Who we are

Lauren Broomhall

Studio founder + manager, yoga/pilates instructor

Lauren is a practicing physiotherapist with a passion for yoga, health and wellbeing. She feels there is a strong and natural synergy between physiotherapy and yoga, and enjoys the ongoing learning that yoga practice offers. This is why she founded leaf+bird wellbeing with colleague Mayur Jivanjee. She holds qualifications in yoga teaching (YTT 200) and has completed her APPI Pilates Matwork training. She draws from her training in both fields to offer holistic and caring healthcare to her patients.
Lauren’s classes are balanced, and encourage internal reflection. She asks her students to develop self awareness and self respect so that they can practice safely. Lauren always offers levels and an “opt-in” approach to poses and movements, so students can work at their own level.
Lauren also offers physiotherapy consultations for yoga practitioners who wish to workshop or modify their physical practice, or resume yoga after injury or surgery, or who are new to yoga and wish to develop basic skills prior to attending classes.

Raylene Driver

Yoga Instructor

Raylene is a practicing nurse who enjoys outdoor activities as well as yoga! Introduced to yoga in 2011, she quickly noticed the benefits of increased awareness and concentration at work, then went on to study yoga, graduating in 2017 at Gita International in Melbourne.
Raylene believes that yoga is 50% physical and 50% psychological, and that it is a journey of non-judgement, self-discovery, self-respect and self-trust. She teaches Gita Hatha Yoga, which includes breath work to energise, gentle limbering to soften and prepare the body, the yoga postures to restore balance which focus on the endocrine system and relaxation to synthesise the body, mind and spirit. You will leave her class with a sense of refreshed energy and calmness that endures all day.
Raylene believes you don’t have to be flexible or ‘fit’ to do yoga, but simply have the desire to achieve.

Helen Hadley

Meditation Teacher

Helen has completed a diploma of Holistic Living Counselling, a diploma of Meditation Teacher Training and a postgraduate qualification in Family Therapy Systems. She has vast experience working with people of all ages and lifestyles, delivering meditation and mindfulness classes and workshops to help people improve their overall wellbeing.
Helen comes with recognition as an expert in her field, she is an executive member of the Drug Advisory Board of Australia (DACA) and works with people who are recovering from addiction. She has worked for the Australian Centre for Holistic Studies as a Meditation Teacher Coach and Counsellor for many years, and also operates a private counselling practice. She works alongside Psychologist Julianna Bonola of Changemakers Counselling and Psychology, and Chinese Practitioner Marcello D’Intini. Helen also facilitates a series of children’s mindfulness groups.
Helen is passionate about offering a holistic approach wellbeing for adults, children and teachers. In Helen’s classes you will enjoy a combination of supportive communication, relaxation and breath work, and guided visualisations to assist a mindful and peaceful meditation. A wonderful counter the the stresses of busy life.

Zac Buchanan

Yoga Instructor

Zac is a practicing Clinical Psychologist and avid yogi, who through her own personal journey, came to discover and appreciate the many complementary aspects of yoga philosophy and practice in understanding the mind & mind-body connection and enhancing personal wellbeing. She is a strong believer in thorough scientific research, and is excited to see a growing body of western psychology research supporting this +2000 year old tradition!
Zac’s classes are slow and mindful, with an emphasis on the breath - the ‘bridge’ between our mind and body – and self-compassion. Students are encouraged to go at their own pace and are supported to make the practice more their ‘own’. She aims to create classes that not only nourish the body but also serve as opportunities to practice mental strategies that we can take off the mat into everyday life. Zac holds an Advanced Diploma of Yoga Teaching (350hr) and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology.

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The leaf+bird wellbeing story

We are a team of qualified healthcare professionals who branch across multiple disciplines. We believe that the best approach to health is a holistic one – where you, the client, are informed and empowered. The current medical system tends to focus on resolving injury or illness but fails to fully restore a patient to health. At leaf+bird wellbeing we aim to help you continue your health journey all the way to recovery, blending modern western and traditional easter approaches. We understand that good health isn’t a spontaneous state, but rather it is the outcome of a way of living that is balanced and intentional.

Our aim is to deliver quality yoga, pilates and meditation services to our local community. We aim to provide a high standard of care that ensures our clients can participate safely with confidence.

leaf+bird wellbeing has a friendly, inclusive and non-judgmental atmosphere. It is a place where you can participate in your own health journey towards achieving wellness.

About the founders

leaf+bird wellbeing was founded by physiotherapists Lauren Broomhall and Mayur Jivanjee. After several years working together as physiotherapists they found that it was hard to find safe exercise and wellness services for their clients beyond the rehabilitation phase. So they decided to open a studio and do it themselves!

Lauren is a qualified yoga instructor and physiotherapist at Thompsons Road Physiotherapy. For Lauren, the synergy between physiotherapy and yoga practice is very natural and holistic – founding leaf+bird wellbeing has allowed her to explore ways in which she can offer her physiotherapy clients the benefits of yoga practice, and also connect with the local community through wellness.

Mayur is the senior physiotherapist and director at Thompsons Road Physiotherapy. Over his many years of experience he has come to recognise that an individual is a sum of their parts – when a client presents with a problem, taking a holistic and balanced approach to treatment is paramount. Mayur recognises that yoga and meditation offer tools for clients to connect with their body and mind, reduce stress and develop practical skills for self management.