Barbara Woehler

Barbara Woehler is a loving mother of two children and grandmother of three.

Studies:

Barbara Woehler holds a degree in Philosophy and specialized in Psychoprophylaxis at the Postgraduate School of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Fatebenefratelli Hospital in Rome. She earned her ISFIY (Institute of Higher Education for Yoga Teachers) diploma taught exclusively by Master Gérard Blitz (1981-84).

She also studied under renowned yoga masters, including T.K.V. Desikachar in Madras since 1982, André Van Lysebeth in France, Swami Satyananda Saraswati in Zinal, Yogiraj Sri Swami Satchidananda at Yogaville (USA), and Vimala Thakar. She also studied at the Himalayan Institute with Swami Rama in Rishikesh and with Dr. Kutty, a gynecologist and direct disciple of Swami Sivananda at the Divine Life Society in Rishikesh.

In 2014, she earned a Master’s degree in Yoga Studies from Cà Foscari University of Venice with a thesis titled Inserting Verbs: How Contemporary Translators Manipulate Classical Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali, published on Academia.edu.

Work:

Barbara has been practicing yoga for 50 years and has spent 45 of those years applying it to the specific needs of women in their reproductive years, maternity, and menopause. Over the years, she has organized and presently continues to offer yoga courses in-presence in Rome and/or online, throughout Italy, in both private and public sectors.

She was a former professor of psychology at Loyola University of Chicago Rome Center (1977-78).

As a founding member of the TRIAD Dance Association (1978–83), a research group exploring the scientific and artistic aspects of movement sponsored by the Ministry of Tourism and Performing Arts, she choreographed and performed in contemporary dance events both in Italy and internationally.

In 1982, she represented Italy at the first Symposium on Le Yoga et la Femme of the European Union of Yoga in Zinal.

She taught prenatal and maternity yoga courses at the subsidized clinic “Villa del Lido” in Ostia (1982-84) and menopause-maturity courses at the Family Counseling Health Center USL RM4 (1984-91).

On 8.1.81 Barbara founded the Centro Studi Yoga Roma, and since 1986, Antonio Nuzzo, a historical yoga teacher trainer of FIY (Federazione Italiana Yoga) and FMY (Federazione Mediterranea Yoga), has also collaborated in leading the center.

She was a teacher trainer for the FIY (1990-97) and for the FMY (2004-06).

As a founding member of the Lazio Regional Coordination for a New Awareness of Childbirth and Birth (1989-98), she developed and implemented postpartum psychophysical recovery practices within the Family Counseling Health Centers of USL RM3-4-5. She also contributed to the Pilot Project for Home Assistance in Puerperium with the Municipality of Rome (1993-94) and helped draft Il Puerperio, Consigli Utili (Puerperium: Helpful Advice).

In 2001, she published Riflessi nell’animo (Reflections of the Soul), featuring poetry and drawings by Maria Gallotti (1883-1965).

She founded and edited the Yoga e Donna column for Vivere lo Yoga magazine (2016-17), available for download on the website.

She led conferences and seminars for numerous editions of YogaFestival in Catania, Milan, and Rome; for the MYF in Catania; for the Association of Friends of André Van Lysebeth in Paris; and at yoga meetings in Merano, Barletta, and Matera.

She currently collaborates on the four-year yoga teacher training program, Advaita Yoga Sangha, led by Antonio Nuzzo and sponsored by Centro Studi Yoga Roma.She created a Yoga and Women Master program, a two-year specialization focused on the key evolutionary stages of a woman’s life: fertile years, motherhood, and menopause. The program is now in its XIII edition (2025-27), in-presence in Rome at the CSYR and/or online. For more information please consult the website.

San Francisco, 1979