Our Team
FOUNDER and DIRECTOR - Yoga on the Inside
Sonia Brown-Diaz
I'm Sonia Bown-Diaz, a yoga practitioner since 2005. I'm the Founder and Director of Yoga on the Inside (founded in mid 2018) and the humble Australian Ambassador of Prison Yoga Project. Since starting this work of 'service' I've been pleasantly surprised and inspired by those who come to practice each week, regardless of whether they are in incarcerated settings or part of a program offered by support organisations that assist people impacted by trauma, addiction and / or mental health concerns. This work is empowering for those who participate and their feedback on a continual basis is what fuels my passion to bring this service to those who are in the most need.
YOGA FACILITATOR
Catherine Clancy
Catherine has been a Yoga facilitator for the Yoga on the Inside/Prison Yoga Project-AU team since early 2021, at Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre, Wacol, Queensland. Through this work, Catherine hopes to bring the benefits she has experience in her own practice of yoga to incarcerated people.
She also has her own yoga studio, White Crane Yoga, where she facilitates various yoga class styles for her local community.
Catherine completed a Bachelor of Criminology and Criminal Justice as a mature student in 2020 and is in the final months of completing an Honours degree in the same. She believes in procedural justice and post study will persue further research in criminal justice that can lead to changes for the better for justice involved individuals.
In her downtime, Catherine enjoys her own practice of yoga, tai chi, and most of all, spending time with her family and pet Rua (a lovely, very clingy Irish red setter).
YOGA FACILITATOR
Corrie Skuse
Corrie has been facilitating trauma-informed yoga classes to the women at Townsville Womens' Correctional Centre since May 2022, and brings along with her a wealth of experience.
Not only is Corrie a certified yoga teacher, but she has had a self-practice for over over 25 years, and works as a counsellor for Relationships Australia.
What keeps her returning to the practice was a feeling of inner peace, strength and resilience with an overall balance that spilled over into many aspects of life when practicing Yoga regularly.
Corrie is passionate about making yoga & movement accessible for everybody who wishes to try, as she appreciates the benefits can be far-reaching for people’s overall health and well-being.
Corrie also teaches yoga in multiple locations in Townsville including: Lighten Up Studio; a women’s gym; Wellness spaces & an Outdoor Yoga class approved by Townsville City Council.
"It is an honour to be facilitating Yoga classes for people willing to try and trust in the process of discovering the benefits for themselves, which I acknowledge can be a different pace and practice for each person." ...Corrie
YOGA FACILITATOR
Ana Viglione
Ana comes from Patagonia Argentina, she is 35 years old and has been facilitating yoga for the last eleven years, not only in yoga studios but also in different scenarios and institutions such as Prisons (9 years in a Men's Federal Prison in Argentina). From September 2022 to November 2023, Ana was the the lead facilitator at Helana Jones Centre (women's prison in Brisbane). In late 2023, Ana was also facilitating classes at the Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre From June 2023, Ana was also delivering our program with the young people at the West Moreton Youth Detention Centre.
Ana also shared this practice with our clients at Beyond DV, and with the Men’s Walk and Talk groups that we’ve had the honour of collaborating with.
As a yoga teacher, she is constantly training and deepening her practice and ways of sharing it meaningfully with people from all backgrounds and ages, in Spanish and English. She has now returned to her beloved home country of Argentina where she continues to follow her passion and purpose in yoga, wellbeing, and meditation. .
YOGA FACILITATOR
Sandra Lamari
Sandra is a Yoga Therapist and meditation teacher living in North Queensland. She's recently joined the Yoga on the Inside Team facilitating enriching yoga practices for the women at the Townsville Women’s Correctional Centre.
Sandra is a firm believer of yoga to fit the person rather than the person forcing themselves to fit the yoga. As the Director of Your Yoga Therapy in Townsville, she has experienced great satisfaction through witnessing her student’s trajectory on their path to strength and wholeness through her Yoga Therapy sessions and Yoga classes. She prides herself on creating practices to access people from all walks of life and abilities - allowing an opportunity for the benefits of yoga to reach far and wide, to as many people as possible.
