Swami Mukti
Satyananda Yoga
Swami Muktibodhananda started her yoga journey in 1972. She later studied under the direct guidance of Paramahansa Swami Satyananda for 10 years in India. During this time she authored and had published ‘Swara Yoga, the Tantric Science of Brain Breathing’ and Commentaries on ‘Hatha Yoga Pradipika, the Light on Hatha Yoga’. Swami Mukti is a Yogacharya, master of yoga, and enjoys teaching the ancient yoga practices to a modern day audience.
Dr. Cassandra Shields
PhD (Clinical Psychology), BPsych (Hons), MAPS, FCCLP Board Approved Supervisor (Psychology Board of Australia: AHPRA) Certified Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist and Supervisor (ICEEFT)
Cassy is a clinical psychologist, who has been working in private practice since 2011. She was the third Australian therapist to be certified as an Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist by the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy (ICEEFT), Ottawa Canada. In January 2017, she was certified by ICEEFT as a supervisor in the EFT model; and has supported therapists throughout Australia and New Zealand to develop and enhance their skills working with couples from an Emotionally Focused framework. Cassy began running workshops for couples in 2018, based on Sue Johnson’s best-selling book Hold Me Tight®, with regular workshops being held at ACEFT. Her PhD was passed without the need for revision in 2013, placing her on the Dean’s list for academic excellence in higher degree research (Griffith University). Her research focused on emotional adjustment following traumatic brain injury. She has presented her work both nationally and internationally, and has 10 peer-reviewed publications relating to emotion and adjustment following brain injury. Cassy also tutors at the UQ, in the postgraduate couples therapy. Through her work with clients, Cassy aims to support people work towards developing closer, more secure relationships, live richer meaningful lives, and develop enhanced self-compassion, irrespective of adversity. Cassy sees couples, individuals and families.
Clare Sillence
Social WorkerMental Health Specialist
Clare’s practice strongly focuses on her training as a Mindfulness and ACT therapist. She is a social worker/counsellor and ACT therapist and provides support and counselling to children, young people and adults since 1995. Her practice is based on a strong evidence base which supports people to live the life they choose, determining their life direction to find a more rewarding, fulfilling and enriched life.
Clare has provided training with BIYOME since its foundation helping many students to further their yoga and meditation teacher training with knowledge and awareness in trauma informed practice.
Craig Smith
ViniyogaSenior Yoga TeacherYoga Therapist
Craig completed his 3 year Post Graduate Diploma of Yoga Therapy with Yoga Therapy Australia, training under the expert guidance of Dr N Chandrasekaran and has been teaching yoga for nearly 20 years. Having travelled to India many times, staying for extended periods of study and practice with experienced yogis, Craig is adept in a multiplicity of areas and enjoys encouraging students to dive deeper in to the practice of yoga. Craig is a registered senior Teacher and Yoga Therapist with Yoga Australia.
Dr. Stan Steindl
Adjunct Associate Professor, clinical psychologist and co-director of the Compassionate Mind Research Group at School of Psychology
Stan is a clinical psychologist in private practice with over 20 years of clinical experience in Brisbane, Australia. CFT forms a part of his work with a range of presenting concerns, such as depression, anxiety, stress and anger, as well as trauma-related conditions and addictions. Stan also provides CFT supervision and training, and is the co-director of the Compassionate Mind Research Group at School of Psychology, University of Queensland.
Chanthalah Webster-Tight
Senior Physiotherapist Senior Yoga Teacher
Chanthalah believes that we are made to move. She is a Physiotherapist and Yoga teacher and since completing her training from the University of Queensland she has gained experience assessing, treating, educating and rehabilitating a variety of conditions across different populations. Chanthalah is passionate about optimizing the health and wellbeing through the integrative practice of yoga and physiotherapy.