Guides for your practice

At Solitary Rise, we’ve built a dynamic team of Pilates & yoga experts to help expand your practice.

Meg Tough

Meg believes that coming to the mat is a conscious form of self-care and self- preservation. She is passionate about enhancing wellbeing and cultivating a sense of balance in life through mindful movement and breath, in an inclusive and supportive environment - which is why she created Solitary Rise.

Meg is a dedicated and nurturing Pilates Mat, Reformer and Yin Yoga instructor.

Experience the joy of movement, the peace of stillness, and the power of a balanced practice with Meg as your guide.

Lizzie Courtenay

Hi,  I'm Lizzie and I am a passionate Pilates reformer, matwork, Barre, Cycle and Kid's Yoga instructor. 

In January 2023 I was awarded 'Coffs Coast Best Pilates Instructor' by The Coffs Coast Advocate/The Daily Telegraph. I was proudly nominated and voted for by our Coffs Community.

I have been teaching Pilates for almost 4 years and have taught over 3000 fitness Pilates classes.

I am certified and have completed training with Studio Pilates International , Rebalance Pilates & Yoga, Cycle Collective & Yoga Renew and currently studying my Cert III in Fitness.

I am a Physie girl & Pilates lover. I teach Pilates Full time and love seeing my Pilates people progress with their practice of Pilates and reach their movement goals.

My classes are challenging but fun and I add modifications and progressions for all movements in my class. I like to make my classes fun and create a great energy in the room, and you will always leave feeling fantastic.

Carly Baldry

“A balanced yoga practice that safely and correctly factors in pelvic floor wellbeing, is an expression of true feminine empowerment.”

Carly grew up in Coffs Harbour until moving to the Gold Coast with her family in her teens. Love brought her back to the Coffs Coast in 2012 where she now resides in Emerald Beach bringing up her young family. Carly has her 200hr Hatha Yoga Certification, is a qualified Reiki Practitioner, has her Advanced Yin Yoga Certification & has completed a further 275 YTT in supporting women’s pelvic health in all stages of life.

She classifies herself as an introvert who loves her alone time & sacred moments on her mat. She loves Mexican food, despises lizards purely for the fact she petrified their tails will fall off and feels most at home with her feet in the sand and her young family by her side.

Kim Elks

I am a fully qualified Vinyasa,Hatha , Yin  and Pre -Natal Yoga Teacher. Also a Pilates Mat and Swissball  Pilates Teacher.  My Teaching reflects my passion for changing lives and for helping my students to feel good about themselves through movement, breath and shared energy. I believe that my past 33 years in the fitness and wellness industry has led me to this moment. My passion have never waned. When I'm not teaching in a gym or yoga studio you can find me enjoying life on the 'paddock ' in nature and even teaching yoga classes there. I am a wife, mother of three beautiful girls, grandma 'mimmy', a genuine friend and I dedicate my time and my life to my love for well-being. Namaste

Annie Kennedy

Movement is something to celebrate! As a Pilates instructor with 5 years of experience, I deeply cherish the joy it brings. Pilates has gifted me immensely, and I am grateful to share this journey with others.

I'm dedicated to perfecting form, enhancing function, and nurturing the mind-body connection. To me, cultivating glorious strength is as vital as embracing the energising challenge. Outside of teaching, I'm an outdoorsy homebody who loves reading and surfing.

Erin Bourne

Erin has a deep passion for movement and anatomy, and this has led to 15 years of experience teaching Pilates reformer and mat, yoga, and fitness. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science, Erin is dedicated to helping others move and feel stronger, both in and out of the studio. Her classes are strong and fun, she enjoys tailoring the experience to the individual.

After moving to the Coffs Coast about a year ago, Erin has loved exploring the local hikes, waterfalls, and beaches. As a dedicated surfer, she can usually be found in the ocean in her time off.

A true believer in whole-body training, Erin loves the balance of strength, endurance, and flexibility of yoga and pilates.

Tiina Pakkanen

Yoga has been part of my life for a long time. I deepened my practice while I was traveling around Australia and found some peaceful moments in a yoga room. Later on I made Australia my second home, became a teacher and have been sharing teachings of yoga ever since in a way that feels authentic to me. I love the wholesome feeling I get through movement, pranayama and meditation and include these aspects of yoga in my classes as well. I teach Slow flow and Yin which is a big passion of mine. My biggest value as a teacher is to create a safe, inclusive space for anyone to practice in. I always want to be a student first and stay open for learning through trainings and people who join me for classes.

Kerst Hoefner

Kerst teaches from a place of authenticity and compassion and honours the ancient traditions of yoga and Ayurveda within the modern yogic and spiritual path. In her Vinyasa classes she skillfully weaves in traditional alignment and philosophy with creative sequencing, allowing her students to challenge their limitations, deepen their practice and explore their body and mind in a playful, free and authentic way.

Kerst has been practicing yoga for over ten years. The energetic and spiritual aspects of the practice led her to complete trainings in Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin, Tantra, Pranayama, Rebirthing Breathwork and Ayurveda, which have allowed her to achieve a wealth of wisdom which support her students in cultivating inner awareness and greater mental stability.