Founding Members of Yoga Therapy Ireland

Marie is a tutor on the YTI Teacher Training Course and Yoga Therapy Course.

Marie completed the Yoga Teacher Training course with the Irish Yoga Association (1994), the Teachers’ Awareness Diploma Course with Jenny Beeken (1996), the Yoga Therapy Medical Foundation Course with the Yoga Biomedical Trust (1999), further short intensives courses with the Yoga Therapy Centre (1997-1999) and is qualified in basic First Aid. Marie teaches adult yoga and meditation and sees clients for one-to-one yoga therapy sessions. She taught yoga in the prison service (Curragh Prison and Midlands Prison) and was the Irish Representative for the Prison Phoenix Trust for many years. She also facilitated workshops for the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Ireland and for Young Parkinson’s Ireland.

Helen was a tutor on the YTI Teacher Training Course and Postgraduate Course (2000-2012).

Helen holds an Arts degree from Queens University, Belfast. She completed the Yoga Teacher Training Course with the Irish Yoga Association, the Yoga of the Heart Inner Yoga – Teacher Awareness Programme (1994-2002) and the Yoga Therapy Course with the Yoga Biomedical Trust. She has also attended Iyengar-based yoga workshops. In 2012, Helen took sabbatical leave from YTI to study Counselling and Psychotherapy at The Tivoli Institute Dun Laoghaire, where she qualified as a Psychotherapist and Counsellor (2013). She is a fully-accredited member of the I.A.C.P. and works at Amberwellness, a Psychotherapy Practice in Sandyford Business Park, where she can also facilitate one-to-one private yoga therapy sessions.

Maureen was the Chairperson of YTI from 2000 – 2016. In September 2016, she was appointed as General Manager/Company Secretary of the organisation.

Maureen completed her Yoga Teacher Training Course with the Irish Yoga Association in 1994. Between 1994 and 1999, she did further training with the Yoga for Health Foundation and the Yoga Biomedical Trust. She completed her Train the Trainer Course through NUI Maynooth in 2000.  She was involved in developing many of the organisation’s training courses, administration and monitoring of the organisation’s affairs.  In 2000, Maureen initiated the Yoga Federation of Ireland, an umbrella organisation for all yoga teacher training organisations, in an effort to standardise teacher training nationwide. These groups came together under the umbrella of the Yoga Federation of Ireland. Three of the main national training organisations are still involved in this Federation.  Maureen is very actively involved in strengthening relationships between YTI and the Indian Embassy through her on-going assistance with the annual celebration of International Yoga Day.

Linda was a tutor on the YTI Teacher Training Course, Yoga Therapy Course and Foundation Course.

Due to ill health she had to retire from teaching in June 2016. She initially trained as a yoga teacher with the Irish Yoga Association over 35 years ago and did further studies with Jenny Beeken through Yoga of the Heart, followed by the Yoga Therapy Medical Foundation Course through the Yoga Biomedical Trust, London. Sadly passed away on 29th April 2017 having endured Motor Neuron Disease for previous two years.

Elma is a tutor on the YTI Yoga Teacher Training Course, Yoga Therapy Course.

Elma has also tutored on the YTI Foundation Course, Yoga for Children Course, Yoga for Sports Course and Chair Yoga Course. Elma completed the Yoga Teacher Training course with the Irish Yoga Association (1993) and the Yoga Therapy Course with the Yoga Biomedical Trust (1999). She also holds a Montessori Teaching Diploma and Train the Trainer Certification. She teaches a diversity of yoga classes, tailoring yoga to suit the individual student.