Meet the SOMA Yoga team
Gea
E-RYT500, RPYT, Trauma-informed teacher & trainer
Gea’s first contact with Yoga happened early in her life at home in Croatia, with her mother who is a Yoga teacher. Once she enrolled in the University, alongside studying Mathematics and Computer science, she developed a deep devotion and curiosity for the practice of Yoga. She pursued her Yoga path as a teacher, and ever since, taught Vinyasa, Hatha, Prenatal, Postnatal & Restorative Yoga across Europe, the USA, and now in London.
Gea offers a heart-centered yoga practice rich with creative sequencing, functional alignment & skillfully weaved yoga philosophy for inspired living. Her aim is to honor the ancient wisdom of yoga, be inspired by modern science, and convey the often misunderstood Yogic philosophy & spiritual teachings in an easily digestible way for a modern practitioner of yoga & meditation.
She is the founder of the SOMA Yoga studio in Wandsworth, and besides that, she is a part of the Spanda Institute faculty as the Program Director for Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga, lead teacher on 200h Yoga teacher trainings, and a teacher and mentor for the advanced 500h teacher training. Recently, she completed her foundational training as a doula.
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Karen
E-RYT200, Yin, Restorative, Prenatal
Karen teaches mindful, accessible, non-scary yoga for real people. Having had tight hamstrings and hips for most of her life, she understands just how challenging the practice can be for most. Drawing from her wealth of experience in Vinyasa Flow, Restorative, Pregnancy, and Yin Yoga, she teaches intuitively with warmth and humor. She is passionate about the therapeutic benefits of yoga and the intrinsic connection between body and mind, having witnessed them firsthand for herself.
Karen believes that yoga is for everyone – you do not have to be a dancer, an acrobat, or a 21-year-old crop top model to enjoy it. By practicing yoga and mindfulness, we can create the space and time that we all so badly crave in our day-to-day lives and start to pay attention to the little things within ourselves and around us. Fundamentally, we start to feel good!
First stepping onto a yoga mat in 1998 at the Glasgow Buddhist Centre, Karen decided to pursue her love of yoga and interest in spirituality further by enrolling in a Vinyasa Flow teacher training with Yoga London following a trip to India in 2013. She gained her second Vinyasa Flow 200hr certification with Claire Missingham and Pregnancy Yoga teacher training with Nadia Narain of Triyoga in 2015, and qualified in Yin Yoga with Norman Blair in 2017. She has studied Restorative Yoga with Judith Hanson Lasater and has also studied with David Williams, Sarah Powers, Naomi Absalom and Kathryn Budig.
Kitti
RYT200, 60h YIN, RPYT90, Prenatal & Postnatal Massage
As a committed teacher and student, Kitti has been practicing yoga for 10 years. Her classes are energizing for the body, help increase flexibility, and relax the mind. Her approach is gentle, supportive, and adaptive.
Kitti's teaching offers postural awareness, breathwork, heartfelt intention, and contemplation on how our practice can show up in our lives. It is a sincere joy and privilege to hold space for people seeking to better understand their bodies, nourish their nervous systems, and learn about the roots of yoga.
As a massage therapist, Kitti combines techniques from Eastern and Western philosophies infusing her massage style with fluidity, depth, and grace. Breathing techniques assist in stilling and balancing the mind whilst the strength of deep muscular, pressure point and meridian work help loosen, release, and harmonize the body physically.
She is trained in Vinyasa, Yin, Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga, and besides Yoga classes, you can find her at SOMA offering Ayurvedic Yoga massage, and if pregnant - Prenatal and Postnatal Massage.
Sam
RYT200, RPYT90
Sam began her yoga journey in 2018 having found Vinyasa, initially from home. Having never really enjoyed traditional workouts in a gym setting, she found yoga’s emphasis on holistic spirituality and physical creativity resonated strongly with her. Throughout the pandemic, her passion for yoga grew exponentially and she began practicing daily, refining her own unique style and exploring various yoga disciplines, deepening her practice and understanding.
Post-pandemic, Sam embraced different styles of yoga such as Rocket, Yogasana, Mandala, Jivamukti, and Ashtanga, delving more into the many disciplines yoga has to offer. It was during this time that she began to connect with the yoga community, and through deeper engagement, discovered her true calling: to teach yoga. In 2022, she completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training (YTT) with Yogarise, followed by an additional 50-hour advanced teacher training. She also specialized in pre and postnatal yoga, earning an 85-hour certification with Spanda Institute.
Sam’s Vinyasa classes are characterized by slower flows and thematic practices, offering a soothing and meditative experience. Her classes are designed to refresh her students both physically and spiritually, drawing inspiration from Erin Pritchard, Gea Krajcar, Zo Rahm and Darvina Plante. Known for her love of connecting with people and her welcoming approach, Sam strives to ensure her students have fun and feel good in their bodies by the end of each class.
Originally from a small town near Annecy, France, Sam has made London her home for the past decade. When not teaching yoga, she works as a project manager in tech. Sam also enjoys coffee, cheese, and spending time coercing cats, wherever she finds them, for chin scritches and belly rubs. Whether you’re new to yoga or looking to deepen your practice, Sam’s classes offer an accessible, warm and inviting space to explore and grow.
Renée
RYT 200, YIN 50H
Renée is a lover of movement, though she only discovered this passion through yoga at 26. Yoga began a beautiful journey of reconnection, self-discovery, and healing through movement. After experiencing the profound and liberating nature of yoga as more than just a movement practice, but a state of being where nothing is missing, she couldn't imagine a life doing anything other than sharing that gift.
Her intention as a yoga teacher is to make the practice of yoga accessible, enjoyable, and an integral part of more lives. She wishes to create a safe space to foster a playful exploration of the Self through breath, movement, and awareness informed by yoga philosophy. Enabling you to cultivate your own expression of the practice. To best serve your body, mind, and spirit both on and off the mat.
Renée teaches from her training in Hatha, Yin & Vinyasa as well as drawing inspiration from her self practice of somatic movement, floorwork and AcroYoga.
You can find Renée at SOMA on Wednesdays for an evening chill at 7:45pm Yin + Restorative.
Luisa
RYT200, Yin, Rocket, Mandala, Teen Yoga
Luisa is an experienced teacher of Vinyasa, Rocket, Yin and Mandala Yoga. She has a great interest in anatomy & biomechanics and has further advanced her knowledge in anatomy-oriented teacher trainings.
Yoga has radically transformed Luisa’s life and it has made her stronger and healthier both physically and mentally. As a teacher, her mission is to share her passion for this ancient practice and its healing powers with as many people as possible.
Luisa has a keen interest in language and always strives to use its powers to create an inclusive, welcoming, and loving environment where everyone feels free to take the practice at their own pace. Expect some Sanskrit and a touch of humor – she believes yoga is a serious practice, but it can and should be fun too.