DIRECTORS/CHARITY TRUSTEES

Nicole currently divides her time between working as an educational psychologist in Southend, teaching Kundalini yoga and her trusteeships of the Body Dysmorphic Disorder Foundation and the Give Back Yoga Foundation UK. She has authored books on transpersonal modes of healing: ‘False Bodies, True Selves: Moving Beyond Appearance-Focused Identity Struggles and Returning to the True Self’ and ‘Bodies Arising: Fall in Love with your Body and Remember your Divine Essence’. She has also co-authored ‘The Parent’s Guide to Body Dysmorphic Disorder’ and co-edited, ‘Reflections on Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Stories of Courage, Determination and Hope’.

Nicole has a passion for mantra and a special interest in the benefits of yoga for mental health, particularly in the areas of body dysmorphia, disordered eating and autism spectrum conditions.

Dr Chang Park is a GP and yoga teacher based in London. She completed her medical training at University College London and her postgraduate qualification in General Practice in 2009. Dr Park has a particular interest in mental health, women’s health, and holds a diploma in lifestyle medicine with the British Society of Lifestyle Medicine. She also serves as clinical lead for the borough of Westminster for a growing team of Health and Wellbeing Coaches. Chang attributes yoga practice to her improved self-understanding, positive health behaviours, and enhanced meaningful connections in her life. She completed her yoga teacher training with Triyoga London in 2019 and has since been a senior assistant and mentor for new trainees. She enjoys teaching Hatha yoga in person and online, has additional training in Restorative yoga, and is a Yoga4Health teacher. Through her experience in both medicine and yoga, she sees all aspects of her work as simply contributing to helping others live well – happier, and healthier. She hopes that by advocating for the principles and practices of yoga, healthcare as we currently receive and deliver it can be more effective, holistic, compassionate, and self-empowered.

Paul Fox was a founding director of YIHA but stepped down from the board to become the main volunteer focused on the day-to-day running of YIHA with a mission to grow the charity into the leading organisation enabling yoga teachers to work in healthcare. Paul is a former Chair of the British Wheel of Yoga where he pioneered a new direction for the organisation focusing on standards, diversity and inclusion. Those aims continue with YIHA. Paul is also a past Chair of British Wheel of Yoga Qualifications (BWYQ), an Ofqual-recognised awarding body. He worked alongside colleagues to achieve accreditation for YIHA Yoga4Health training from the Personalised Care Institute and the Yoga4NHS staff wellbeing protocol from the Royal College of GPs. Paul has trained over 200 yoga teachers, and continues to teach Yoga4Health classes as well as fully inclusive Yoga4Everybody classes offering chair versions of every practice and informed by breathing techniques from yoga and Buteyko. Paul was a BBC network news journalist for 23 years, and is the author of Yoga Quest and co-author of Yoga on Prescription with Heather Mason, published June 2022.