Being a lover of nature, Sandra enjoys hiking and camping and has, for over 4 years, volunteered as a hike leader for Townsville Hike and Explore mostly guiding beginners who are commencing their journeys into hiking. More recently, she is holding Accessible Walks for the group, wanting to open up the joys of hiking, nature and friendship connections to differently abled people in the hopes of creating a safe space for social, emotional and physical growth..
YOGA FACILITATOR
YOGA FACILITATOR
Bianca Wooldridge
Bianca has been facilitating Yoga with Yoga on The Inside since October 2022, at Ron Barwick Prison and more recently Mary Hutchinson Women's Prison in Hobart, Tasmania.
Bianca started her personal yoga journey to manage stress and burnout, and began to teach yoga in 2018 in Spain. She currently facilitates yoga in different spaces around nipaluna/ Hobart including Yoga Studios, Community Centres, and partnering with The Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens to offer classes outdoors throughout the warmer months.
She runs Postnatal Mums & Bubs yoga programmes to help support new Mums in the local community.
As a yoga teacher and Health Coach, Bianca brings a trauma informed approach to supporting people of all backgrounds improve their mental and physical wellbeing.
YOGA FACILITATOR
Jasmine Pummer
Jasmine joined the team in the latter half of 2023 as the lead facilitator at Banksia Hill Youth Detention Centre in Perth, WA, where she facilitates the fortnightly classes for young people.
A lifelong yoga practitioner, Jasmine has been formally teaching since 2013, after completing her Level 1 foundational yoga teacher training.
Jasmine has a strong interest in the cross section of mental health, trauma and yoga and has maintained a steady trajectory towards a specialised skillset in the area of evidence based, trauma sensitive therapeutic yoga.
Jasmine brings a calm and gentle presence to her work as well as invaluable lived experience.
Jasmine believes that “If we can slow down and listen to our body, we can encourage deep relaxation. It is from this place that deeply stored stress and tension is released, helping us to regulate the nervous system. Ultimately, the practice of yoga connects us to ourselves and what we need on and off the mat.’”
You can find out more about Jasmine and her amazing work on Instagram
YOGA FACILITATOR
Denise Watson
Denise joined the team in mid 2022 and facilitates at at Brisbane Women's Correctional Centre, Wacol, Queensland; as well as Southern Queensland Correctional Centre, Gatton, Queensland, and the West Moreton Youth Detention Centre.
Denise first started her yoga journey in the early 2000s. It wasn’t until she met her current teacher, almost 10 years ago, that she came to see how yoga can work on different levels of your psyche and she really fell in love with it more deeply.
Denise has extensive training in yoga teaching and has continued with her professional development in Meditation and Pranayama and has a special interest in trauma informed Yoga.
She is an avid lover of animals and when she's not teaching or practicing yoga you can find her hanging out with her animal friends.
Ellen Crossman
Ellen has been a Yoga facilitator for Yoga on the Inside since the end of 2022 at Clarence Correctional Centre in Grafton, New South Wales. .
She was drawn to this area after studying a module at university covering the disparities and challenges of those who found themselves within the correctional facility and the high rate at which trauma and it's impacts exist for these individuals.
This service has been incredibly moving for Ellen and she has been inspired to continue developing her understanding of trauma-informed yoga. She hopes in the future to also serve vulnerable groups in her community.
Ellen personally enjoys a dynamic vinyasa (flow) practice and loves to continue her exploration of all the teachings that have helped create yoga as the transformative practice it has for her throughout her life.
In the meantime, Ellen is soon to be mum of two and expects to be kept thoroughly busy raising little people.
YOGA FACILITATOR
Agneta Hansell
Agneta joined the team in May 2022 as a facilitator for a pilot program being run at Clarence Correctional Centre , in Grafton, New South Wales.
Agneta has been an active fitness leader for over 20 years teaching a variety of classes to all ages and fitness levels. As a natural development in her fitness journey Agneta was drawn to the body and mind connection to achieve health and well being for the whole being and started exploring the benefits of yoga.
Her style of facilitation assists participants to engage in poses focussing on the connecting breath to movement.
