Clare Francis
Clare is the founder and lead teacher trainer at Harmonise Training Academy. Her 23-year career in the health and fitness industry began as a personal trainer, sport massage therapist, gym instructor and group exercise leader where she taught aerobics, step, body conditioning, boxercise, body pump and spinning to name a few! You could also find her training for half marathons and on the gym rowing machine at this time. She quickly fell in love with core stability and this led her to train with Stott Pilates in 2003.
This was the same year Clare took over Revitalise where she ran and managed 7 Pilates and Yoga studio’s over the course of the next 16 years, specialised in teaching mind-body movement and 1:1’s, including older adults, back care and pre & post-natal; and birthed 3 beautiful daughters herself.
“Clare is a very qualified and professional teacher, but what I like most is her inclusiveness, non-judgemental and reassuring approach with empathy – she loves what she does and it shows”
Ingrid, Pilates TT, graduated May 2018
Although yoga had always been around Clare, it wasn’t until the breakdown of her marriage during 2014 that she began a daily Yoga practice and it has been a love affair that has continued ever since! This is the same year she founded Harmonise Training Academy, now in its 8th successful year.
She is registered as a E-RYT 500hr with Yoga Alliance and has completed over 1,200 hours of trainings in total, including vinyasa, hatha, Yin and ashtanga yoga; meditation, breathwork, mindfulness and pranayama.
She has more recently trained in Yoga Nidra, Yoga for healing and recovery, Somatic Yoga, sound healing, chakras and elements and Yoga therapy for cancer. She has a keen interest in posture, alignment, stability, injury prevention, functional movement and associated anatomy and physiology.
Clare has also always had a keen interest in posture, alignment, stability, injury prevention, functional movement and associated anatomy and physiology.
In addition to traditional anatomy and sports therapy training, she has completed 17 days of fascia training including a 3-day dissection at the Dundee University of live sciences, and numerous workshops
Yoga is now a ‘way of life’ for Clare. It has helped her enormously in navigating some of life’s more difficult obstacles, including her divorce and a stage 3 aggressive breast cancer diagnosis in 2020.
“Clare’s courses give you the confidence and knowledge you need to teach safely and effectively. The way in which she teaches makes you absorb so much information without even realising it!”
Abi, Yoga TT, Jan 2019
She now enjoys a regular meditation, Nidra, somatic and Yin practice to complement the Yang! She is passionate about sharing the numerous tools that have helped her to evolve and grow and is particularly interested in the mind-body-emotional-spiritual connection to health and well-being.
Clare is also a trained life and energy coach and a keen writer who holds a BA (hons) in Journalism.
Clare brings her wealth of life and professional experience to her retreats, carefully planning and organising the timetable for maximum health and well-being benefits on ALL levels.
She is very used to holding space, leading groups and facilitating a welcoming, safe, fun and friendly environment. She has witnessed some powerful and life changing transformations during the retreats she has led and has been described as ‘inspirational’ by many. Clare is very inclusive and will do everything in her power to ensure to have a 5* experience!
When Clare isn’t on the yoga mat, you can find her swimming in the sea, dancing around her kitchen or writing her book!
“I have tried many classes over the years but never felt I was given enough guidance to access the positions correctly and was worried I would damage my spine. My first class with Clare was completely different – she explained clearly, demonstrated well and taught in such a way that I got to know my body and what felt right for me”
Maggie, retired head teacher
