LORRAINE CLOSE

ECY DIRECTOR

With a background in nursing in a wide variety of settings including working in a maximum security prison in Glasgow and 2 years living in India, Lorraine has developed a strong awareness of the connection between emotional and physical health. As the outreach director of ECY Lorraine is responsible for planning organising and developing outreach programmes at ECY. Lorraine also teaches trauma informed yoga programmes around the city, runs NHS and corporate staff wellbeing programmes and delivers workshops on outreach teaching for yoga teachers. She also works at Edinburgh Medical School teaching clinical skills and resuscitation. In 2019 Lorraine spent 7 weeks travelling to the US, Canada and Kenya to study sustainability in yoga not for profit as a Churchill Fellow.

In 2006 while travelling in South Asia Lorraine began practising yoga and meditation regularly. Since moving to Edinburgh in early 2012 Lorraine has developed a committed practice with consistent teachers. Lorraine has never forgotten that going to a yoga class can be an intimidating experience. Yoga helped her to learnt to sit comfortably with herself, emotionally and physically. With this in mind she takes a friendly approach to teaching, encouraging students to allow yoga to fit their bodies rather than make their bodies fit yoga postures. Her main focus is to give students the opportunity to experience the positive effects of connecting the mind and body through the practice of yoga.

Lorraine believes that the opportunity to try yoga should be accessible to everyone; this belief has fueled her interest in yoga outreach; particularly in working with adults affected by stress and anxiety, addiction and complex PTSD.

Training and Qualifications

  • BSc(Hons) Nursing
  • MSc(Research) Nursing- Junior doctor mental wellbeing
  • 200 hour YTT CYS Scotland 2014
  • 300 hour TC-TSY trauma informed practice facilitator training (complete March 2020)
  • 40 hour workshop trauma informed practice- David Emerson 2015
  • 40 hour Yoga and Mindfulness for Addictions Training – The Minded Institute
  • 20 hour Training in Yoga and Mindfulness for stress and anxiety- The Minded Institute
  • 20 hour training in Yoga for Veterans (Warriors at Ease)
  • Peri Natal Mental Health Worshop 8 hours

Membership and Collaboration

  • Yoga Service Council Member
  • Collaborator and Author on Best Practice Guidelines; Yoga and Mindfulness for Addiction Recovery 2019
  • Churchill Fellow with Winston Churchill Memorial Trust 2019