experienced teachers


Pru – Studio Owner, Teacher, Psychotherapist
Pru created The Retreat Yoga Studio in 2016 as a sanctuary for embodied healing and community—a place where everyone can land, feel accepted, and know they belong. With a background in both yoga and psychotherapy, she brings an integrative, trauma-informed approach to her teaching, blending functional movement, somatic therapy, myofascial release, and yoga philosophy.
Her classes are mindful and embodied explorations of self, where strength, mobility, and vitality are cultivated alongside self-understanding, acceptance, and compassion. Drawing on her work as a psychotherapist, and as the creator of Mindful Somatic Yoga Therapy, Pru supports students to regulate their nervous systems, attune to their inner experience, and connect with the wisdom of their bodies.
Known for her warmth and presence, Pru invites students into practices of meditation, flow, yin, and restorative yoga that are both therapeutic and empowering. Through curiosity and kindness, she guides others to find ease, resilience, and sanctuary within.

Jo
Jo’s classes weave tradition, creativity, and mindful awareness. With a background as a professional dancer and choreographer, she brings deep knowledge of the body into her teaching, blending clear alignment with imaginative sequencing. Yoga has been part of her life for more than 20 years, beginning with Iyengar and Shadow Yoga before moving into Vinyasa. Since completing her teacher training with Power Living in 2014, she has guided students to balance energy, connect with breath, and find calm in both movement and stillness. Jo invites you to explore strength and openness while developing awareness of body, breath, and mind—tools that support not only practice, but daily life.

Ben
Ben teaches playful, energising classes that blend strength, breath, and intention. With more than a decade of practice, he draws on yoga’s physical and philosophical roots to create sessions that are both lighthearted and transformative. A dancer by training, Ben has performed internationally, giving him a unique understanding of the mind–body connection. He completed his teacher training with the Australian Yoga Academy and holds a BFA in Dance from the Victorian College of the Arts. Expect flowing movement, breathwork, and meditation to leave you feeling both challenged and restored. For Ben, movement is a pathway to healing, discovery, and joy—and he loves sharing that with others.

Jana
Jana first turned to yoga in her twenties to manage physical pain, beginning with Iyengar before further studies in India introduced her to meditation, pranayama, and Bhakti Yoga. Since 2013 she has taught Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, Restorative, and Yoga Nidra in studios and community spaces. More recently, she trained in Shiatsu and Oriental Therapies, blending yoga with Traditional Chinese Medicine to support trauma recovery, chronic health, and everyday stress. Jana’s classes integrate breath, movement, and stillness, inviting students to connect with both the physical and subtle layers of the body. She is passionate about holding space for healing, presence, and self-understanding.

Kristie
Kristie has practiced yoga around the world for over 20 years, finding balance through life’s trials and triumphs. As a wife and mother of four, teaching became a natural way to share her love of yoga and community. She values both dynamic Yang practice for strength and Yin for calm, believing the blend creates true balance. Kristie’s classes are guided with openness, authenticity, and encouragement, offering a space where students can meet themselves exactly as they are. For her, yoga is not about perfection but presence—a lifelong practice that continues to evolve. She welcomes you to explore strength, rest, and self-compassion alongside her.

Ling
Ling teaches yoga that is both grounding and playful. Her classes are intuitive, mindful, and adapted to the energy of the moment, weaving in stories and lessons with warmth and humour. Known for her cheeky yet nurturing approach, she guides deliberate, thoughtful movements that connect body and heart. Currently, her biggest teachers are her boys—a daily reminder to stay present and flexible. Ling shares yoga simply because she loves it, and hopes to inspire the same love in others. Her classes invite enjoyment, empowerment, and the chance to feel more at home within yourself.

Steph
Steph discovered yoga during a time of burnout, experiencing its profound capacity to heal and restore. Inspired to share its benefits, she completed 350 hours of teacher training and now offers classes that are grounding, accessible, and fun. With a keen interest in anatomy and skeletal variation, Steph encourages students to stay curious about their bodies and adapt postures to suit individual needs. Off the mat, she is a veterinarian and keen trail runner, often exploring the natural beauty around Melbourne. Steph’s teaching invites exploration, balance, and a renewed sense of resilience in both body and mind.

Nigel
Nigel came to yoga after years of chronic back pain from bodybuilding and orchard work. Seeking healing led him into meditation, yoga philosophy, and a shift in lifestyle—giving up alcohol, embracing vegetarianism, and finding purpose beyond real estate. What began as soul-searching became a way of life, inspiring him to share yoga’s benefits with others. His classes are grounded in both discipline and compassion, offering students the chance to strengthen the body while exploring self-discovery. Nigel believes yoga is more than movement—it’s a lifelong process of transformation, supporting balance, purpose, and wellbeing.

