Meet The Sangha Family

Justine Sydenham
Studio Owner, Yoga Teacher, Reiki Practitioner, Integrative Bodyworker
Justine has been practicing & exploring Integrative Healing Art forms for nearly twenty years.
She is a Reiki Practitioner/Master, Integrative Bodyworker, Sound Medicine Healer, Yoga/Meditation Teacher, Retreat Facilitator & the Owner of Sangha Studio Wagga.
Integrity, authenticity, honesty, humility, non-judgement, non-violent communication, sacred internal boundaries & love is what’s most import for me, to consistently hold a safe space for her students & clients to 'do the work', unravel, unfurl, shed the layers to open their hearts & come home.
Her favourite yoga quote is: “We use asana to get into our bodies, not our bodies to get into asana’s.” This sums up how she holds space & what these sacred practises mean to her, a gentle re-wilding approach to arrive back home, remembering our voice, personal power, purpose & who we always were - loving presence.
She is most passionate about weaving a trauma informed approach through all of my methods, as well as soul retrieval work, somatic mapping, intuitive embodied movement, recalibrating & healing the nervous system & working with energy medicines for deep everlasting healing.

Bre Knobel
Yoga Teacher, Social Media Queen
Bre’s yoga journey began at age 16 when she attended her first yoga class. Then, yoga was a way to keep fit, and create an excuse to have a whole pizza to herself afterwards (now she does that unashamedly). In 2019 this changed when she attended one of Justine’s chakra yoga classes, and yoga took on a whole new meaning. It became a way to ground, connect with self, and begin navigating the frightening path to self-love and acceptance. Yoga became a way to heal, to express, and find a new way of being. Bre completed her Yin/Yang Yoga Teacher Training with Justine & Lyssa in 2020, and since then has also completed levels I & II of Usui Reiki, 20hr Meditation & the Chakras, and a 20hr Trauma Sensitive Yoga.Bre’s favourite yoga quote is: “Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self.”– The Bhagavad GitaWhen teaching yoga, Bre’s utmost intention is to create a space in which people can feel safe, seen, and empowered to be themselves. In Bre’s yoga classes you can expect to be invited to get curious, explorative, and self-expressive. There is never a right or wrong way, only the way that best serves you in the present moment.

Bonnie Heidrich
Yoga Teacher
Nicki was fortunate to grow up in a family passionate about health & well-being. It wasn’t until she was a mum herself that the importance of this really kicked in! Nic’s health and yoga journey began when she had difficulty falling pregnant. Nothing was ‘wrong’ but her body was out of balance and exhausted. She soon discovered the mind-blowing power of yoga & meditation which started her on this continuous journey of discovery.
In 2015 Nicki studied a Yoga Therapy teacher training course for kids with Zenergy yoga. A friend of hers convinced her to go on & complete her YTT & she never looked back! Nicki completed her 200hr YTT with Insync. She has been fortunate enough to complete other YTT’s which include Movement Medicine, part of Shiva Rea’s Prana Vinyasa & Creating themed Practices with Delamay Devi, Womankind Pelvic Floor & Hormone Balancing YTT with Liza Fitzpatrick. She completed her Reiki I & II with Justine which opened new doors to spiritual possibilities. Nicki is currently studying Relax Kids, Shamanic Reiki & has also enrolled to study Ayurveda. Nicki loves to dance, do sound healings & be out in nature with her horses. One day she will combine it all together! Nicki loves to teach a yoga flow combining dance, asanas, sound healings & breathing techniques always finishing with a beautiful relaxation to bring it all together leaving you feel free & nurtured. She feels so grateful to all her wonderful teachers for sharing their wisdom.

Karen Pike
Yoga Teacher
As a student of life for 50+ years, I like all of us, have witnessed and experienced lifes ups and down, darkness and lightness, good times and bad. Times where I've felt alone and disconnected and times I've felt deeply connected and integrated. Yoga has taught me to respect it all as opportunities to grow, heal, transcend. Simply put, to me, life is like one big yoga practice. Interweaving and incorporating the "practice", off the mat and into life. And while at times there's been resistance or discomfort to meet myself in one moment, remembering "my yoga" be it movement through asana, dance or walking in nature, or listening to or singing a song, perhaps reflecting and journalling, I'm immediately bought back to my centre, my connection, my bliss. I have a deep appreciation for the cycles of life that help to stir my energies within signalling transition and change is about to occur. And the cycle begins again. We are all living the human experience at our own pace, I respect, honour and recognise this in you, in me, in us all.
It is through sharing my human-ness, through my teaching, and my wish, that all of us know how to be in and live in the vibration of peace, love, gratitude and truth.

