CAROLINE'S STORY
For as long as I can remember I have loved movement and using my body to the full. My mum said that I never walked anywhere- I cartwheeled.
Physiotherapy was on obvious career choice for me, and I qualified as a physiotherapist in 2001. I have worked as a physio in the NHS since then (aside from a few maternity leaves). I am currently on a career break from my job in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, where I mainly work on the medical wards, helping to get (often older) people back on their feet after a period of illness. For all the shortcomings of the NHS, it is a wonderful organisation and one which I am proud to be a part of.
I began attending yoga classes in 2005, and I immediately enjoyed the classes; the physical postures reminded me of the gymnastics I had done as a child. Although I remember being a bit mystified when the teacher kept telling us to "breathe"... I thought 'well, of course I am breathing!' It wasn't until, after a couple of years, I had a few months out of going to classes, that I noticed my mind started racing, I wasn't sleeping as well, and I realised that yoga was having a bigger impact on my whole life than I first thought. And that maybe there was something more to all this 'breathing'?!
So I started taking my yoga practice a bit more seriously and I finally began training as a yoga teacher in April 2016.
I live in beautiful East Lothian, Scotland, with my husband and our 5 children (the twins arrival in 2018 was a bit of a surprise to say the least!), so family life is a full-time job in itself and finding time for my own personal yoga practice can sometimes be a challenge.
The last few years have been an intense period of my life, with all the demands of a large young family, and also having cared for, and lost, both of my parents within just a few years.
My yoga practice is truly what keeps me grounded and balanced. It helps me to negotiate all the ripples, waves and storms of life with acceptance, clarity, strength and peace.
I opened The Yoga Den, in the gorgeous and friendly village of East Linton in July 2020 - perhaps not the best year to open a new yoga studio, but we made it through covid!
When I qualified as a yoga teacher, I only ever intended to teach a couple of yoga classes a week, to have my own studio feels like a bit of a crazy dream! I am so happy that other amazing teachers & therapists can join me in providing this healing space to serve the community of East Lothian, and beyond.
TEACHERS AND THERAPISTS AT THE YOGA DEN
GARETH JONES
Yin & Pranayama & Mellow Flow yoga
A class to find depth within the balance of effort and ease, and a class to find what lies beneath the stillness of longer held Yin postures. One class to find movement and some gentle flows, and another to hold passive stretches and reset the mind and body.
SUZANNE BURNS
Qi Gong
Suzi is passionate about health and wellbeing. She is a Certified Holden QiGong Teacher, accredited through the British School of Meditation and a graduate of Davidji’s Masters of Wisdom and Meditation Teacher Training Academy.
LAURA ROBERTSON
Accupuncture Appointments
Laura is an Acupuncturist and member of the British Acupuncture Council (BAcC). She graduated from the Northern College of Acupuncture in York with a first class BSc(Hons) degree in Traditional Chinese Acupuncture and enjoys being able to bridge the gap between Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine in a safe and informed way.
SIOBHAN GOUGH
Yin Yoga
Siobhan has practiced yoga for a number of years, but discovered yin yoga in particular after she reached burn out and developed shingles. Yin yoga has given her a space to be still, to switch off, to focus on her breath, her thoughts, her body, and really listen to what it needs. If this narrative sounds familiar, perhaps she can encourage you to give yin yoga a try.
FIONA UNSWORTH
Massage Appointments
Fiona is qualified in Level 5 Sports and Remedial Massage Therapy, Pregnancy and Post Natal Massage Therapy and Reiki and can help you release tension, reduce pain, increase relaxation and to generally feel better.
JO MCCOY
Kundalini Yoga & Gong
Jo is a Kundalini Yoga teacher and a Gong player. Her mission is to support clients that wish to remove their blocks to aligning to their truth. Catch her beautiful, powerful Kundalini Yoga class with Gong relaxation on Thursdays.
SUZANNE MAIER
Mum & Baby and Pregnancy Yoga
Suzanne is a registered midwife and founder of MotherHeal. She is passionate about the transformative nature of birth and helping women begin the journey into motherhood with strength, clarity and joy. A mother of 4, Suzanne believes that mothers' health is integral to societal health and that women can be empowered through better maternal education, support and healing.
SUSANNE DICK
Counselling Appointments
Susanne is a counsellor and psychotherapist. Her aim is to create a safe, supportive and empathic space for you to explore, reflect on, process, heal from life experiences.
LORRAINE MCDONNELL
Wim Hof Workshops
Lorraine is a qualified Nutritionist & Fitness Instructor and a Wim Hof Instructor. Wellbeing has always been her passion and she is primarily focused on helping people to feel better within themselves.
ANGIE GARTON
Sound Baths
Angie is a menopause coach, health nut, avid trail runner, and founder of the ‘menopause done naturally’ online community. Angie runs south baths at the yoga den.
GORDON FOSTER
Beginners Yoga
Gordon completed his 200h Yoga Teacher Training at Meadowlark Yoga in Edinburgh in 2021. As well as his yoga and meditation practice, his classes are influenced by other body-weight movement styles. His yoga practice is rooted within the Ashtanga tradition.
JEMMA KERR
North Berwick Baby Massage
Jemma is a qualified baby massage instructor with the Scottish School of Child and Baby Massage. She has worked with Early Years practitioners in various settings, but has found working with parents and families the most enjoyable and rewarding. She offers relaxed classes where you can learn the skill of baby massage while also meeting new parents for a friendly chat.
LOUISE RUSSELL
Seasonal Yoga
Louise is a Seasonal Yoga instructor and Wellness coach. She offers a friendly and accessible lunchtime class on Mondays. Seasonal yoga is designed to align the changing energies of nature and the seasons. This practice improves physical strength and flexibility while creating balance, harmony and an enhanced sense of wellbeing.