Helensburgh Yoga welcomes everybody
with a wide range of yoga classes to suit all

Helensburgh Yoga Classes are perfect for anyone who wants to take time out from a busy schedule
and find a little space to breathe, whether you are new to yoga or have a regular practice.

What we do - Why practice with Helensburgh Yoga?

Yoga is great for anyone who wants to find a way to release tension and learn to relax a little more. At Helensburgh Yoga Cate keeps things simple and welcomes everybody. You don’t need to be able to touch your toes or stand on your head to join in with a Helensburgh Yoga class. All you need is an open mind and a willing attitude to give it a go, the only prerequisite is the ability to breathe. For more about the benefits of yoga click here.

Cate is trained to teach different groups and teaches a variety of classes, including gentle yoga, flow yoga, pregnancy and post-natal mum and baby yoga, yoga for children, yoga for teens, and introduction to mindfulness meditation. For more about Cate see below.

Cate also offers 1 to 1 sessions as well as tailored classes for specific groups and corporates. Please get in touch to chat through your requirements.

Helensburgh Yoga timetable

Cate is currently taking a break from teaching drop-in Yoga classes. She is still available for pre-booked 1:1 or small group yoga sessions and will also be running the introduction to Mindfulness courses several times a year. If you are interested in Mindfulness or Yoga with Cate, please contact her.
For alternative classes in the area please visit www.holistichelensburgh.com.

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Helensburgh Yoga - Class Descriptions

Helensburgh Yoga classes are suitable for anyone; we have variations of all the postures so everyone can practice safely, even if you are new to yoga. Helensburgh Yoga classes will help to energise the mind and body, balance the emotions and restore a sense of calm and wellbeing. Regular classes help to build strength and increased flexibility in the body, a calmer mind and an overall improved sense of peace, wellness and happiness.
For more about the benefits of yoga click here.

Flow Yoga

We start this class with a short grounding meditation. We link the breath with movement in flowing postures that support different organs and helps to harness energy, build strength and increase flexibility. We cultivate a feeling of being grounded and calm as we finish with breath work and a guided relaxation to give an overall sense of wellbeing, balance in the body and a quieter mind.

Gentle Yoga

We start this class with a short grounding meditation. We will mindfully flow from posture to posture, developing breath awareness and becoming deeply aware of our bodies, increasing the connection between body and mind. We cultivate a feeling of being grounded and calm as we finish with breath work and a guided relaxation to give an overall sense of wellbeing, balance in the body and a quieter mind.

Yoga & Mindfulness for Pregnancy

Many people come to yoga for the first time during pregnancy; there are many benefits for both Mum and baby. This is a calming class to help you through this amazing journey and prepare for Motherhood. Not only will you receive the physical benefits of yoga and generally increase your level of comfort whilst carrying your growing baby – you will also learn some Mindfulness tools to help you calmly navigate the anxieties and demands of this epic adventure! Classes are suitable from 13 weeks of pregnancy. See timetable for dates of next 5 week block and email Cate to book.

Post-natal Mum & baby yoga

Gently re-build your core/abdominal strength & the pelvic floor muscles. Ease some of the tension in your shoulders and lower back. Gentle baby yoga helps to develop muscle tone and massage helps baby to relax as well as strengthening your bond through touch. We also explore massage techniques to help with common ailments such as teething and colic. Come along to meet other mums and share experiences in this supportive group, most new Mums find this invaluable. Mums and babies welcome 6 weeks from birth (12 if you had a Caesarean birth) until babies are crawling. See timetable for dates of next 5 week block and email Cate to book.

Mindfulness based stress reduction

Become more resilient, present & reduce stress by developing a regular mindfulness practice. Get to know yourself a little better & learn different practical tools to use in everyday life. Mindfulness is a life-skill which can deepen our sense of well-being & fulfilment; just 10 minutes a day has been proven to enhance overall health and well-being. The practice helps us to see more clearly the patterns of the mind and teaches us to engage with the present moment, rather than being caught up in thoughts about the past or the future.

Restore & Relax Yoga (see workshops)

In this restorative yoga class you are encouraged to be gentle with your body and mind. The seated restorative poses are held for between 5 and 10 minutes whilst you feel fully supported with props such as blocks, straps, bolsters, cushions and blankets. This class offers an opportunity to explore your current status through mindful observation and cultivating acceptance, allowing deep relaxation and restoration. This class is helpful in healing the effects of chronic stress, to recover from injury or illness and to balance energy and quiet the mind.

Helensburgh Yoga - Prices & Booking

To book the following classes please email Cate, info@helensburghyoga.com
1:1 sessions - price on enquiry
Group sessions - price on enquiry
Mindfulness 6 week introduction course £160 (includes charitable donation)

Workshops, retreats and events, see workshops section - each session is priced differently

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is a way of being present to our moment-by-moment experience, with an attitude of acceptance, curiosity and kindness. Mindfulness practice helps us to see more clearly the patterns of the mind and teaches us to engage with the present moment, rather than being caught up in thoughts about the past or the future. Mindfulness is a skill that we can develop which allows us to approach and observe our thoughts, physical sensations, experiences and feelings without being taken over or absorbed by them.

