Laura Bissell - Charity Chairman, Founding Director, BWY DCT
Laura has been practising Yoga for over 40 years, firstly in America and since 1988 in Britain. During the Yoga for Health Foundation’s Teacher Training course at Ickwell Bury in 1994/95, Laura was impressed by the real commitment there to offer ‘yoga for all’ and the seed was planted to open a regional centre in the north for the whole community. Laura refined her teaching skills with the British Wheel of Yoga's 3-year diploma course; she is now a BWY Teacher Training Diploma Course Tutor, Foundation Course Tutor and qualified assessor. Laura has completed three BWY advanced post-diploma modules: 1) Pranayama based on the system of Swami Gitananda, 2) Yoga for Pregnancy and 3) Ayurveda. She is also a Remedial Yoga Therapist, having done advanced training for physical disabilities at the Yoga for Health Foundation, plus YOU & ME training with its emphasis on learning disabilities. Further 'specialty' training has been completed in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga from Union Yoga, Baby Yoga & Massage from Francoise Freedman's Birthlight programme and Modern Pilates, a course developed by Physiotherapist Christopher Norris, author of "Back Stability" and "Abdominal Training, Enhancing Core Stability". Additionally, she is a qualified GP Exercise Referral Consultant and level 4 Diabetes & Obesity Specialist. Laura has a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Texas and she is a qualified secondary school teacher in England.