Liz Bennett

Yoga Therapist and Physiotherapist

Liz Bennett is the founder of Balanced Practice Yoga and A Balanced Practice Physiotherapy. Liz is one of the handful of physiotherapists in Australia who is also a specialised yoga therapist and a long term yoga teacher and practitioner of over 20 years. Bringing together studies in eastern medicine and modern science, her classes are guided by her ability to apply an anatomical focus to the practice of yoga in an accessible and relevant way. As a therapist, Liz integrates assessment and therapy with education and lifestyle changes, applying principles of individualised yoga, Traditional Chinese medicine and Ayurveda. Liz began training with Simon Borg Oliver and Bianca Machliss before she finished her physiotherapy degree in 1999. She completed a three year yoga teaching apprenticeship with Yoga Synergy in 2006, then a further 500 hours of teacher training at the Yoga Institute, where she delivered Leslie Kaminoff’s Yoga Anatomy course for several years. A Vipassana practitioner, and initiate of Vedic meditation, with Certificates in Shiatsu and Acupuncture and extensive Yoga Therapy studies with Ganesh Mohan of Svastha Yoga. Liz’s Yoga Anatomy Labs are sourced by Yoga Teachers Training courses around Australia. She holds the Senior Anatomy Teacher role for Rainbow Yoga. Liz runs Balanced Practice Yoga Teacher Trainings Amelia Disspain and together, they co-host popular yoga retreats in Australia and abroad.

Amelia Disspain

Senior Yoga Teacher

Director and senior yoga teacher at Yoga Bellingen.
Co-founder of Balanced Practice Yoga Teacher Training and Retreats.
Yoga Australia Senior Member, Yoga Alliance International Expert registered teacher 1500+

Amelia was first introduced to yoga in 1999. Inspired by the joy and serenity it brought her, Amelia began a regular practice before going on to complete her teacher training with Katie Manitsis (now Katie Rose) at Samadhi Bliss Yoga in 2002.
Having taught yoga full time at Samadhi Bliss, she was selected to undertake a one-on-one apprenticeship in 2006 with Simon Borg Olivier and Bianca Machliss of Yoga Synergy Sydney, one of the few schools left in Australia still instructing teachers in this traditional way. In 2013, Amelia relocated to Bellingen where she opened her own studio, Yoga Bellingen.
Amelia’s classes are informed by her many years of yoga practice, teaching and study. Her classes are inclusive and always incorporate the deeper teachings of Yoga. Amelia has recently completed further study with Traditional Yoga Studies and Donna Farhi.
In 2015 Amelia co-founded Balanced Practice Yoga and co-teaches Yoga Teacher Training Courses and international retreats with her sister in Yoga, Liz Bennett a physiotherapist and yoga therapist and owner of Balanced Practice Yoga in Warriewood.

Jane Macnaught

Counsellor, Yoga Teacher

Jane is founder of Tranquillo Place. Extensive clinical experience has steered her career towards training in trauma recovery & healing, grief & loss, complex trauma, intergenerational trauma, PTSD, and adult survivors of childhood abuse & trauma. With an eclectic approach, she draws from a diverse tool kit of training, professional development, clinical work and life experiences. Since 2016 she has been studying and delivering trauma sensitive trainings and collaborating with a wide range of yoga teachers and wellness practitioners and therapists to offer more trauma aware services across the Northern Beaches. Further studies in with international trauma specialists and researchers led Jane to complete yoga teacher training 350hr with Balanced Practice. More recently Jane has completed training in Polyvagal Theory – with Deb Dana. Research continues to provide evidence that talking therapy is not enough for trauma recovery – all of Jane’s clients benefit from her yoga informed therapeutic style. Jane teaches one to one yoga sessions at Tranquillo Place and at Warriewood SLSC. She offers yoga classes that are soothing for the nervous system, ideal for anyone that feels stressed, anxious, overworked, and/or exhausted. All her classes are trauma sensitive, rhythmic, easeful and calming. She is known for her creative, holistic, warm, gentle and friendly approach. Jane will inspire you to learn more about the much needed and burgeoning field of trauma sensitive practices.