Teachers-Level 1

Flo Fenton

Therapeutic Asana, Pranayama and Meditation, Yoga for Special Needs, Injury Prevention

Flo Fenton is the director of Intouch Yoga Byron Bay, and will be your main teacher on this training. She will be teaching asana, pranayama, meditation and yoga for special needs modules, and some philosophy classes on the one residential training, and most modules on the part time training.

Flo has been practising yoga since 1991, and teaching since 1997. Born in the U.K, and a full-time resident there until the age of 23, she first started her yoga journey whilst travelling in India and Nepal in the early '90's. During several long pilgrimages to India, Flo studied various different styles of yoga from different teachers. Since settling in Australia in 1992, Flo has deepened her commitment to yoga as a lifestyle. She studied yoga in Melbourne with Glenn Ceresoli in the early 90's. In 1999 Flo completed the challenging Yoga Arts Nine-Month teacher training intensive in Byron Bay, taught by Louisa Sear. Since then she has continued to be an almost constant student, with Dena Weisman (nee Kingsberg) Matthew Sweeney, Clive Sheridan, and the Satyananda Yoga Academy, among others. She has attended retreats and workshops with the world's best teachers.

Flo has completed all four Yogic Studies modules of the Satyanada Yoga academy's Teacher Training program, which has given her the tools to work at a pranic level as well as at the physical level. She has attended workshops with the Mohans, and undertaken training with Libby Nelson, senior yoga therapist, and now specializes in Yoga Therapy. She currently teaches the Yoga Therapy module of the Yoga Arts level 2 teacher trainings world-wide.

Due to the diverse knowledge of her teachers, Flo has a wide range of expertise in yoga. Trained by masters of Iyengar, Astanga, and Satyananda traditions, Flo's focus is on finding our natural ease within the postures, and on cultivating an ever deepening awareness of the relationship between the body, the breath, and our state of mind. She teaches precise awareness of alignment in the postures, through the medium of graceful, flowing sequences in synchrony with the breath. Her style is both meditative and enlivening, balancing the active and the passive sides of our nature. As we focus within, developing the capacity to witness ourselves, the sessions themselves become a form of Yoga Therapy, which flows out into our lives beyond the class-room.

Due to Flo's own inherited spinal instability and unusual spinal curves, she has always had a keen interest in finding optimum ways of working to produce strong and pain-free backs and hips. Flo is a highly regarded Remedial, deep-tissue and trigger-point therapy massage therapist of fifteen years standing. Her skills in massage therapy and her long relationship with yoga have produced a special understanding of spinal misalignment, related postural limitations, and how to work in yoga to promote optimum results.

Flo has produced beneficial results working with students within a wide range of health and fitness, from quadriplegics to athletes, Chronic fatigue and M.S sufferers to eating disorder patients.

Flo is a regular contributor to Australian Yoga Life Magazine, and writes the regular 'Yoga Matters' segment for Nature and Health magazine. She is currently registered with Yoga Alliance at the highest possible level of teaching expereince, ERYT-500.

Russ Young

Applied Anatomy and Physiology of Hatha Yoga

Russ has been practicing yoga since 1993 and teaching since 1999. He currently co-owns and runs Younga Yoga Studio in Wollongong NSW with his wife Deb Young.

Russ is an Exercise Physiologist and since 2001 has worked part time both tutoring and lecturing at the University of Wollongong for the Dept of Biomedical Science in Functional Anatomy, Exercise Physiology and Biomechanics. Russ also teaches Anatomy part time for the School of Medicine.

Russ was initially drawn to yoga as a means for treating a scoliosis of
his spine. After unsuccessfully trying to manage his condition with
other treatments, at the age of 18 he bought “Light on Yoga” and
started working through the postures himself at home. He found great
relief for his back pain and has been practicing yoga daily ever since.
Russ’ interest in yoga continued after moving to the UK and studying
the Iyengar method. Before returning to Australia he completed his yoga
teacher training at the Sivananda ashram in Kerela India in 1999.

