KAREN NICHOL

Karen Nichol is the Founder and Principle teacher of Community and Yoga. Karen has been practicing and studying Yoga for over 20 years and teaching for 15 years.She first started practing Yoga in the UK in her late teens as an alternative to gymnastics ( which she practiced since 5 years old ). She also taught gymnastics for a some time.

Originally Karen practiced a style called Astanga Vinyassa which is very core strengthening. From then on as Karen travelled she practiced and studied several styles including Hatha and Iyengar, Ashtanga (Patanjali eight limbs of Yoga), Pranayama (Breathing) and Relaxation techniques.

Karen has completed a two year Yoga teaching diploma through the Integral Yoga Academy of Australasia in early 2005. Since then Karen has attended regular workshops, camps and seminars. In early 2010 Karen spent some time at Kavailyadhama a Yoga and Ayurvedic Research Centre in Lonavala, India. She also has a great interest in Pre and Post Natal Yoga, Childrens Yoga and Yoga for Mental Health Conditions

Karen is very passionate about applying Yoga in daily life for overall health and contentment. It gives her great joy to share this with others.

I have been interested in yoga since my 30's when I practiced yoga sporadically and found it improved my overall health.

For the past 15 years I have practiced some form of yoga, meditation and mindfulness daily. I find it brings a sense of peace,calmness and connectedness enhancing my day to day living.

I am a Registered General & Mental Health Nurse, Trained Narrative Family Therapist and have studied art therapy and level one IREST Yoga Nidra I have worked in the field of counselling & mental health for over 20 years. During this time I have become more interested in yoga both personally& professionally .

My style of working with people whether that be counselling or in yoga is concerned with the idea of connectnedness and working with ourselves vs working in opposition to ourselves. Whether that be our current emotions, physical state or held beliefs, I find that yoga enhances our sense of connection and appreciation with ourselves and then ultimately this expands to other relationships.