Agneta aims to give her participants a safe space to nurture their bodies and minds in an encouraging environment resulting in a happier and healthier individual.
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Jill Ayres
Jill joined the team in June 2023 as a facilitator for a pilot program being run at Fulham Correctional Centre with maximum security and low security incarerated men at Fulham Correctional Centre , in the Gippsland region, Victoria.
Health, fitness and an appreciation of nature have been her life partners and passions ever since she was a little girl riding horses on her grandparent’s farm.
Jill has experienced profound “ah ha” moments in her decades of practising, studying, and delving into further professional development surrounding yoga.
Jill’s yoga studies have included Yoga Advanced Therapy (400hrs), Somatic Movement and Embodied Anatomy, Yoga Nidra Meditation to name a few.
Jill recognises that everyone that comes to the mat is on their own journey. Jill also facilitates classes in Sale at Yoga Space Gippsland on a regular basis.
With this mindset it is now that she has reached a place that confirms her passionate life mission through yoga – to teach people the ability to connect with their inner still place, connect with their bodies and their minds, bring healing and belief to aid their personal relationships and provide people with an appreciation of community and nature.
YOGA FACILITATOR
Hayley Rowley
Hayley has joined the Yoga on the Inside team in July 2023, facilitating trauma-informed yoga classes to frontline workers for the 000 Foundation in collaboration with Frontline Yoga .
Hayley is a dedicated and compassionate trauma-informed yoga teacher, whose life-changing journey with yoga ignited a calling to share its gifts with others. Understanding that every individual's path is unique, she offers a safe and nurturing space for students to embark on their personal exploration of body and mind at their own pace.
Holistic wellbeing lies at the heart of Hayley's passion, and deeply values the mind-body connection. She aims is to foster resilience, self-acceptance, and inner peace in her students, empowering them to embrace their authentic selves.
With qualifications in trauma-aware and vinyasa yoga, as well as additional training in wellbeing, mindfulness, public safety, leadership & management and adaptive leadership sees Hayley bring a wealth of knowledge and expertise to her practice. Her diverse background enriches the experience she provides, ensuring her students receive a well-rounded and supportive experience.
Beyond the yoga mat, Hayley is a leadership development facilitator a proud mental health advocate.
YOGA FACILITATOR
Julie
Julie has been with the Yoga on the Inside team since 2023 and sharing the trauma-informed and embodied mindfulness practice with the justice-involved women at the low-security Helana Jones Centre (QLD).
Since gaining yoga teacher training credentials in 2016 she has provided private classes in her own small private practice. She also runs a small trauma sensitive yoga group for women with lived experience of domestic and family violence at a local neighbourhood community centre on the northside of Brisbane.
Julie says “I feel passionate about bringing the practice of yoga and mindfulness to those who are less able to access it and for those who think it is not for them. To me, yoga is about the connection we have to ourselves, which we can access through the awareness of our breath and holding in our awareness the gentle movement of our bodies. It is about kindness and patience towards ourselves, which in turn we radiate out to others without even realising it. This has been my experience and is the essence of what I hope to share with others. “
Julie is also holds a Bachelor of Counselling degree and works part-time as a counsellor for Relationships Australia. She is also a certified trauma informed coaching, and holds certifications in recognise and respond to DFV, restorative yoga teacher, trauma aware yoga teacher, and mindfulness meditation.
YOGA FACILITATOR
Rivkah Nissim
Rivkah has recently joined Yoga on the Inside facilitating classes with the Women and Girls Emergency Centre (WAGEC) in Sydney. She also facilitates yoga with older people in western Sydney with the social enterprise Collective Leisure.
Rivkah aspires is to bring a trauma-informed practice to those who may not otherwise have access to yoga. This is informed by her background working with women experiencing family and domestic violence and the impact of yoga and other practices in her own life.
Rivkah has practiced mostly Iyengar yoga for over 20 years and has also trained as a meditation teacher. She has a background in social circus and has recently gained her black belt in aikido.
In the rest of her life Rivkah works in the social justice sector, plays music with her alt-country band and hangs out with a human and two dogs.
