Introducing our in-house Mindful Studio; CocoonED

We are thrilled to announce our very own House of Hope Mindful Studio. 

Eating in the light of the Moon
Dr. Anita Johnston
"In our culture, we have come to prioritise the yang principles that are active, independent, and direct. Here, the intellectual energy drives forward, maintaining accuracy and control. Its power is associated with separation, identity, autonomy, and individuality.

We are less comfortable with the feminine qualities of yin; stillness, ambiguity, and yielding. We become impatient with cooperative, relationship-experiences, and feel impatient with the subtle qualities of, intuition, nurturance, and the environmental teachings."

Perhaps the process of Recovery requires support and exploration of both states; simultaneously. 

As Anita referenced, we tend to find ourselves, focusing on the yang, with information, cognitive processing, and direct, active treatment goals. What we have [also] listened for, is the need for a bridge back to building somatic resources. To explore alternative modalities, we may find that things move slower, shifting across different time-lines and, not always in a linear fashion. In this shared environment we witness; deeper processing, the surfacing of knowledge/s, forgotten resources, diverse experiencing, reflection, care and integration in our evolving self-form.

Through our Mindful Studio, we hope to create a space where each individual feels comfortable to show up and be met, as they are, in a safe and explorative environment. Whether you're practiced in the mode of yoga/somatic modalities, or are trying it out for the first time, we hope to support each of you in a safe, mindful and compassionate way. 

 
 

Cocoon-ED has been in the making for some time. Our earliest engagement with somatic health was through 'restorative yoga' with a wonderful yoga practitioner back in 2018. Mindful movement & meditation slowly gained more prevalence in our community and together we softened to this practice;

a practice of connecting; with self, each other and the environment that encircles us.

Currently we have a growing community of key facilitators who will been running trauma-informed yoga sessions, sound baths, heart ceremony & meditation offered from our House of Hope. We were recently successful in the very first Australian Young Living Grant that has facilitated the necessary growth to establish a permanent in-house studio.

This studio has arrived!

Soon, we will have a regular timetable, for now, sessions will be announced via our social media!

You can also head to this Booking Link   to see what dates/time pop up that might work for you. You can proceed to then secure your spot! 

A note on our equipment; 
We have up to 10 yoga mats, bolsters, eye pillows and linen throws available for use. You are welcome to bring along your own equipment also. We are proud to share that our equipment has been stocked by Meraki Mats & The Slow Mo Co. Both small Australian business that have a mindful, sustainable approach to their product development. 

 
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A brief encounter with Stacey Louise;
Yoga Facilitator & Trainer.  

"It is such a great honour to be a part of the extended community of endED. Over the past 16 years, my role has been a Yoga Therapist working extensively with young people with disordered eating within a hospital setting. I have seen first hand the difficult conditions amidst a health care system that misunderstands or is under resourced to adequately support the complexities of experiencing Eating Issues. I have advocated for patients, I have cried with them and I have wished for a better, more integrated system of care.

endED offers what I have hoped for over the years, an emotionally safe and supportive space that is inclusive, compassionate and respectful. They support healing through a person centred, holistic approach. 

I have been running trauma-informed yoga classes at endED for the last few years. Together, we are now seeing the unfolding of our in-house studio, CocoonED. This space has been carefully curated for you by a group of passionate yoga teachers who have lived experience and/ or extensive experience teaching yoga to people with eating disorders.

endED welcome the ingenuity of their volunteer community. They move slowly and mindfully, and pay attention to that which might be a supportive & curious exploration for their participants."

More about Stacey Louise 

Stacey Louise has created an Orientation Video to walk you through how this space may feel. 

 

 

 

Overview of our Mindful Studio Circle

Let us take a moment to introduce you to our growing circle of practitioners. We have been fortunate to have their collective wisdom and unique practice approach shared with our Community over the last few years.

Though each practitioner comes to this space with diverse training and experience, they have, and continue to engage in our re-occuring Trauma Informed Studio Orientation and Training. 

 
Stacey Louise

CocoonED Yoga Facilitator and Trauma Informed Yoga Trainer

Yoga Teacher & Therapist, Children’s and Teen Yoga Teacher, Yoga Teacher Trainer, Zen Thai Shiatsu Massage.

Stacey is one of Australia's most experienced yoga teachers for kids, teens and adults. In her role as a Yoga Therapist, facilitating one on one sessions in hospital and mental health wards for the past 16 years, Stacey has offered thousands of young people hospitalised with disordered eating a gentle presence to be seen and heard during what is often a traumatising time within a challenging environment.  Stacey facilitates calming sessions both within hospital and private practice. She adores sharing yoga classes at the endED “House of Hope”. 

Stacey has developed and offered our very own in-house trauma-informed yoga teacher training across all of our CocoonED Facilitators, and will too be running sessions throughout the year. Come along to meet her!

Tahlia Connie

CocoonED Sound Bath Facilitator and Allied Health

Founder of SOL: Self of Love

Experiencing over a decade in the music industry, Tahlia's calling for deeper self discovery grew, as there was a part of her heart that longed for more meaning in her art as well as her performing and music. Leaving behind her career, she traveled extensively around the world singing her way through Thailand, Vietnam, Bali, Cambodia, Europe, The UK, Canada and The USA.

After teaching herself Piano in recent years and now guitar, her original music has blossomed, recently completing 12 original songs ready to be shared with the world. After being based overseas for a number of years, Tahlia now resides in the beautiful Sunshine Coast Queensland where she has devoted her calling to Music as medicine for Community. Tahlia is now part of our CocoonED Space, offering Sound Bath Sessions.

