About Ioana

YOGA PRACTICE AND TRAINING AS A YOGA TEACHER

Ioana started to practice yoga 35 years ago and discovered very quickly that deepening her practice and understanding of yoga was her chosen path in life. Having trained for many years Iyengar Yoga and Meditation with different teachers in a Buddhist Center in Germany, Ioana met her Indian Iyengar yoga teacher Sharat, who had developed his own teaching method. During his retreats in Germany and India Ioana deepened her knowledge of Iyengar yoga learning restorative yoga with props and guided relaxation.

Taking the necessary steps and following her passion Ioana became certified as a yoga teacher with the Yoga Alliance, having completed 200 hrs. of basic training, 300 hrs. of Yoga Therapy Training and 100 hrs. of Ayurvedic and Holistic Nutrition Coaching, total: 600 hrs. During the trainings she got a deeper insight into:

• • • Basic Training:
    • Anatomy
      Vinyasa and Ashtanga Yoga
      Restorative Yoga and Yoga Nidra
      Use of Props
      Pranayama
      Meditation and Silence
      Philosophy and Self-Understanding
      
    • Yoga Therapy Training:
    • Ayurveda and Digestion
    • Chakra System
    • Yoga for the lumbar spine and joint issues
    • Yoga for respiratory issues
    • Yoga for anxiety, insomnia and restlessness
    • Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga
    • Yoga for Addictions
    • Yoga for the Superfit
    • Yoga for Weight Loss
    • Yoga for Cancer Care
    • Yoga for Seniors
    • Ayurvedic Nutrition
    • Holistic Nutrition

After this extensive trainings Ioana gained knowledge in Yin-Yang-Yoga and Anusara Yoga and went on to study the philosophy line of Advaita. Ioana continued to deepen her own self-understanding through the practice of meditation, silence and therapy sessions in the following methods

• Analytical Psychology
  Psychodrama
  Rebirthing
  Family Constellations
  Enneagram
  Hakomi
  Gestalt

Ioana’s teaching method is based on detailed instructions, focusing on awareness and alignment combined with flow and restorative yoga, pranayama and meditation while specialzing in therapeutic yoga and yoga for pregnancy.

She developed her own practice and teaching style she calles GEKO YOGA. It is based on using isometric work and bandhas protecting and stabilizing the joints aiming to find the right balance between the two principles of yoga, stira (stability) and suka (relaxation). Geko Yoga also integrates yoga dance and tai chi into a creative flow, originating all the movements from the spine and working with the different energy movements in the body, using the electro-magnetic heart field to expand and connect with the spiritual center of our being.

EXPERIENCE AS A YOGA TEACHER IN MARBELLA AND MIJAS

Ioana teaches yoga group classes and therapeutic one-to-ones in the area of Marbella and Mijas. She has passed on her knowledge in intensive yoga sessions in several meditation and yoga retreats in Southern Spain.

She taught asanas (alignment, use of props and therapeutic) and pedagogy in the yoga teachers training of the organization “Instituto de Estudios del Yoga” in Marbella and Tarifa (www.institutodeestudiosdelyoga.com) for 3 years and is a collaborator of the yoga convention in Marbella.

Ioana worked for 4 years as a yoga therapist in the Residential Treatment Centre for Trauma and Addictions Camino Recovery (www.caminorecovery.com).

She also wrote a column on yoga in the German newspaper “Costa del Sol Nachrichten” for 5 years.

Ioana has been teaching therapeutic and hatha flow classes for 7 years in Manolo Santana Racquets Club in Marbella and for 6 years in the Beach Club Estrella del Mar and in Elviria, Marbella. (www.beachclubestrelladelmar.com). Since 2023 she has been teaching group classes in Saya Pilates in Elviria, Marbella.

