The Gymea-Based Studio Focused On Wellness From The Inside, Out
Blending yoga and hypnotherapy, Alasana takes a different tact
Alasana, Gymea
Anyone who has ever tried yoga will know: once you do, you won’t go back. Rooted in northern Indian traditions that trace back to well over 5,000 years ago, there’s a reason this spiritual practice has held so strong and steadily found its way into many cultures. Delving into the art here in the Shire are Alison, Matt, and the team behind Alasana, a Gymea-based wellness studio providing “a safe space to be you”.
However, it’s not just Vinyasa, Gentle Flow Vinyasa, Restorative and Yin yoga that are the focus here, but also hypnotherapy. Wipe from your mind images of swinging pocket watches and psychedelic patterns, hypnotherapy here is more “speaking to the unconscious mind”, mental health and empowerment, backed by Alison’s Clinical Hypnotherapy background. “I discovered hypnotherapy because I had bad anxiety and depression, and now, I actually help a lot of people with the same issues,” says Alison, who notes that people come to her with all manner of issues including addiction, chronic pain, phobias, weight control and self-sabotaging behaviour.
“Alison takes people into this place, this very relaxed, meditation-like place where they discover their inner-voice - the space in which these behaviours form - and allows them to control it,” explains Matt, who also tells of Alison’s tendency to go “above and beyond” for her clients, ready to take calls or answer texts as they need.
All-in-all, it’s a little less “clucking like a chicken”, and a little more “self-discovery, personal growth and understanding the root of the problem”, says Alison. “We can't make anyone do anything they don't want to do,” she insists. Still, if you’ve never toe-dipped into hypnotherapy before, it can feel, to some, a bit out of reach. But Alison truly has the results to prove it - and the clientele, which spans children, adults and HSC-facing teens.
Unlike many yoga studios, Alasana takes a ‘wellness from the inside out’ tact. So, that’s the inside taken care of - but as for the out? That’s where yoga comes back in, a practice of both mind and body. “Currently, I've got a team of ten teachers who are running 20 plus classes a week,” says Alison. “Yoga is for everybody. I know that's a cliché, but it is literally for everybody, and every body type,” she continues, fully aware of the stigma around trying a new thing, especially where workouts are concerned.
“Our teachers will start from the lowest version of a pose and then work into a peak pose or peak shape. Alasana is very much your practice. So if you wanted to do a headstand, then yes, the teacher could take you into a headstand. But there's no pressure to do that,” she continues - at Alasana, there are no raging egos in sight. “People come because they're looking for that space to be able to, like we say, drop the mask,” adds Matt.
If ‘dropping the mask’ is your agenda, there has never been a better physical space to do so.
Bright, white, clutter-free, open, breezy and full of greenery, the studio feels as much wellness spa as it does workout. It may have only been here for 12 months, but everything about Alasana feels just…right. “It's a simple sort of sanctuary. It's a blank canvas, it's very neutral,” tells Matt, adding that it even comes with its own ‘signature scent’.
Alison, founder of Alasana
Those seeking to try out yoga at Alasana can do so without the commitment thanks to their 14 day free trial offer. As for hypnotherapy, Alison says an initial session lasts 90 minutes, with follow up appointments spaced monthly, “because it takes 21 days for us to form a habit”.
You can find out more about hypnotherapy, the class timetable and team via alasana.com