Studio Team 

Emily — Studio Owner

I'm Emily, the founder of The Durham Yoga Studio.

My journey into teaching began when I signed up for my first yoga teacher training in 2016. Since then, I’ve had the joy of sharing yoga across the North East of England, assisting on trainings and retreats throughout Europe, and, in 2021, bringing a long-held dream to life by opening the studio here in Durham.

I teach from the heart, offering an embodied and intuitive style of yoga that invites you to listen inward, and move in a way that feels kind and honest to your body — with space for playfulness and creativity woven in. My passion lies in exploring how yoga can truly nourish us — helping us to feel more grounded, more connected, and more able to find joy in the small, everyday moments of life.

My teaching is rooted in my trainings training in Embodied Yoga and has been enriched through further study in Embodied Yin Yoga, Meditation, Prenatal Yoga, Trauma-Sensitive Yoga, Somatics, Tantra and Advanced Facilitation rooted in deeply rooted in non-dual philosophy.

The Durham Yoga Studio is more than just a place to practice — it’s a place to land, to reconnect, and to feel truly at home in yourself. Whether you're brand new to yoga or returning to the mat, I’d love to welcome you here.

Hope to meet you soon,
Emily 🤍

A woman with long blond hair performing a yoga pose on a wooden floor in a bright room with white walls and a window with sheer curtains.

Bethany Demelza

  • I have been practicing yoga for nearly ten years but after going through a difficult time in my life, the true benefits of yoga really shone through and it was at this point yoga changed my life in so many ways where I was able to connect to myself, truly come home to my body and set myself free. I knew then that I needed to share this magic with others and that’s when I enrolled on my yoga teacher training at the end of 2019.

    I am inspired by music, dance and movement and like to bring an embodied flow into my classes, encouraging to find the freedom to explore and move the body in a way that feels right to you. My yoga practice is trauma- informed and I always aim to create a safe and supported space to release, let go and find that magic in you! When I’m not on my mat, you can find me exploring mountains, dancing on a beach somewhere or by the water on my paddle board.

A woman in a black tank top with a ponytail is smiling with her eyes closed and hands in a prayer position. She is indoors with a blurred background of a white wall and a plant.

Lucy Steel

  • What I love about yoga is it can be anything you'd like it to be. It can, at first, be a way of becoming more mindful of how you move and breathe on the mat for an hour's practice but gradually the magic filters seamlessly off the mat and into every little moment. Each conscious breath and step awakening your inner and outer awareness.

    I love to weave many layers of yoga into my teaching, tailoring it to be what it needs to be in that moment. Classes with me will be energising and explorative, powerful and playful all carefully cued around the breath.

A woman with flowers in her hair practicing yoga indoors, sitting on a wooden floor, with her legs extended upward and holding her feet with her hands.

Marie Parkinson

  • Marie has been practising yoga for over 20 years, learning and gaining experience through a range of styles. She feels most at home within herself on the yoga mat and enjoys sharing the uplifting benefits of it’s practise with others.

    Marie has been teaching a variety of classes since early 2021, including; Hatha, Vinyasa and Yin Yoga as well as Meditation, Mindfulness and Relaxation.

    Variety and inclusiveness are at the core of her teaching and she can easily adapt lessons to suit the needs or mood of the group.

A woman practicing meditation in a sitting cross-legged pose in a bright room with white walls, a mirror, and indoor plants.

Arya Thampuran

  • I’m a researcher in the medical humanities at Durham University by day, and my work on mental health and healing follows me onto the mat when I clock off (in the best possible way!).

    My interest in yoga is both professional and deeply personal; it’s opened my eyes to how the body and breath can be harnessed and harmonised to empower us.

    I come from a South Indian background and grew up listening to the mythology behind our poses, so I love incorporating some storytelling into my flows. Classes will be mellow and mindful, cultivating a compassionate relationship with movement.

A young woman practicing yoga indoors, sitting cross-legged on a yoga mat, with a background of white curtains and a plant.

Liza Lizure

  • With over 300 hours of training in multiple styles of yoga, meditation and pranayama, Liza teaches creative and intelligently-sequenced yoga flows designed to help you develop strength and balance, and explore how to use the breath.

    Liza’s classes are strong enough that you'll feel challenged and fully engaged, and slow enough to leave space for self-inquiry and mindfulness. Her mission is to help you go about your day with better body awareness, and a calm and focused mind.

    Expect to leave feeling relaxed, lighter, and more connected to your body.

A woman sitting cross-legged on a wooden floor, wearing beige pants and a red shirt, smiling with her eyes closed, holding a singing bowl and a mallet, with colorful socks visible.

Jo Bolton

  • Discovering yoga whilst volunteering on a farm in Spain over 30 years ago, I was in awe of the space this created in my body and mind after a hard day's work. Now, in my menopausal years, I depend on my practice in my daily life. It brings me back into balance, quietens my mind, creates energy or stillness, strength and fluidity.

    My teacher training, in the late 1990s began with the Iyengar tradition which teaches precision and attention to detail. Since then my teaching and my practice have been informed by many other traditions and teachers, including Donna Farhi, Vanda Scaravelli, Uma Dinsmore Tuli and Triratna Buddhism. I have further training in Well Woman Yoga Therapy and Energy Healing, and am also a Somatic Movement Exercise Coach.

    Currently I am a trainee in Somatic Experiencing, which is a body based therapy used to overcome trauma, shock and other stress disorders.

    All of these approaches come together to create a gentle class that addresses imbalance in the body through gentle movements, fluid postures all following the innate wisdom of the body. I look forward to meeting you on the matDescription goes here

A woman with long brown hair smiling while participating in a group yoga or meditation session, sitting on a wooden floor with her legs crossed and hands resting on her knee, wearing a white embroidered top and olive green pants.

Fay Goodman

  • Fay is a 500 hour qualified yoga teacher with additional training in Yoga Therapy, Meditation, Pranayama, Yin and Restorative practices. She first found yoga as a teenager and although she started off thinking of it as purely a physical practice, she very quickly realised how the benefits leaked out into every part of her life.

    Fay has been teaching for 8 years, doing her first teacher training in the lush jungle of Bali in 2015 and continuing on to do her advanced 300 hour training in Rishikesh in 2017 where she was fully able to absorb the teachings of the East. While she very much focuses on alignment and keeping the body safe, she also really emphasises the importance of tuning into how we might be feeling mentally and energetically as we practice, cultivating a very aware and conscious way of moving and breathing. Expect uplifting playlists, jokes and laughter too because yoga really doesn’t have to be so serious! As well as teaching yoga, Fay is a Counsellor and Hypnotherapist and is currently undertaking her Psychotherapy Diploma. She very much believes in the importance of the body-mind connection and this is shown through her teaching style.