The Studio

About The Studio

The Studio in Blessington is the new home of This Is Yoga. I wanted to create a beautiful space for the local community to come and practise all types of yoga with a variety of teachers. Fully equipped and 70 square metres in size, The Studio has high ceilings, low lighting and a warm welcome. There’s plenty of free parking outside and in the adjacent Dunnes multistorey car park. Covid meant our doors have been closed for a very long time and now we can’t wait to get teaching in-person classes again, for connection, for solidarity, for everyone’s health. We look forward to welcoming you into this little piece of tranquility very soon.

About Janine, founder of This Is Yoga

One of my first memories is of my mum stretching her legs out in front of her and folding forward to touch her toes in our lounge. I remember trying to copy her and asking what she was doing. “Yoga,” she replied.

It wasn’t until I was in my teens that I went to my first yoga class – and I was hooked. For all the sport I grew up with, yoga gave me another connection, another type of freedom. Vinyasa, astanga, sivananda, anusara, jivamukti, kundalini, bikhram, yin…. I bounced from class to class to get my yoga high when I worked in London. Finally I found my groove – a passion for the dance and rhythm of vinyasa flow contrasted with delicious restorative yin.

Teacher training was about a lust to learn more. As someone who loathed public speaking of any sort, I thought learning how to stand up in front of a room full of people when my tummy was in knots, and make them relax, was a big challenge and a very good skill to learn, not just for teaching yoga, but for life.

I qualified in 2005 after completing a British Wheel of Yoga and Yoga Alliance accredited course with the Yoga Academy and, despite having no intention to teach, I loved it. I loved the peace and the energy, but most of all I loved the way students left class with smiles on their faces, somehow lighter and taller. It provided a lovely balance to my work in a busy newsroom. I carried on exploring yoga, attending workshops and training with the likes of Paul Grilley, Sarah Powers, Sianna Sherman, Uma Dinsmore Tuli and Shiva Rea.

Since moving to Ireland in 2010, I have completed my prenatal and postnatal mum and baby yoga teacher training at The Elbow Room, my Womb yoga training with Uma Dinsmore Tuli and Yoga for Teenagers course with Yoga Therapy Ireland among others. Writing about yoga and wellbeing in a weekly column for The Irish Daily Mail as part of my day job also kept me busy. I’ve also had three babies.

Becoming a mum has changed my practice. Yoga has helped to protect my back when lugging toddlers around, deal with serious sleep deprivation and find a sense of calm and stability in my body and mind when life is so very busy.

This is why I wanted to open The Studio in Blessington. I truly believe that yoga is for absolutely everyone and it should be accessible for all. It’s not about being able to throw crazy shapes; it’s about feeling all the feels, rooting down and going deep inside without judgment to find a bit of peace and space in our lives

Teachers at The Studio

Janine Thomas

Janine

Janine has been practising yoga for over 20 years and teaching since 2005 after qualifying with The British Wheel of Yoga. She combines many different styles of yoga into her classes, but ultimately she loves a good vinyasa flow.

Janine is also an experienced, fully qualified prenatal and postnatal yoga instructor with a background in hypnobirthing. She believes yoga is for absolutely everyone and especially loves teaching beginners. For Janine, yoga is about more than just the physical poses. It’s about moving and breathing, breathing and moving, and finding that connection that brings you back into your body. It’s an anchor for every aspect of your life.

Jenise

Jenise started her yoga journey in 2002 after a serious running accident, which left her with chronic hip and back pain. Perseverance and commitment to her yoga practice not only cured her pain – it made her so much stronger and more flexible. Her experience has given her a passion and desire to help others take care of themselves through yoga.

Jenise has spent many years teaching all over Ireland and California. She loves the inspiration and healing that yoga brings physically and mentally and wants to bring that to those she teaches. Jenise completed her Bikram teacher training in 2008 and yin yoga in 2016. She also recently completed the Untraining Hybrid 200hr teacher training.

Aoife Bolger

Aoife

Aoife Bolger is a Kildare native and well-travelled Mama to two amazing small boys. She has been practising yoga for almost two decades, and her love of and dedication to this ancient science has supported her on each step of her path.

With a deep understanding of the innate wisdom and power of yoga, she loves to share with her students the practices which help us to attune to our own energy and innate wisdom, residing within ourselves.

Aoife is especially passionate about supporting women through the transformative journey of pregnancy, birth and early motherhood.

Aoife holds teaching diplomas in classical Hatha Yoga and in Vinyasa Yoga. She has completed additional training in Women’s and Pregnancy Yoga and in Mum & Baby Postnatal Yoga.

Aoife is a Baby Massage Instructor accredited by Baby Massage Ireland and the International Association of Infant Massage.

Isabel

Isabel’s journey into yoga has been deeply influenced by her holistic approach to life, enjoying the beauty of the countryside, her love for animals, sports, cooking and the pure joy of fresh water swimming.

Isabel holds an advanced 500-hour international certification, a testament to her commitment to the practice and, more importantly, her passion for teaching. Guiding others on their yoga journey is not just a profession but a heartfelt calling for her.

Isabel’s belief is that yoga is not just about postures; it’s a holistic lifestyle that embraces mindfulness. While practising with Isabel, you’ll not only deepen your practice but also connect to your inner essence and find peace as you go.

Join Isabel in the studio, where she’ll weave yoga into the fabric of your lives, creating a community that cherishes every breath, every pose, and every moment.

Nina

Nina was born in Sweden and was always drawn to alternative traditions. She first tried yoga after my daughter was born in 2002 and in 2005 she started practising regularly. In 2009, Nina discovered the Iyengar yoga method and that was it for her – she just loves the way it makes her feel. Five years later, she got her teaching qualification and hasn’t looked back.

Her passion for sharing the benefits of yoga comes from the tremendous benefits it has brought to her own life.

She is always the student – Nina’s own learning continues at classes and workshops with local and visiting teachers such as Zubin Zarthoshtimanesh, Mary Obendorfer, Eddy Marks and Stephanie Quirke, Abhijata Iyengar and many more.

Nina also offers Shiroabhyanga (Classic Indian Head massage), pregnancy massage and health coaching.

Reviews

I have been attending Janine’s yoga classes for over a year now and I can’t praise her highly enough. She puts a huge amount of preparation into each class and creates a very comprehensive and engaging programme every week. She is always aware of the strengths and limitations of each person in the class so that I always feel that I am being expertly guided. These are really the best yoga classes I have ever attended and I find them hugely beneficial.

Chloe Jenner

This is a brilliant yoga class. I started the class after hurting my back. Janine eased me into the practice and was very aware of my injury the whole time. The class has really helped me to recover and maintain my fitness and flexibility.

Grace Wills

Janine is a fantastic prenatal yoga teacher – she has an abundance of knowledge. She really cares and is so passionate about what she does. She helped me prepare for labour both physically and mentally. I highly recommend her class for future Moms-to-be!

Jayne Clarke

I cannot recommend Janine’s pregnancy yoga classes enough. She is absolutely amazing at what she does! I really looked forward to the classes every week! They were great both mentally and physically for pregnancy and delivery preparations. Can’t wait to try the Mother & Baby Yoga next!

Leighann Curran

I have been going to yoga classes with Janine for five years and I cannot recommend her highly enough. She is an inspirational yoga teacher. The hour I spend at her yoga class is the most important and and enjoyable hour of my week. Consider yourself lucky if you get to join her classes!

Terri O’Sullivan

classes & workshops