This practice can become a powerful tool to improve our quality of life; by being more aware of our thoughts, physical sensations and emotions it means we have greater choice and we no longer need to habitually react or constantly be stuck in ‘automatic pilot mode’. Watch the explanation of Mindfulness on BBC Breakfast (You Tube clip).

Through mindfulness we can learn to:
Develop ways to prevent stress getting the better of us
Instead of being in ‘automatic pilot’ mode, we can enjoy life more
Make more rational and wise choices when life gets more challenging
Develop a greater sense of perspective and inner calm, peace and contentment
Become more aware of ourselves, our bodies, our thoughts and mind
Notice repetitive and habitual thought patterns and disengage from them
Improve our self-worth and self-esteem
Be less self-critical, judgemental and reduce the inner turmoil with ourselves

About our next Mindfulness Course

The next 6 week introduction to Mindfulness will start when we have sufficient interest, please email Cate if you would like to join a course. For more information about the 6 week mindfulness course with Helensburgh Yoga please click here. You must pre-book for this course, please email cate@helensburghyoga.com to do this and arrange to pay a deposit.

Click here to see what some of our past course participants said.

If you are interested in attending a mindfulness course at Helensburgh Yoga but want to talk further please contact Cate on 07444 980939 or email cate@helensburghyoga.com

Workshops, courses & special events

More workshops and retreats coming soon… watch this space for more details.

We sometimes run specific workshops as well as our regular yoga classes. In the past these workshops have included half day mini seasonal yoga retreats and restorative yoga sessions.

Please keep checking this site for the latest news and information.

Frequently asked questions

We at Helensburgh Yoga have put together a list of commonly asked questions along with their answers.
View the FAQ's pdf here.

Gift Vouchers

Gift vouchers are available in varying amounts; £35 for 5 classes or £65 for 10 classes. Alternatively you could purchase a gift voucher for a number of 1 to 1 sessions, just ask for more information. Gift vouchers can be used across all general classes.

For more information or to purchase, email cate@helensburghyoga.com

Introducing Cate

Cate was first introduced to yoga philosophy and mindfulness in 2005. She attended two week long residential retreats in mindfulness and leadership for young people in 2005 and 2006. Cate was initiated in the way of transcendental meditation in 2007. Continuing with her weekly philosophy studies for another few years, Cate continued to practise both meditation and physical yoga on and off for several more years. In 2013 she undertook a 10 day Ayurvedic cleanse during which she decided to train to teach yoga. Cate qualified as a 200 hour Yoga Alliance certified teacher in 2015. Cate has also completed initial Mindfulness teacher training and plans to continue formal study in this area.

Cate has also trained to teach pregnancy and post natal yoga with baby yoga and massage, to teach yoga to teenagers as well as children from the age of three upwards. Cate is a member of the Persons in Vulnerable Groups scheme (PVG) workforce for both children and adults.

Cate has a British Psychological Society (BPS) accredited degree in Psychology with Honours, a COSCA certificate in Counselling Skills (Scotland's professional body for counselling and psycotherapy), the First Aid for Mental Health certificate as well as a First Aid at Work certificate.

About Helensburgh Yoga

Cate Thompson started teaching in 2014 as part of her training, then teaching as Helensburgh Yoga in 2015 after qualifying. Cate has studied yoga philosophy and practiced many aspects of yoga including mindfulness and meditation since 2005.

Cate previously worked in Marketing both in London and Glasgow across both the private and public sectors. Several years ago, she found herself suffering from severe stress and anxiety. She practised a combination of yoga, mindfulness meditation and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) to become well again over a few years. Cate also works as a part time mentor for students with mental health issues at The University of Stirling.

Knowing that these techniques and practices work, she is passionate about sharing these simple tools with others to empower people to relieve their own suffering. Cate is keen to make yoga and mindfulness more accessible to all who feel they would benefit and welcomes everyone to Helensburgh Yoga classes.

Cate lives with her husband, daughter and step son in Arrochar where she also runs a weekly community class in the Three Villages Hall.

About Yoga

Yoga is an ancient practice that helps to bring about increased tranquillity, health, energy and ultimately a greater connection with oneself and our surroundings. Yoga helps to still the mind and balance the body in order to achieve a happier and more contented life with less suffering.

The main practices include asanas (the physical postures), pranayama (specific breathing practices) and meditation. Yoga philosophy also suggests that we can live in such a way that supports the quietening of the mind through specific guidelines; these are called the Yama’s and Niyama’s.

Any one of these practices – or ideally a combination of all of them will help people to live a happier life, find more contentment and inner peace. Anyone can do yoga, you don’t have to be fit or flexible, in fact the only prerequisite is being able to breathe and we can all do that!

At Helensburgh Yoga our classes focus primarily on the physical postures and some of the simple breath practices and simple grounding meditations where we become aware of the breath and body.

Want to feel less stressed and be more relaxed?

Contact Cate on email info@helensburghyoga.com