Rachel

Vickie
Vickie began her yoga journey in 2016 and soon realised its transformative impact. She has since completed her 200-hour training with the Australian Yoga Academy, along with studies in Yin, Restorative, Seniors Yoga, and more. She loves the rhythm of Vinyasa for flow and breath, and is especially passionate about Yin for its meditative, healing qualities. Vickie sees yoga as a lifelong journey of growth, and teaching as her way of sharing that joy. Her classes encourage both strength and surrender, offering students tools for balance in body and mind. Off the mat, she enjoys family, nature walks, and sunny escapes.

Yuliya

Jennifer
Originally from New York and Shanghai, Jennifer has made Melbourne her home. Yoga has been her constant through life’s transitions, offering grounding, balance, and joy. She has taught internationally and loves the creativity of Vinyasa flow, where breath and movement weave into vibrant expression. Jennifer also includes pranayama and meditation, creating integrated practices that nurture body and mind. She treasures the sense of community yoga creates and welcomes conversations before and after class. Warm and open, Jennifer hopes every student leaves feeling calmer, stronger, and more at home within themselves.

YuYing
What began as stretching for martial arts almost 10 years ago grew into a lifelong yoga practice for YuYing. Training in both Vinyasa and Yin, he now shares yoga as mindful movement, where breath is the anchor for presence and ease. His Vinyasa classes feature fluid transitions and intentional sequencing, while his Yin classes explore meridian theory through nourishing stillness. Beyond teaching, he is a project manager, community yoga organiser, and parent of two teenagers. For YuYing, yoga is about cultivating resilience and joy both on and off the mat—and he loves guiding others to discover that too.

Hanna
Hanna is a trauma-informed yoga teacher dedicated to creating safe, compassionate spaces for healing. With a strong grounding in somatic and nervous system awareness, she guides students to reconnect with body and mind at their own pace. Currently completing a Master’s in Psychology, Hanna blends Western science with Eastern wisdom to support integration and growth. Her classes encourage presence, deep listening, and self-compassion, empowering students to embrace their own inner healer. For Hanna, yoga is an invitation to come home to yourself—finding steadiness, restoration, and transformation through gentle awareness and embodied practice.

Satvir
For Satvir, yoga is a journey inward—towards befriending our essential core and finding steadiness through life’s changes. Rooted in her South Asian heritage, her classes draw inspiration from yoga philosophy, nature, and lived experience. With a trauma-informed approach, she creates a safe, intentional space for exploration, encouraging students to carry practice into daily life. Satvir believes yoga is not just what happens on the mat, but how it shapes how we show up in the world. Her teaching is an invitation to explore body, breath, and presence with curiosity, and compassion.

Amanda
Amanda fell in love with yoga after her very first class, captivated by the strength and self-compassion it awakened. She has since completed 1000 hours of advanced training and taught full-time for more than six years. Her classes range from energising Vinyasa flows to restful Yin taught with warmth and humour. Amanda believes yoga helps us build an intimate relationship with body, mind, and spirit, on and off the mat. Off the mat, she is a world traveller, retreat host, and creator of essential oil blends to support healing and wellbeing.

Jen
Jen discovered yoga in her mid-twenties during a period of searching, and it quickly became her anchor. Through mindful movement and breath, she found strength, healing, and purpose. Today she teaches Vinyasa, Slow Flow, Yin, and Meditation, offering classes that are dynamic yet spacious. Her style is mindful and grounding, encouraging students to connect deeply with their bodies and cultivate awareness. For Jen, yoga is both therapy and growth—a way of finding balance on the mat and in life. Teaching brings her joy, and she is grateful to share practice as a way of living fully.

Amber
Amber rediscovered yoga after years of dedicating herself to her family, seeking balance and space for herself. It became a journey of healing that inspired her to teach. Her classes combine mindful movement with nourishing breath, delivered with warmth, playfulness, and encouragement. Amber loves helping students discover strength, vitality, and calm in their own bodies. Off the mat, she is mum to three boys, enjoys high-intensity workouts, and treasures quiet moments with a book and a hot bath. Amber believes yoga offers freedom—physically and emotionally—and loves supporting others as they uncover that within themselves.

Emma
Emma began yoga in 2010 after the birth of her second son, quickly realising its benefits in both wellbeing and creativity. As a professional singer, yoga helped her ease performance anxiety and find calm on stage. Since completing her 350-hour training in 2016, she has taught Slow Flow, Yin, Restorative, Chair Yoga, and Yoga Nidra, alongside further study in trauma-informed and accessible yoga. Emma is passionate about making yoga welcoming for every body, regardless of shape, size, or ability. Alongside teaching, she continues to perform, lecture in music, and enjoy family life with her husband and three sons.