Teachers

Ruth Campbell (Dip IYTA,YA)

Senior level 3 Yoga Australia teacher

Ruth qualified as a Yoga Teacher in 2001 after studying with the International Yoga Teachers Association. Since then she has continued her studies with Yoga for Health Australia gaining an intermediate level diploma in Yoga Therapy. She has also trained with Yoga Trinity in the principals of Ayurveda to enhance her Yoga therapy skills.

In 2010 Ruth continued her Yoga Education by attending an Intensive one month course with Master Teacher Nicky Knoff and qualified to teach the Discovery and Foundation levels of the Knoff Yoga Program.She is a Yoga Australia Registered Senior Teacher.

Ruth maintains a continuous approach to professional development having attended trainings with Heather Agnew of Yoga Trinity, Lance Schuler of Inspya Yoga, Flo Fenton of Intouch Yoga and qualifying as a Meditation teacher through the Gawler Foundation in the Yarra Valley.

Her general teaching concentrates on the traditional approach to yoga of strengthening the body to calm the mind, and to improve the overall sense of well-being that comes from a happy mind in a healthy body. She believes that yoga and meditation are great tools for dealing with all of life’s challenges.

Ruth’s students come to yoga for many different reasons. She caters for the elderly; for sportspeople needing particular strengthening or flexibility; for people with back pain or injuries; for those recovering from illness; for mothers during pregnancy or after giving birth; and for many people looking for a safe physical practice that offers the additional benefits of releasing stress through focused relaxation. Yoga is indeed for Every Body.

Read more about Ruth in this 2023 article in the The Village Pump.

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Melinda Felder (Dip PRY)

The benefits of alleviating chronic back, shoulder and neck pain has kept Melinda loyal to yoga. A diligent practice has eased the physical and healed the emotional associated pain. This personal experience has inspired her interest in yoga for spinal care, focusing on safe spinal mobility and correct postural alignment.

Practicing yoga for over 10 years, Melinda is a Yoga Australia Registered Level 1 Teacher and has completed a Back Care workshop with Sal Flynn.

After having completed specialised study in Healthy Ageing Through Yoga, Melinda’s passion is about improving quality of life on and off the mat.  Her Hatha and Vinyasas flow style is to strengthen the body and connect with the breath, to calm the mind. Tuning us to handle life’s challenges, improve our vitality and most importantly, feel refreshed!

Melinda aims to make her classes a sanctuary of inclusion, recognizing that everyBODY is anatomically unique. Her classes are accessible to people of varying ages, levels of health and fitness.

She believes that progression in yoga, and life, is more important than perfection. Students are encouraged to work at their own pace and to practice safely and confidently within their own ability.

Melinda’s emphasis is on alignment and finding space within the body, whilst creating a body, mind and breath connection.  Integrating pranayama (healthy breathing practices) and mindfulness into her classes to improve physical mobility, emotional resiliency and mental disposition.

Personally, she loves the concept of balancing the energy within and around us and empowering others to be the best version of themselves.

Melinda looks forward to guiding students to find a sense of calm and equilibrium from which their own journey of healing, nourishment and joy begins!

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Cherrie McMillen (Dip PRY)

Cherrie has been practising Yoga for over twenty years. Having benefited greatly from Yoga, particularly in times of high stress, Cherrie deepened her practice by undertaking an 18-month Yoga Teacher Training Course registered with Yoga Australia in 2017. 

Cherrie enjoys teaching a flow style of Yoga that connects movement with the breath, strengthens muscles, releases tension from the body and reduces stress. Cherrie has also trained in Yin Yoga (where poses are held for longer to target the body’s connective tissue) and often incorporates Yin poses into her classes.

Cherrie enjoys sharing the passion she has for her own yogic life with her students and is looking forward to completing her Level 2 Teacher Training Course in 2020.

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Belinda Berrington (Dip PRY)

Belinda has always had a deep passion for wellness, and an innate sense of discipline, which is what drew her to the practice of yoga over 20 years ago.

She found the physical aspects of the yoga asanas helpful in staying grounded and healthy, and finding calm through meditation has allowed her to manage the ups and downs of life.

Belinda has long been a proponent of vegetarianism, having embraced the lifestyle since she was a teenager. Her commitment to healthy living extends beyond her diet, and she is deeply invested in helping others improve their physical, mental, and emotional wellbeing.

Coming from a theatre background, Belinda brings a wealth of skills and techniques to her teaching, which allows her to connect with students on a deeper level. Her passion for helping others is evident in her approach to teaching, and she is dedicated to creating a supportive and nurturing environment for her students to learn and grow in.

After graduating with a Diploma of Yoga Teaching from Pine Rivers Yoga, Belinda has been teaching a variety of styles including chair yoga, beginners, multi-level, vinyasa, and senior floor classes. Her versatility and adaptability allow her to tailor her teaching to meet the unique needs and abilities of each individual student.

In her classes, Belinda emphasizes the importance of breath work, alignment, and mindfulness, and encourages her students to explore their physical abilities, whilst also practicing self-care and compassion.

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Victoria Sutton (Dip PRY)

Movement had always been a passion for Victoria and in 1993 she qualified as a Personal Trainer and Group Fitness Instructor alongside her career as a Directors PA. Working for the Multiple Sclerosis Society in London exposed Victoria to the debilitating effects of the disease and the correlative effects on those affected by MS by keeping a strong body through yoga practice, as well as a good diet. Witnessing such amazing results was inspiring and she integrated these movements into her work and personal life. 

Over the years, Victoria further studied psychology, counselling and clinical nutrition, as well as continual professional development as a personal trainer. The philosophy of Yoga also became enchanting, it was evident through her experiences that it was a good way to live and a holistic approach to the well being of a person, she was keen to learn more.

In 2017, Victoria was put into a restorative pose for one hour. It changed everything and she realised that integrating a personal style of yoga into her own daily movement and into her clients sessions was not enough, she needed to be a yoga teacher and bring restorative yoga to her community. Finally making space for her level 1 training in 2018 at Pine Rivers Yoga, this amazing experience allowed exposure to the multi faceted practice of yoga. It has awoken a strong spiritual connection and she has fallen in love with exploring the philosophy, mantras, meditation and nidra.

Victoria personally practices both Yin and Restorative yoga and believes that the gentle practices are her craft, having the ability to see and sense what a person needs to let go. As well as completing her 25 hour restorative training, she has been working alongside Marian Cavanagh in her workshops and trainings and will continue to learn from her mentors and peers in Australia and overseas, long into the future.

While she mainly teaches Restorative Yoga to smaller groups and individuals, Victoria has been working with Ruth Campbell (principal at PRY), at beginners Yoga, Pendicup Place in Warner. Being a stickler for technique with a sharp eye for detail, she loves beginners and the opportunity to introduce the practice of yoga to the community in a methodical yet fun way. 

Victoria has extensive experience with human movement, having worked over time with thousands of bodies, all shapes, all sizes. She has particular experience with female bodies, those carrying extra weight, older bodies and disability. Victoria can recognise an individual’s ability and can modify movement accordingly, she inspires confidence and belief in ‘any body’ with positive encouragement and a sincere smile.

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