Since 1999, Russ has taught hatha, vinyasa and ashtanga yoga in a variety of settings and now runs a vinyasa yoga studio in Wollongong. Russ has studied in India, the UK, Japan, Australia and the USA under teachers such as David Swenson, Louisa Sear and Clive Sheridan.

His classes are dynamic yet light hearted with a focus on safe practice, yoga therapy for the individual and injury management.

Liz Costigan

Iyengar Style Asana practice and Teaching Methodology

Liz Costigan is a Certified Level Two Iyengar Yoga Teacher and has a background as a Registered Nurse. She has been practicing yoga for eighteen years, teaching for nine and has trained in the Iyengar System for 6 years. Liz is the Founder of Byron Iyengar Yoga and The Byron Yoga Lounge. "Yoga is one of my best friends. I find it liberating for my body, mind and soul. I find the Iyengar Journey an incredible inspiration and guide for every day life"

Liz teaches both dynamic and restorative classes. Emphasis is placed on safety and alignment and adapting the practice to suit individual body types.

On the Intouch Yoga teacher Training, Liz will be teaching Iyengar style morning classes, and some of the props and modifications classes.

Rishi Nityabodhananda

Philosophy, History and Culture of Yoga

Intouch Yoga is honoured to have Rishi Nityabodhananda on the teaching staff. He will  be teaching the majority of the philosophy component of the training.

Rishi Nityabodhananda is a Yogacharya (Master of yoga), a versatile and experienced teacher.
In the late 1960’s Nityabodhananda left a professional career and for many years studied under his guru Swami Satyananda in India.

Over the years he has taught yoga classes and run seminars in many parts of the world.

With a vast knowledge of all aspects of Yoga he is well known for his ability to relate original Yoga texts and render abstruse philosophies in a language that enthuses and enlightens Yoga aspirants.

Rishi Nityabodhananda conducts programs right across the broad spectrum of Yogic subjects. These include Bhakti Yoga, Gyana Yoga, Kundalini Yoga, Tantra Yoga, Karma Yoga, Raja Yoga and Hatha Yoga.

He wasa senior teacher at the Satyananda Yoga Academy in New South Wales Australia, conducting seminars and lecturing in Yogic Studies programs for the Diploma of Satyananda Yoga Teaching.

Now he devotes his time mainly to writing on the philosophy & practice of Yoga.

His life’s purpose is to serve the needs of people by carrying the message of his Guru, Swami Satyananda through his classes, lectures, seminars writings and satsangs.

Carmelle Moore

Voice Production for Yoga Teachers with Carmelle Moore 

With 24 years experience as a Speech Pathologist, 10 years teaching Yoga & postgraduate research on the effects of yoga on voice production, Carmelle has developed a comprehensive and detailed understanding of the interaction of yoga and voice.

Carmelle is sensitive, passionate and creative in her approach, and committed to supporting every body and voice to express their full potential with power and joy. She has a gift for teaching the techniques she has found through her extensive research, to enable people to find their fullest voice.
Carmelle is a Speech Pathologist specializing in voice and Ki Yoga teacher. She is also a trained facilitator of InterPlay (a philosophy and practice of Incremental Improvisational Voice, Movement & Story) which she draws on to ground her work with joy, delight and ease.

Carmelle has studied aspects of Voice Culture and yoga therapy in India and practiced, and studied Anatomy & Physiology, with Simon Borg- Olivier at Yoga Synergy Bondi Junction in 2001. She undertook postgraduate studies at Sydney University exploring the use of yoga to enhance voice production, and has presented this work nationally and internationally.

Steve Bowden

Self Inquiry

Steve Bowden leads the Self Inquiry sessions. He is a welfare worker with 20 years experience in helping people to see who they are, face their fears, and reach their fullest potential. These occasional sessions are an important forum for sharing experiences, and in understanding at a conscious level the changes within ourselves that take place on an intensive course such as this. Steve will also be avialable for private sessions if required.