Meet the Yoga Maya Team
Father and daughter Keith and Tammy
Tammy began practicing yoga in their teens as a way to give self-support through the myriad of mental and emotional problems they faced through those times and into young adulthood. Tammy’s innate desire to move and live mindfully continues, forming a basis to exist with nurture, care and wisdom toward self, others and planet.
Keith began practicing yoga after attending a class with his daughter Tammy in 2008. Keith also share’s the desire to feel easy and comfortable in body, mind and heart. His practice continues fostering tenderness, insight and calm in all journey’s particularly with relations to himself, others, and inner and outer worlds.
Tammy Nah Afipong Jacobson-Rooke (they/them) – Yoga Maya Founder, Senior Yoga Teacher, Mentor, Psychology Student.
Tammy has been practicing yoga since their teens and teaching since 2009, founding Yoga Māyā as a space for inclusive, mindful movement and community connection. With over 750 hours of certified training, plus specialized studies in yoga therapy, functional movement, and somatic practices, Tammy’s teaching blends Eastern and Western philosophies to create classes that are accessible, grounding, and deeply nourishing.
At the heart of Tammy’s approach is a commitment to social justice, accessibility, and self-awareness. Their ongoing Bachelor of Psychology at ECU, with a focus on Indigenous Knowledge, Gender Studies, and Aboriginal Health & Wellbeing, informs their perspective on movement, breath, and mindfulness as tools for both individual and collective well-being.
Tammy co-founded the Beginner Yoga Courses at Yoga Māyā, helping hundreds of students begin, return to, or deepen their yoga journey. They also run Yoga in the Park at Stirk Park, Kalamunda, a beloved summer tradition since 2009.
Beyond yoga, Tammy is a proud parent, animal lover, and lifelong student of intersectional awareness, privilege literacy, and cultural humility. Their classes offer a space to move, breathe, and come home to yourself in a way that honors your unique experience.
Kerry Holborow - Yoga Maya Teacher, Studio Manager at The Yoga Space in West Perth, Mindful Birth Educator, Special Needs Education Assistant K-12.
Hi, I’m Kerry, mother of two and hands-on grandmother of five. Born and raised in Perth, and a Kalamunda local since the 80s.
Movement has been part of my life since I was very young, studying classical ballet and other dance forms from the age of three. I came to yoga through the desire to move and found so much more to the practice, and the healing it provides.
I have trained through The Yoga Space, Wisdom Yoga Institute and Yogazeit. I am a Level 1, with 350-hour Hatha Vinyasa Yoga, Children and Teens Yoga Teacher registered with Yoga Australia. I have post grad trainings in Yoga for Trauma and Mental Health, Wise Mind Meditation, Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Yoga Nidra, and Chair Yoga for the Elderly.
I am passionate about the well-being and development of children and the benefits mindfulness-based practices and kids and teens yoga can bring.
I have worked for many years as a Special Needs Education Assistant for K-12 and 10 years as an Ambulance Emergency Medical Dispatcher, and have a Working With Children Check, National Police Clearance and current First Aid certificate.
I am passionate about the benefits yoga practice has brought to my life and sharing the wonderful tools I’ve learnt and continue to learn with others, of all ages and abilities.
Asha Holborow - Yoga Maya Studio Manager, Mindful Birth Lead Educator, C-IAYT Yoga Therapy Student, Doula, Certified Postpartum Education and Care Professional.
Asha Holborow, our Studio Manager here at Yoga Maya is a mother of three and passionate advocate for Postpartum Education and the transformative journey of Matrescence. As a dedicated Postpartum Doula and Postpartum Education and Care Professional, Asha extends invaluable support and evidence-based Breastfeeding and Postpartum care Education through workshops and compassionate care practices.
Asha is a 350 hour Registered Hatha Vinyasa Yoga Teacher with Yoga Australia and holds specialised and accredited postgraduate training in Yoga for Trauma and Mental Health, Prenatal Yoga , Yoga for Active Birth, Postpartum Yoga, Children's and Teens Yoga, Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Yoga Nidra.
As of May 2024, Asha has almost completed her studies in becoming C-IAYT Yoga Therapist with Wisdom Yoga Institute ( the only accredited training institute in Australasia)
Studying C-IAYT Yoga Therapy is comprised of certain requirements akin to a masters degree! Yoga Therapy Trainees must hold a minimum of 350hrs of accredited Yoga Teacher Training to begin their journey and are required to study with an accredited training provider for over 800hrs with practicum placements with mentorship over the 2 + years of study! Receiving a certification as an individual yoga therapist, (C-IAYT) that is internationally recognised and respected - is no easy feat!
Asha loves Yoga and its ability to provide a framework for life. She strongly believes in promoting holistic wellbeing, harnessing the power of mindfulness, movement, and aligning with our innate biological rhythms. Asha's passion is fueled by a critical need for improved support and education surrounding birth and breastfeeding in Australia. Alarmed by the escalating rates of birth trauma and postpartum depression, she advocates for change in the over-medicalization of birth. Her vision encompasses systemic shifts that prioritize practices fostering lifelong Holistic Wellbeing.In essence, Asha Holborow champions a holistic approach to wellness, advocating for systemic change to empower healthier transitions into parenthood and cultivate a society that thrives on holistic principle.
Nicola Brimson (she/her) - Yoga Maya Yoga Teacher
I'm Nicola ☺️ currently loving books, baking and breathing in the bush air.
I committed to Yoga in my late 20s and immediately loved how it crafted me into a more emotionally stable person and helped me find comfort in my body. Yoga carried me through personal trauma with the asana and pranayama providing me with tools to cope and I became really interested in the philosophy of yoga, leaning on the teachings to guide me through my grief. Yoga again was my backbone as I dived into Motherhood, allowing me to prioritise my own nourishment and find my way with grace.
Knowing how powerful Yoga had been for me over those 5 years, I embarked on the journey to further my knowledge and completed my 350h Hatha Vinyasa teacher training in 2022. I have since completed further training in Restorative Yoga, Yin Yoga and Yoga Nidra. I practice Yoga for the embodiment it provides, the self study and compassion for myself that it nurtures, and the grounding companion it has become in my everyday life. I teach Yoga to encourage the exploration of some of these gifts and hope that it can provide comfort and discovery.
Susie Whitelaw - Yoga Maya Qigong Teacher, Bowen Practitioner, Reiki Master, Sound Therapist, Hypnotherapist, Nutrition and Lifestyle Coach.
Susie is self described as lifetime learner, and a global citizen. She enjoys researching longevity and health, setting her basis in science and its innovative qualities. She does feel overall it can be challenging to find the place were Modern Science, lifestyle, Eastern and Western medicine and spirituality meet. Finding the Balance is the challenge, and what Susie feels she can help offer to our beautiful Hills community.
Susie has had a lot of fun in her life, working for the airlines and as a travel agent for over a decade which allowed her to experience some amazing places on our beautiful planet. When Susie started her family, she became interested in different types of education and began to first study and then work as a Montessori Educator for over 12 years, and then 8 years as a Education assistant with children with disabilities. Susie is a Qualified Bowen Practitioner, The Bowen Academy of Australia, Qualified Reiki Master Teacher, Qualified Kyela Advanced Sound Therapist and Group Sound Facilitator, Forest Rock Monastery School Qigong Teacher, Has completed her Advanced Diploma of Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy, with The Australian Academy of Hypnosis + more!
“I’m passionate about these practices as I have seen many improvements in my own health and my clients health over the past 25 years. I’m honoured to offer these complimentary therapies to support and guide you to a balanced lifestyle full of Vitality and Tranquillity.” - Susie Whitelaw
