Nurturing Young Minds:
How Yoga Shapes My Work with Children and Adolescents
I first discovered yoga as a teenager, in a small village hall surrounded by a group of ‘older’ ladies whose quiet strength and calm presence deeply inspired me. As the teacher softly chanted in Sanskrit, something within me stirred — a spark of spirituality, of inner awareness. Yoga became my anchor through those intense teenage years when the mind and body are rapidly rewiring and emotions can feel like waves crashing against the shore.
That early experience shaped my lifelong belief that yoga can support young people through times of change, helping them build resilience, emotional balance, and a sense of inner steadiness.
From the Classroom to the Yoga Mat
My yoga teaching journey began in 2011 with Integral Hatha Yoga. Before long, I found myself sharing what I’d learned with children — first in schools, then in community settings.
As a primary school teacher, I began weaving yoga and mindfulness into the rhythm of classroom life, long before “wellbeing” became a curriculum buzzword. We used singing bowls and meditation bells to create mindful stillness breaks. I brought movement breaks into lessons, helping children release energy and refocus. After lunch, we’d settle with guided relaxation — a gentle reset after the chaos of playtime. These small moments of calm made a huge difference. Children became more centred, self-aware, and compassionate. Soon, colleagues came to observe, curious about how yoga could transform classroom dynamics.
Growing with My Students
As my passion for child and adolescent wellbeing deepened, I continued my training — in Children’s Yoga, Teen Yoga, Mum & Baby Yoga, Toddler & Pre-school Yoga, Yin Yoga and Vinyasa Yoga. Each stage of development brought its own joy and learning: from playful family sessions outdoors to teaching yoga for teens navigating the complexities of identity and emotion. Fast forward to 2022, when I was officially recognised a Senior Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance UK (which sounds far older than I feel!). This title meant l had completed over eight years of experience and more than 4,000 hours of teaching and further training.
One highlight was teaching at Camp Bestival, where families gathered under the sun to move, breathe, and connect. Those shared moments of joy and grounding reminded me how yoga can nurture connection across generations.
Integrating Yoga and Therapy
When I transitioned from classroom teaching to train in psychotherapy at The Institute for Arts in Therapy and Education, yoga naturally found its place within my therapeutic work. Research by Bessel van der Kolk, Stephen Porges, and Deb Dana shows how trauma and stress are stored in the body. Yoga offers a safe, non-verbal pathway to reconnect with the self — to regulate rather than react, and to restore balance. When combined with clinical sensitivity and supervision, it becomes a powerful tool for healing and growth.
I now use yoga-informed practices to support regulation, embodiment, and emotional expression in 1:1 and group sessions.
These approaches also underpin my Mind Body Balance programme — an evidence-based group therapy model designed to help children and adolescents develop self-awareness, regulate their nervous systems, and build secure attachment through mindful, embodied practice.
Supporting Young People Through Embodied Practice
Today, I run regular therapeutic sessions for children and adolescents — spaces where movement, creativity, and mindfulness meet. The word yoga means to yoke or to unite, and I see this union unfold every day: mind, body, and breath working together to support integration and wellbeing.
It brings me great purpose to guide young people through these developmental stages — helping them build emotional literacy, body awareness, and a compassionate connection to themselves.
Returning to the Mat
Amid the many roles I hold — mother, specialist teacher, therapist — I protect my own time on the mat. My practice grounds me, helping me process the deep emotional work I hold space for, allows me to recognise projection and transference, and tend to my own energy. Yoga is my oxygen mask — allowing me to breathe deeply so I can help others do the same. 
I’m deeply grateful for every student, every class, and every moment this path has offered. From the curious energy of a child’s first yoga pose to the quiet courage of a teen learning to breathe through anxiety, yoga continues to weave its way through my work and life — guiding me toward balance, connection, and purpose.