Nicki Pearce
Yoga Teacher
Nicki was fortunate to grow up in a family passionate about health & well-being. It wasn’t until she was a mum herself that the importance of this really kicked in! Nic’s health and yoga journey began when she had difficulty falling pregnant. Nothing was ‘wrong’ but her body was out of balance and exhausted. She soon discovered the mind-blowing power of yoga & meditation which started her on this continuous journey of discovery.
In 2015 Nicki studied a Yoga Therapy teacher training course for kids with Zenergy yoga. A friend of hers convinced her to go on & complete her YTT & she never looked back! Nicki completed her 200hr YTT with Insync. She has been fortunate enough to complete other YTT’s which include Movement Medicine, part of Shiva Rea’s Prana Vinyasa & Creating themed Practices with Delamay Devi, Womankind Pelvic Floor & Hormone Balancing YTT with Liza Fitzpatrick. She completed her Reiki I & II with Justine which opened new doors to spiritual possibilities. Nicki is currently studying Relax Kids, Shamanic Reiki & has also enrolled to study Ayurveda. Nicki loves to dance, do sound healings & be out in nature with her horses. One day she will combine it all together! Nicki loves to teach a yoga flow combining dance, asanas, sound healings & breathing techniques always finishing with a beautiful relaxation to bring it all together leaving you feel free & nurtured. She feels so grateful to all her wonderful teachers for sharing their wisdom.

Dee Brilley
Meditation & Mindfulness Teacher, Early Childhood Educator
Hi, I am Dee from embracingembodiedminds, I have over 15 years’ experience as an Early Childhood Teacher and have completed a Certificate in Teaching and Guiding Meditation and Mindfulness. My teaching style is interest and emergent based, thriving when in flow and deeply connected with those that I am able to share space with.
Enlightenment, authenticity, connection, and a nurturing environment are of high importance to me, allowing a safe space for others to explore a deep sense of emotional awareness.
My goal for our mindful sessions is to explore adaptable techniques through interest based, fun, mindful tools. My vision is to broaden and bring awareness around trauma informed education. Whilst highlighting the deep importance of emotional literacy; the way in which emotions arise, sit, and feel even for our youngest generation. 80% of the brain is developed within the first five years. For children connecting to what appears and arises in present moment situations, may be expressed through heightened behaviours and reactions. If we can expose children to these tools, they can carry them for life. Being able to pull on them throughout any hardship over their lifetime. I believe we must sit alongside children in coregulation. Whilst scaffolding, role modelling and co creating with children to explore these mindful practises. Once children are able to lean into their window of tolerance or sense a more balanced level of regulation, their learning flourishes. Each child blooms beyond our expectations. I want children to have a voice, feel seen, safe, soothed, and secure. We have the capacity to create change and continue to set these children up with amazing life skills.
I am excited to be a part of the Sangha community and look forward to sharing these amazing skills that I have observed make positive waves within my classrooms.

Sammy Higgins
Yoga Teacher, Mother
Greetings my name is Sammy.
I started practicing yoga 10 years ago and completed my TTC in 2018 in Mysore India. After that trip I was hooked and went back the following year to complete a sadhana.
After falling pregnant with my little boy I needed more stillness & space in my practice so completed my Yin yoga training with Bernie Clark.
My classes are for everyone and I will always find away to modify poses for those who need.
My intention is for all students to leave feeling balanced and centred.
Hope to see you at a classes soon.

Bronte Mullins
Pilates Teacher
Bronte has been practicing yoga since 2017 which has helped with her mental health and anxiety. Through the spaces created by her teachers Bronte has learnt many skills of how to be in tune with her body and create space for all emotions.
Bronte has completed her Pilates Mat Instructor training with Barre Body. Bronte loves how Pilates can create heat in the body but also nourishes your mind and total wellbeing. At the end of her classes Bronte loves to wind down and create a moment of stillness for relaxation and integration.
The Mat Pilates classes are open to everyone creating a welcome space for all bodies and people. The classes are a welcoming space for all no matter what your limits are. In these classes you will create heat within your body but also find relaxation towards the end of the classes to help you wind down to help you throughout your day and week ahead.

Edwina Scerri
Yoga Teacher, Psychologist
Edwina has been a student of yoga for many years & overtime, began to appreciate that yoga was a great way to help manage aches and pains whilst also using breath to help with grounding and reconnecting with her body.
Edwina completed her yoga teacher training in 2022 at Sangha Studio & the teacher training supported her with deepening her yoga practice. Edwina is also a psychologist and is passionate about applying yoga to support peoples mental well-being and managing chronic pain.
Edwina’s intention for classes is to provide every kind of body a supportive and curious space to reconnect with self in a compassionate way and will start teaching in term 1 on Wednesday's at 6:30am.
Edwina’s favourite quote is:
‘Our body and mind are elegantly connected. As we become aware of the wisdom of our body and draw mindful attention to the sensations connected to our well being, a new world of healing becomes available to human beings across the lifespan’
- Elaine Miller-Karas

Georgie Woods
Pilates Teacher
I’m Georgie and I’m a qualified Pilates Mat and Reformer teacher. I found pilates six years ago and absolutely fell in love with this art of movement. I create a space where we are able to feel safe to move and condition all parts of the body. Through my education of Breathe Education, ten years of classic ballet and my continual practice with Yoga I believe this has helped me navigate a path of healing for myself.
With my experience in the Disability and Mental Health industry I have the nature to ensure all human beings can experience belonging, movement and ensuring we are nourishing the mind and body. My classes will explore full body movement and increase flexibility, strength, coordination and balance.