Tahlia is also part of our Allied Health Space offering; one:one vocal sessions or programs, group music healing and Shiatsu sessions.

Nicole Sanders

CocoonED Yoga Practitioner

Nicole Sanders is from Willow Yoga Brisbane, Australia. After living with anorexia for over a decade, she is now living Free from the illness for over two decades. Mindfulness, mediation and yoga played a vital role in her recovery.

Nicole holds a peaceful sacred space for students. She uses invitational language in the class to make it inclusive, empowering students to explore, be curious & embody their practice and make it their own. Her practices are taught from the heart, with lived experience of her own mental health issues in the past – yoga was a key support in her healing journey.

Yoga transformed her life to live now with inner peace, happiness, and Freedom. She loves to support others who may struggle with their own Mental Health issues, she believes everybody has the potential to feel more whole, more grounded, and to know themselves more fully.

Nicole’s classes weave intentional movement, breath, meditation, and mantra, sprinkled with some philosophy for you to move down and in – into this breath – this physical and emotional body – to find that inner peace, a calmness that is at the centre of your being.

Hannah

CocoonED Heart Ceremony Facilitator

Hannah has held over 75 ceremonies of the heart along the east coast of Australia. She started in 2019, with exploration in cacao ceremony, falling in love with this form of heart opening meditation.

Over the years, Hannah has found that ceremony with self and others connects you into the possibility of opening to what your heart wants most. It creates a soft embrace to the body, mind and spirit. Hannah works one-on-one and in group connection, creating a safe and warm space for each individual to be themselves.

After holding ceremonies for the public for a few years, Hannah now holds ceremonies for endED's House of Hope, which holds a special place in her heart. She is most excited to meet you and guide you through an internal field of scenery.

Mairead Rodgers

CocoonED Studio Support Person

Mairead has been volunteering with endED since 2021. Inspired by her own journey, she was drawn towards the welcoming and nurturing space that endED has created. Her greatest passion is helping others to see the best in themselves and she has had the opportunity to experience this through her regular volunteer engagement with endED's Community Connect Groups and as a Peer Mentor at Eating Disorders Queensland [EDQ] in Brisbane.

Mairead has recently returned to study a Bachelor of Dietetics (Honours) with the ambition to become a non-diet dietitian and help others to heal their relationship with food and work towards dismantling the damage of diet culture.

Mairead believes that the mindfulness and the grounding powers of yoga can be incredibly healing during the recovery journey and she looks forward to welcoming you into the safe space of CocoonED.

Mairead will be there to greet you at the door, will join you throughout your yoga session, and will remain afterwards if you feel the need to connect over a cup of tea at the end of your session.

Alicia Bevc

CocoonED Yoga Facilitator

Alicia is a degree qualified clinical nutritionist and yoga teacher, and comes to this space with lived experience.

Alicia felt isolated and lacked support moving through Recovery and is passionate about being part of change so that others have more diverse access and opportunities for connection throughout their journey. She feels honoured to bring her knowledge and experience of mindful practice and natural medicine to this community.

Through clinical nutrition and yoga, Alicia is passionate about gently assisting those with disordered eating patterns, in addition to optimising mental wellbeing, cognitive power, sleep, mood, and behaviour; acknowledging that each body system is interconnected in beautiful harmony, therefore treating the whole person rather than just your symptoms.

Alicia feels incredibly grateful to share the gift of yoga, understanding how it can help individuals with disordered eating, by cultivating mindfulness and body awareness, promoting self-acceptance, reducing stress and anxiety, improving mood and overall well-being, and creating a sense of connection and community. Through gentle movements, breathing exercises, and meditation, yoga can provide a safe and supportive space for healing and growth.

Katheryn Churcher

CocoonED Studio Yoga Facilitator

Katheryn is an allied health professional, yoga teacher, children's yoga teacher and yoga therapist. Having had a yoga practice since 2004, she has personally experienced the benefits of yoga, and has a strong desire to support and empower others to manage their own health. Katheryn has dedicated the last two years to specialising in guiding yoga sessions for those in Eating Disorder Recovery.

Katheryn has a warm energy, with a gentle and nurturing teaching style. She facilitates sessions that encourage participants to explore the experiential and somatic practice of yoga, helping to cultivate a positive connection with the body through embodied curiosity, trust and acceptance.

Katheryn is also available for 1:1 Yoga Therapy or Family Yoga Therapy.

Amanda Pennisi

CocoonED Studio Yoga Facilitator

Founder of Invite Yoga

Amanda is a qualified Yoga Teacher and Kids Yoga Teacher, she also has qualifications in Yin and Accessible Yoga styles. Passionately offering yoga to the Sunshine Coast community, working with individuals of all ages and all abilities, Amanda’s offerings are trauma conscious, accessible and inclusive for all abilities and life experiences.

Practicing yoga since the age of 15 across many different lineages of yoga, Amanda found the practice to be a path back home to herself and her recovery that allowed her to find a new way of relating to her body and mind, separate from her eating disorder.

Later in life Amanda decided to learn to teach yoga and now has her own business ‘Invite Yoga.' She now teaches yoga at schools, and runs group and private classes for kids, teens, families and adults of all ages on the Sunshine Coast.

Amanda empowers individuals to explore movement, breath and stillness with visualisation and meditation, in a way that creates choice and autonomy and personal healing. Amanda’s offerings are a gentle and collaborative journey inviting deep listening to your own body to find your own expression of the practice.

 

Get in touch if you are interested in coming along 

 

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