About the teachers

The teachers at Urban Yoga have been carefully selected on the basis of the calibre of their training, experience and ability to communicate the teachings of yoga from their own perspective with authenticity and openness. Our teachers are dedicated practitioners with years of experience on their own mats so they understand what it’s like to use yoga as a tool for living in the real world. Each teacher brings their own personality, humour and perspective to their classes and we’re thrilled to have such a brilliant cross section of people with varying backgrounds to offer you as guides on your yoga path.

Regularly Scheduled Teachers:

KELLY FISHER
Yoga has been instrumental in Kelly’s shift “just surviving” to “absolutely thriving”. Kelly’s classes emphasize the basics while offering some innovative flair and a bit of fun. Her teaching style is based on her personal experience of discovering the freedom to listen to her own body. She uses movement and music to help you to develop strength and flexibility in a creative way. Read more

DAVID DRISCOLE
David started practicing yoga with the aim of improving his triathlon and mountain biking performance. Yoga did help enhance his core strength, flexibility and balance, but he also found respite from his perfectionism and peace from his anxiety. David uses his experience of improving his limited mobility (of both body and mind) to offer classes that are challenging and fun. Read more

SARAH MORRIS
After attending her first yoga class in 2001, Sarah is still a curious yoga student. Once yoga became a habit, her commitment to yoga has grown into a daily practise that she is keen to share with others. Having recently completed a Teacher Training in Bali with Bridget Woods-Kramer and Ananda Leone, including Philosophy Studies with Carlos Pomeda, Sarah is excited to join the Urban Yoga Community. Read more

SHELLEY MCCARTEN
Shelley McCarten’s love of yoga is the simple practice of being able to get out of your head, and into your body. Her classes aim to provide a down-to-earth, accessible and deeply fulfilling yoga practice. You will feel challenged, but not in a yoga-contortion-levitation kind of way! Be prepared to move mindfully, breathe deeply, and become more present to your body, mind and spirit. Read more

MEGAN SETY
Megan started practicing yoga in 2002 as a way to build strength that would support her other athletic pursuits. She soon discovered yoga offered not only a way to recover from and avoid injuries, but helped her to understand the intricacies of her body and how to stay healthy. She has also come to value the ways in which yoga can offer physical and mental calm.  Read more

AMY FITZGERALD
Amy has practiced yoga since 2009. From the very first class something really grabbed her attention. The nourishing effect of showing up at class, to be in her body, using breath to move and open, was slow but steady. Her yoga mat quickly became hallowed ground, where she experienced glimpses of what it means to let go, to connect to a bigger energy, to be self aware, to be awake in this world, to be conscious. Read more

 

Special Programmes and Substitute Teachers:

PETER FERNANDO
Peter Fernando is a mindfulness trainer and meditation teacher. After graduating from university, he spent 9 years engaged in intensive mindfulness practice, living in Buddhist monasteries in the U.S, Canada and N.Z. He now teaches in Wellington with Original Nature meditation centre, and runs an online course, A Month of Mindfulness. Read more

LISA PHELAN
As a graduate of the Hakomi Institute’s body-mind psychotherapy training, Lisa is passionate about overall health and wellbeing. Eight years of yoga practice have proved a source of inner steadiness, physical expression and deep connections with communities of wonderful people. Lisa’s classes aim to help you develop the joys and benefits of yoga in your life. Read more

ELISSA JORDAN
Elissa’s first ever yoga class was the first time she experienced honest-to-goodness-quiet. Having grown up with labels like hyper-active and attention-deficit following her around, a little quiet went a long way. Elissa’s style of teaching is dynamic and spirited. She pulls in elements from a broad spectrum of yoga styles to guide students to a better awareness of themselves and their capabilities. Read more

MARIANNE ELLIOTT
Marianne is a human rights advocate, writer and yoga teacher who came to yoga via a decade working in international human rights. In yoga, she discovered the tools and practices to make her humanitarian work and advocacy more effective and more sustainable. Above all else, Marianne believes in the power of kindness as a central teaching force and that we are ultimately each our own best teacher. Read more