The SomaChi Team
Our Team
Lianne Metcalf
Following the premature death of her mother, Lianne’s life search began with meditation at the age of 16, with questions like what happens when you die?
Driven by this type of questioning, Lianne’s quest was not typical of the more traditional movement practices. In fact life practice has mostly centered around the energetic motion of movement which also included theatre both as actor and writer. She became involved with Tai Chi, Hatha Yoga, Oki Do Yoga, and soon after taught Somatic Movement for the Melba Conservatorium Of Music. She later practiced Astanga Yoga, and trained as a Pilate's Practioner.
In 1991 Lianne began training in Somatic Integration Therapy. She has a Diploma in Somatic Therapy and an Advanced Diploma in Zapchen Somatics a practice of Tibetan energetic techniques and Western Psychotherapies.
Lianne is a Facilitator for The Melbourne Sports and Recreation Centre in Somatic Pilate's and co-authored the Somatic Pilate's Manual which is presented in the course.
Lianne is also the founder of SomaChi Yoga. In this endeavor she acknowledges her major influences of Dr. Julie Henderson, Dr. Tony Richardson, and her Tibetan teachers. She also respectively acknowledges tai chi, meditation, and yoga practices in general.
Lianne has trained in Vinyasa Yoga and is a experienced registered Yoga Teacher E-RYT 500 with Yoga Alliance. In 2007 in partnership with Nicky Davidson has opened the SomaChi Yoga Studio, located in Prahran.
Lianne believes coming from a family of dancers has greatly influenced the flow of SomaChi Yoga. Her classes are graceful, flowing and dynamic. She likes to bring humor to her classes while remaining introspective within body mind experiences. In her classes you will hear her asking you to: ‘sense’, ‘feel the moves’, ‘notice the strength with the softness’, and notice what flow is within the body.
Her intention is for you to experience the soma (aliveness) of your movement.
Nicky Davidson
As a Senior Teacher, Nicky teaches a range of SomaChi Yoga and Pilates classes. She also offers private SomaChi Yoga and Pilates studio sessions to individuals and small groups. As well as teaching in the SomaChi Studio, Nicky teaches at a variety of gyms, health centres, the corporate sector and schools throughout Melbourne. Nicky’s depth of experience enables her to teach people of all abilities and ages.
In addition to her advanced SomaChi Yoga qualifications, Nicky is also a Certified Pilates Instructor (mat, reformer bed, wunder chair and props) and qualified Tai Chi Instructor. She has studied Tibetan Buddhism, meditation and mantra for nine years with Lama David Christensen of the Odiyana Buddhist Centre in Melbourne.
Nicky’s wealth of knowledge and experience flows through in all her classes as she encourages class participants to explore the somatic elements of yoga and Pilates: feeling, sensing and embodiment. She wishes that through her classes, participants develop greater wellbeing and happiness, and establish a yoga or Pilates practice that supports an energetic, strong and healthy body.
Nicky’s warm, caring and friendly nature will make you smile, even in the most challenging postures, and she will help you discover that yoga is an incredible way to open your mind and heart for the benefit of yourself and others.
Kerryn Boyle
Kerryn teaches SomaChi Yoga and Pilates and also offers private and small group SomaChi Yoga and Pilates sessions in the studio. At only 23, she has already been practicing yoga for nine years, and holds an Exercise and Sports Science Degree and qualifications in a range of Pilates methods. When she’s not teaching in the studio, Kerryn works as a full-time Health Coach.
Kerryn’s classes are strong as she works with fluidity and energy to find balance through mind and body. Her intention is that individuals leave her classes with a sense of achievement and satisfaction. Kerryn plans to continue developing her yoga, Pilates and health coaching skills, knowing that all three complement each other and are powerful tools to assist people in their journey to healthy living.
Lisa Selwyn
Lisa teaches SomaChi Yoga and the Fab 50s+ classes.
Through her business ‘Yoga Lily’, Lisa teaches yoga for children and recently presented a workshop for the Australian Education Union on bringing yoga into the classroom. Using her knowledge of sign language, Lisa also teaches ‘Deaf Yoga’ to Deaf and hard of hearing primary and secondary students with Karli Dettman.
Lisa’s SomaChi classes are a combination of restorative and dynamic postures, and she draws inspiration from the Tai Chi and Zapchen Somatic practices. Her calm disposition will help you feel comfortable in the studio, regardless of your previous yoga experience.
Lisa teaches at the SomaChi Studio, gyms and schools throughout Melbourne.
Kiran Walker
Kirran Walker is a SomaChi Yoga trained teacher and she also holds a 500 hours practitioner’s certificate in Hatha Yoga from the Victorian Institute of Yoga Education and Teacher Training. Kirran has been practicing yoga for seven year and teaches in the SomaChi Studio and a range of gyms, businesses and schools throughout Melbourne. Kirran also provides private yoga sessions to children with special needs.
Kirran works with the five elements of water, earth, wood, fire and metal as they play out in the body and mind. Her classes are playful and explore the physical and energetic qualities of the self and other. She provides a comfortable, supportive environment for participants to facilitate an acceptance of being ‘where you are’ in class.
Merrin Morrison
Merrin teaches SomaChi’s Prenatal Yoga as well as other SomaChi yoga classes. She also conducts private and small group sessions. Merrin has been practicing yoga for nine years, but it was only after discovering SomaChi that she really fell in love with yoga. As well as studying SomaChi, Merrin has also studied Prenatal Yoga with Janice Clarfield, who is a world renowned Prenatal Yoga Teacher Educator.
Merrin’s love of music is evident in her classes, as she uses beats and rhythms to help the class move through each yoga sequence.
Her prenatal classes are gentle and offer a supportive environment for women experiencing a wonderfully sacred time in their lives. Her intention for women attending these classes is to empower and inspire them to give birth as naturally and as actively as possible.
Linda Keyes-Tilley
Linda has been practicing yoga since 2000 and has worked with a variety of yoga styles. She truly believes that everyone’s enjoyment of life and wellbeing can be enhanced by including yoga into their lifestyle.
Linda’s SomaChi classes are physically active, energy focused, nurturing and considered. Her caring approach is evident by encouraging you to stay within your own range of comfortable movement while still challenging you to come into the moment and hopefully embody the joys of yoga as a moving meditation.
Sally-Ann Balharrie
Sally-Ann has been passionate about yoga for 20 years. For her, yoga is about realizing the wonderful potential we all have when we choose to connect our mind and body through movement. Having travelled extensively through Tibet and India, Sally-Ann draws upon the teachings of great Buddhist minds and brings these inspirational lessons to her classes.
Sally-Ann’s teaching style is calm, with an intense energy and a sense of humour. She will warmly encourage anyone, of any age and ability to add yoga and meditation into their mad and crazy western life. Sally-Ann will help you see that yoga is a way to connect, express and share in our amazing and challenging world.
Koushik Venkatesan
Koushik’s ability to blend his knowledge of mixed martial arts with SomaChi yoga has enabled him to bring a unique “strength through softness” element to his classes. As our resident Indian ‘guru’ Koushik has knowledge of the ancient Sanskrit language in which yoga was originally written, along with the Hindu legends and philosophies that are as old as the practice of yoga itself.
Koushik teaches our Rejuvenation Classes, which emphasise softness and breath awareness to stay grounded in the present moment. His classes provide the space for people to explore themselves physically, energetically and spiritually through their practice.
