The Team

Jean-Claude started his career, in London as an oil broker in the 80’s before setting up his own independent oil broking company by the age of 25 in London. His company was very quickly acquired by Salomon Brothers (Phibro Energy – Energy Price Risk Management). He went on to join a philanthropic foundation from 1993 with various interests in telecommunications. space and water transportation in a number of foreign countries.

In 1999 he decided to pursue his love in life, the understanding of the human mind, which took him on a six and a half year journey of learning with Athens’ leading psychiatrists, neurologists and family therapists, completing a Diploma of Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapy at ICH – London (teaching from King’s College in London) in 2003.

Jean-Claude continues with his thriving practice in London (established in 2003) working with other psychotherapists together at The London practice , seeing 35-45 clients a week (individuals, couples and families) and has published around 20 features in the Saturday Times of London on issues concerning mental health, body & soul and ways forward for families, couples and individuals. Jean-Claude serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of Europe’s top medical rehab, the Calda Clinic. 

In 2015 he decided to realise his dream by setting up a retreat centre for psychotherapy and family therapy in combination with Kundalini and Tantra yoga in Bali, in order to help & assist individuals, couples and families in reaching their goals and to become the best version of themselves.

The Place offers transformational retreats ranging in duration from 1 week up to 3 months for individuals, couples, families and siblings with a host of experienced therapists, teachers, and complementary treatments, which has been running successfully since 2015. They also offer bespoke private retreats for individuals, couples, families & siblings in order to provide maximum privacy if you would prefer this.

The retreat is now a 3800 sqm oasis in central Seminyak , 400 meters walking from the beach , with 9 large bedrooms/ensuite bathrooms and 2 salt water pools, a large yoga shala in lush mature gardens, with a great compliment of people working at the retreat centre to look after the participants.

Amy is a qualified Doctor of Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychologist from New Zealand.

Amy works with a client-centred approach to therapy, is compassionate and non-judgmental. She uses a range of evidence-based therapies which she tailors to the needs of her client. She has worked with clients of all ages with various presenting difficulties including anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, loss, substance issues and relationship issues.

She is a registered psychologist in NZ and a member of the NZ College of Clinical Psychologists. She has co-authored a number of publications which focus on low-intensity paradigms for people experiencing low mood in NZ.

Since childhood, Claudia has possessed an innate and never-ending passion for people. Her motivation is to help them become the best versions of themselves while encouraging them to re-align and connect with their true identity. 

Claudia enjoys cultivating both the joyous moments and the struggles all of which formulate human relationships

Her goal is to contribute to a world where people are given the space to grow in the freedom of individual responsibility, awareness and the simplicity of happiness.  As a specialized Management Trainer and Coach, Claudia has worked with management teams and leaders to implement systems of change while helping them to realise their goals.

Later on in her career, Claudia decided to develop her passion for people on a deeper level and trained as a Professional Certified Counsellor. Since then, she has been helping people to access, recognise and express their true potential. She believes that through counselling, people can vibrate and connect with life in new and healthy ways.

Splitting her time between Europe and Bali, Claudia enjoys the cultural differences and since she feels at home wherever she goes, she is able to transcend this over to her clients by teaching them to  ‘feel at home within themselves’ regardless of where they might be. These are tools that she brings to her counselling, facilitation and coaching practice.

Claudia also holds a masters degree in Humanistic Gestalt Counselling from the Association for the Psychological Development of Individuals – Italy.

Gemma Kelly is a Psychodynamic Child and Adolescent Counselling Psychotherapist with The Place Retreats (London Clinic). Gemma works predominantly on an individual basis with children and adolescents aged 5-18, offering long and short-term work and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), working in a client led way.

Gemma is trained in CBT, which can be used to treat different types of anxiety: Social, Separation, Generalised and OCD as well as Phobias (additional charge may apply for phobia work) and depression. For younger children, work is done creatively through play/art as this is their main way of communicating.

Based in London, UK, Gemma is committed to safeguarding children, undertakes regular supervision and has an enhanced DBS check.

