Pregnancy Yoga Teacher Training Faculty
About your course teachers…
Course leader – Sally Parkes, BSc, EYT, SYT, RPYT
Sally Parkes (BSc) has over twenty years of teaching experience in the fitness industry and has an Honours Degree in Exercise Physiology. She trained as an Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga teacher in 2004 with Paul Dallaghan, before continuing her studies in Mysore, India. After studying extensively with guru Uma Dinsmore-Tuli however, she heard her calling to teach Pregnancy Yoga and, since becoming a mother, now specialises in delivering pre-natal and post-natal yoga teacher trainings around the world.
Sally’s training is unique in that she shares her extensive knowledge in anatomy and physiology, whilst weaving all elements of the yoga tradition in order to empower the mother to be to bring her baby safely and lovingly into the world.
Now a mother of two daughters, Sally also pens many articles for major publications and is the author of the bestselling book The Guide to Yoga Anatomy. Certified as an Experienced and Senior Yoga Teacher, Sally is known for her humour, warmth and inclusive presentations, and delivered training in the UK, Asia, and the Middle East.
Maria Buaki-Sogo – Midwife, PhD Researcher at Faculty of Health, Medicine and Social Care and Pregnancy Yoga Teacher
Maria is both a practicing nurse and a midwife, last working as a Consultant Midwife. Her midwifery experience includes various roles within a maternity setting, including low risk and high-risk pregnancy care, emergency obstetric care and the post-operative management of women who have undergone caesarean sections.
Maria is also a former Lead Nurse for North Thames Genomic Medicine, where she led the nursing workforce in the North Thames Region to explore and re-design clinical pathways of care to implement routine genetic testing in the National Health Service (NHS) via national transformational projects reporting back to NHSE/I (National Health Service England and Improvement).
She is also an Adult Nursing Lecturer, teaching applied physiology.
Luisa Lyons – Midwife BSc(Hons), IBCLC, Lactation Support Specialist, Associate Tutor at the University of East Anglia, RPYT
Luisa started her midwifery training in 1997 aged 18. She has worked in the NHS ever since, and for the last ten years has worked as a specialist midwife in infant feeding. She qualified as a lactation consultant whilst pregnant with her first son, in 2006. She also worked as an associate tutor on the Midwifery BSc(Hons) Course at the University of East Anglia.
In 2017 she became a specialist midwife in restrictive lingual frenulum (tongue tie) and has performed almost 2500 divisions in the NHS and more recently, privately. She has trained other midwives and nurses to perform this procedure. She does a small amount of private practice lactation consultant work alongside her NHS research midwife role.
In January and February 2021 she was working alongside her critical care nursing colleagues by assisting on the intensive care unit 18hrs a week to help with the pandemic. Luisa works part-time as a research midwife for the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital and has recently been appointed as the Clinical Research Network Research Midwife Champion for the East of England.
Luisa has practiced yoga for over a decade & trained with Sally Parkes in 2017 to become pregnancy & postnatal yoga teacher.
Zoe Dale – Midwife, Professional Midwifery Advocate (PMA) and Pregnancy Yoga Teacher
Zoe is a midwife, Professional Midwifery Advocate (PMA), and pregnancy yoga teacher. She has been a midwife for 27 years and is currently a core midwife on a Midwifery-Led Unit in East Yorkshire, supporting women in their birth choices.
Zoe is also qualified in aromatherapy (during pregnancy, birth and postnatally), is a hypnobirthing practitioner, aqua natal teacher and gym coach.
Zoe is passionate about caring for women both physically and emotionally and she completed the pregnancy & postnatal yoga teacher training with Sally and has since set up successful pregnancy yoga classes which she absolutely loves teaching, enjoying the connection of bringing women and birthing people together at such a special time during their lives.
Heather Deaville – EYT, RPYT, Assisting Teacher Trainer and Parent & Baby Yoga Tutor
Anna Brook - EYT, RPYT, Hypno-birther and Yoga Nidra Teacher
'If there was ever a voice that was made for guided meditation then it has to be Anna Brook' - Om Yoga Magazine
Anna says "I value all types of yoga as I feel we respond to different influences at different times, and have been powerfully drawn to the benefits of yoga and meditation since my late teens. My 200 Hour Teacher Training with 'Tribe' in India was a life changing experience and confirmed for me that this was the right path, and I've since completed an 85 Hour Hatha Pregnancy Yoga Teacher Training with Sally Parkes, Yoga Nidra Foundation Course with Uma Dinsmore Tuli and trained in Unity Partner Yoga™ with Sevanti at Unity Studio, Brighton. I have also completed my training as a Hypno-Birthing practitioner which I love to share as there is a similar emphasis on training ourselves to come into deep states of relaxation, stay in the present moment in birth, surrendering to the experience and moving away from fear."
On our Pregnancy Yoga Teacher Training, Anna teaches subjects including: An introduction on Hypno-Birthing, Pregnancy Partner Yoga and Yoga Nidra for Pregnancy.
Nina Goldberger – MSc, BA (Hons), E-RYT200, Wellbeing Coach, PYT & APYT, Pregnancy & Postnatal YTT Course Assistant
Nina is an experienced Yoga Teacher registered with both Yoga Alliance USA and Yoga Alliance Professionals & Self-Love Wellbeing Coach based in Edinburgh, with 500 hours+ of Yoga, Yin & Restorative, Anatomy, Adjustment, Philosophy, Chanting & Ashram experience.
She has completed Sally’s 85Hr PYTT & 25Hr APYTT and also the 100Hrs Advanced Teacher Training with Sally & Chris in Spain 2019.
She is passionate about helping people find stillness, balance & acceptance in their lives, through learning how to use the breath properly, moving in tune with & reconnecting to their body and looking inwards & cultivating self-love. This journey is ongoing for Nina herself as she learns more about herself and can better support her students through yoga.
She offers regular classes in Vinyasa & Yin Yoga and deeply restful & nourishing Wellbeing & Restorative focused sessions and Mindfulness.
NB: Sally Parkes is course leader for all Sally Parkes Yoga Pregnancy Yoga Teacher Trainings and whilst guest teachers such as those listed above may not be present on all trainings, Sally may invite other tutors who are local to the area she is teaching in to come and speak with the groups. All tutors are carefully selected and are experienced and qualified to teach their particular area of expertise.
The Trainer Pro award recognises that Sally Parkes Yoga courses overdeliver in the depth of knowledge and student support that is delivered, giving more value and individual input to our students. Our intention is to ensure that every student that comes to us, leaves our courses confident, knowledgeable, and fully encouraged to be the best teacher they can be, and fully encouraged to realise their dreams.
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