Meet Helen Coley

Helen is a devoted practitioner and teacher of yoga who finds inner strength and tranquility on her yoga mat. She is known for her warm, welcoming energy and loves the sense of community to be found in both teaching and attending yoga classes. Helen feels very strongly that the sense of connection both with yourself and others is the beating heart of yoga.

About Helen

Helen lived in Nottingham until leaving for university to study a degree in English where she not only indulged her love of reading but had the added bonus of meeting her future husband! Having studied for a PGCE at Warwick University, Helen began a career as an English teacher at a senior school in Warwick, moving to Hertfordshire to teach after she married over 30 years ago. 

In common with many, Helen began practising yoga to help combat anxiety and quickly found her yoga classes to be the highlight of her week. Although she was relatively late to discover yoga, Helen found in the practice the peace she had craved, a newfound respect for her body and a joy of movement she hadn’t experienced since her days as a competitive swimmer many years ago. 

Helen chose to study for her 200hr yoga teaching qualification initially in the spirit of curiosity, but as the course progressed and her confidence grew, she discovered a drive to share her love of the practice. She enjoys practising all styles of yoga, but has a particular affinity with Ashtanga and Yin. 

Helen's Yoga Teaching

Helen’s aim is to bring a creative and inclusive approach to every class with a focus on breath led movement. Her teaching is underpinned by her love of the dynamic practice of Ashtanga. It’s a methodology she believes in, and Helen loves to weave elements of the sequence and the philosophy behind it into her teaching. She has a strong sense of fun and although her classes can be challenging, she hopes that people will leave the studio feeling mentally lighter, more resilient and thoroughly energised. 

Helen’s style of Yin teaching is influenced by her background in literature and she loves to share references to poetry and other inspirational texts in her classes. Helen hugely enjoys sharing this beautifully meditative practice with her students and feels it is the perfect complement to the yang styles of Ashtanga and Vinyasa.

Qualifications: 200hr YAP Qualified Instructor; 30hr Yin Yoga Intensive (Norman Blair)

FAA Level 3 Award in Emergency First Aid 

Random Facts About Helen

  • She has two daughters (and two sons - her Cavalier King Charles Spaniels called Rupert and Wellington!)
  • Her favourite food is Japanese, especially Teppanyaki
  • She is terrible at learning languages and failed her German O’level, but is fascinated by Sanskrit and loves to learn the complex posture names
  • She used to be a red head
  • Her new favourite cocktail is a Gin Bramble
  • The highlight of her yoga journey so far is practising with David Swenson at Mission 

Helen's Schedule