Kundalini Yoga is an ancient technology designed to expand our awareness. Becoming able to go beyond our perceived conscious limits, we are empowered to make more daring choices and we have the energy to create bountiful and exciting lives.

Through a unique sequence of postures (asanas), breath-work (pranayama), hand and finger gestures (mudras), body locks (bhandas), mantras and meditations which are practised in sets known as “kriyas”, the Kundalini energy stimulates the circulatory system, balances glandular system and builds the nervous system by activating the energy through the chakras.

Alma Romanello began practicing yoga 21 years ago during a trip in India, and continued ever since. She is qualified in Hatha, Ashtanga, Vinyasa Flow, Fly High as led by Steve O’Connor in California, Daniel Aaron in Bali, Jose Luis Jimenez in Bali.

In 2005 she discovered and fell in love becoming a Certified Kundalini Yoga Instructor at KRI Kundalini Research Institute in New Mexico.

A few years ago she started her path in Sat Nam Rasayan, the art of spiritual healing through meditation, with the Master Guru Dev Singh.

Alma splits her time between Bali and Italy. She is also qualified in Wuo Tai massage and Deep Tissue massage.

“One of the greatest gifts I have received from Yoga and Meditation is the connection with the divine that lies within me. This connection allowed me to begin the long journey of discovering the true essence of who I am and what my purpose here on earth is”

Alka is a seeker, forever a student and someone who is incredibly passionate about her mission in life: Empowering human beings to become extraordinary and live a life that makes them feel like their best version of themselves. She believes that in order to feel like your best version of yourself a harmonious balance between the fundamental five pillars of health should be achieved: Movement of your body, Nutrition, Spirituality, Career and Relationships. She has a gentle approach towards nutrition, movement, love, health and well-being.

Alka specialises in Nutritional Therapy and Yoga for burnout, anxiety and stress. She is a qualified Hatha, Vinyassa, Pregnancy and Yin yoga teacher. She is a holistic life coach, meditation guide and is devoted to being a student for life in self-development.

Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, Alka has been living in Bali for 3 years where she has been spreading her love with clients all over the world by empowering them to create a life filled with purpose. She hosts Nurture and Nourishment Yoga Retreats and workshops in beautiful Bali and Internationally.

Angela has been passionately and joyfully dedicated to the yogic path for the past 15 years.

With a blend of Spanish born fire and deep love and gratitude for this life, it is equally her joy and honour to teach, study and share yoga and Tantra. Angela’s teaching style mirrors the way she practices – with complete joy and commitment to the path. She truly embodies the understanding that practice is a gift and holds firm to her intention to be a radiant example of the true joy, power, and potential of yoga.

Angela is completely devoted to her daily practice and her role as a teacher is a natural extension of that commitment. She has lectured and taught in many parts of the world on Yogic Philosophy, Tantra, Ayurveda and Kundalini and gratefully enjoys teaching Ashtanga, Hatha, Yin and Tantra classes and workshops currently at Samasti Yoga (Canggu, Bali). Angela is a Yoga Alliance internationally certified yoga instructor at both the RYT-500 and E-RYT 500 level.

A full time integrative Spiritual Healer, Craniosacral Therapist, Aquatic Bodyworker, Medical Qigong instructor and Soul Mentor for the past 18 years, Elisa’s talent is to communicate the language of spirit and energy, to make the unseen seen, from the unconscious into the conscious.

She can show you how to experience your deep-seated mind perceptions and ideologies, and where they are sensed in your physical body; she then offers practical hands-on tools to clear those patterns and create room for expanded body-mind awareness. Elisa teaches people to access an empowered essence within themselves so that whatever they do in life comes from a deeply authentic and profound place.

Education: Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy, Reiki Master, Avatar Energy Psychology, Esalen Massage, Acupressure, Watsu, Aquatic Bodywork, Quantum Metamorphosis, Shamanism, Ordained Balinese Spirit Healer, Medical Qigong.