At the same time she has an experience of 18 years in therapeutic one-to-ones, having developed programs for clients with lumbar pain, scoliosis, sciatic pain, shoulder, hip and knee problems, heart condition, high blood pressure, asthma, insomnia, anxiety, panic attacks, depression, overweight, menopause, addictions and mental disability. She has a vast experience in pregnancy yoga, having taught for 18 years prenatal yoga on a regular basis. In the last 6 years she has gained more experience in therapeutic yoga for menopause and offers packages including yoga, massage, nutrition and life coaching for menopause. 

YOGA THERAPY IN MARBELLA AND MIJAS:

LOWER BACK AND SCIATIC PAIN
HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE AND HEART CONDITION
PRENATAL AND POSTNATAL SPORTSMEN
MENOPAUSE AND NUTRITION COACHING
SENIORS
HEALTHY WEIGHT LOSS 
PSYCHOSOMATIC SYMPTOMS

MASSAGE TECHNIQUES, REIKI AND
MASSAGE COURSES IN MARBELLA AND MIJAS

Being a certified masseuse, Ioana is qualified in Swedish massage, Ayurvedic massages (Abhyanga and Indian head massage), Thai massage and Lymphatic Drainage (original Dr. Vodder method). She learned Ayurvedic massages in India.

She completed 300 hours of Professional Thai Massage and Teacher Training at the Thai Massage School of Chiang Mai (TMC), Thailand. This school has received the King’s Award for Best School 2005 and is an approved provider of continuing education in the UK, USA, Canada and Australia. 

Ioana graduated as a Thai massage teacher with the Thai Massage School TMC, Chiang Mai, Thailand (www.tmcschool.com) in June 2009. She is affiliated with TMC and accredited to teach Thai massage level I, Thai table massage and Thai foot massage.

Ioana teaches Thai Massage group classes and private intensive courses in Spanish and in English in Marbella and Mijas. She has been teaching Thai Massage for 15 years and has enjoyed it very much to be able to pass on her knowledge on this amazing massage technique. 

Ioana also teaches ayurvedic massage Abhyanga including Indian head massage techniques. She has learned Abhyanga in Rosavai, Goa, India and has been teaching this course for 14 years. 

Ioana has been initiated into the three degrees of Reiki in “Reiki Fuengirola” by Mari­a Angeles Guerrero, member of the “Federación Española de Reiki”. She has been offering Reiki treatments and combining  Reiki healing with therapeutic massage techniques, using the transformative power of Reiki in yoga therapy for 13 years.

LIFE AND NUTRITION COACHING IN MARBELLA AND MIJAS

Ioana discovered through her own experience with Enneagram therapy sessions that the Enneagram is an amazing tool which aids in transformation through awareness. She has been studying this self-understanding method enthusiastically for the last 17 years.

Ioana trained as an Enneagram expert with the Enneagram Institute Enneagram Germany (www.enneagramgermany.de), following the narrative tradition of Helen Palmer (www.enneagramm.com) and completed a training for Enneagram therapists with Thomas Condon (www.thechangeworks.com). Both Helen Palmer and Thomas Condon are very experienced and well-known Enneagram therapists.

Ioana did a 200 hours Gestalt therapy training at the Gestalt Institute “Lamar” in Málaga (www.gestaltmalaga.es). The tranformation tools of the Gestalt therapy helped Ioana to live in the now, to be completely honest and to take responsibility, enabling her to live a happy and creative life.

Louise Hay has learned through her own experience that we have the potential to heal if we learn to love ourselves and to have a positive and compassionate attitude towards life (www.louisehay.com). Ioana used her affirmations and her self-love methods for many years. Louise Hay truly changed her life!

In the last 6 years Ioana has gained interest in nutrition and has studied this field extensively. She has completed 100 hrs. of Ayurvedic and Holistic Nutrition Coaching with Yoga Alliance. She coaches her clients helping them to make healthier choices and improve their quality of life. 

Ioana has developed a unique blend of all the above mentioned methods for life-coaching. She has been coaching her yoga therapy clients for 18 years.

Ioana speaks fluently English, German and Spanish.