Meet Our Team
Karina Grubišić
Founder, Senior Yoga Teacher & Calisthenics Coach
Join Karina, our founder and senior yoga teacher, as she guides you towards a more conscious way of living by exploring movement, breath control, meditation and philosophy in her beautiful classes. Karina is renowned for having a very unique style of teaching, shaped by two decades of spiritual practice, study and discipline. Combining that with her passion for movement, Karina seeks to empower and build resilience in her students with a blend of technical precision and meditative guidance. Drawing from her own personal journey, Karina shares the techniques, knowledge and wisdom that have served her well on her own path.
Karina Grubišić is the soul behind Mind Body Lab - a space born from deep transformation, resilience and an unwavering commitment to healing. Her journey hasn’t been a straight line, but rather a powerful spiral inward, shaped by personal loss, the raw edges of grief and the rebirth that followed.
After the sudden and devastating death of her beloved brother Angelo, a rocket scientist, adventurer and wingsuit base jumper, Karina was thrown into the depths of despair. That heartbreak cracked her open. What followed was a profound spiritual awakening and a calling to serve others navigating their own pain, change and growth.
Karina now holds space for others with incredible depth and compassion. Through yoga, movement, meditation and somatic practices, she helps people reconnect to themselves - to their bodies, their breath and their truth. She isn’t interested in surface-level spirituality; what she offers is raw, real and rooted. A blend of ancient wisdom, grounded psychology and lived experience.
Karina’s approach is fiercely loving and deeply intuitive. She creates spaces where people can unravel, be seen and start again - whether it’s in a yoga class, a day retreat or a casual conversation over a cuppa. She believes in community, in honest connection and in the beauty of simply showing up as you are.
As founder of Mind Body Lab, Karina brings her vision to life alongside her partner Ben, helping shape a space that honours both masculine and feminine energy, structure and softness, healing and joy. Her work is a tribute to the power of transformation and a reminder that even in our darkest moments, there’s always a path back to the light.
Ben Owen
Owner & Manager
Ben never expected to find himself on this journey, but life had other plans. Drawn into the world of Mind Body Lab through love and loyalty to Karina, he’s embraced his role with quiet strength, creativity and wholehearted commitment. What began as support has evolved into leadership and Ben has become an integral part of everything Mind Body Lab stands for.
Big Ben brings a calm, protective and grounding masculine energy to the space; real, kind and unshakably present. While he wouldn’t say he’s following the same spiritual path as Karina, Ben’s passion lies in improving his own health and being a steady hand for others walking their own paths. He understands, from personal experience, just how radically diet and lifestyle can impact physical and mental wellbeing. That lived wisdom makes him especially compassionate and genuine in his desire to help others find their way.
On Saturdays, Ben steps into his chef whites and brings his love of cooking to the kitchen. As head chef at Canalside Kitchen, he creates wholesome, nourishing meals packed with flavour, colour and heart - food that reflects the values of the space and the care that goes into every detail.
Ben is the guy who quietly makes everything work - painting the walls, fixing the details and bringing ideas to life. He’s building more than just a wellness centre - he’s helping shape a community where people feel safe, supported, and inspired to grow.
Trusha Patel
Head Chef
Trusha leads the Canalside Kitchen from Monday to Friday with passion, warmth and a big spoonful of playfulness. With her Gujarati heritage, she brings a deep love of fresh, wholesome ingredients to every plate – crafting dishes that nourish the body and delight the taste buds.. Whether she’s lovingly tending to something on the stove, sharing a laugh with customers or locked in some good-natured banter with Ben, Trusha’s presence is the heartbeat of our kitchen.
A proud mother of two beautiful girls, Trusha brings that same motherly magic into our space - creating not just incredible food, but a sense of home, care and connection for the entire Mind Body Lab community. Professional to the core, but never without a cheeky grin or a warm word, Trusha is the perfect balance of skill and soul and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Sam Lloyd
Yoga Teacher
Sam is a much-loved teacher known for his soothing voice, poetic language and calming presence. His classes offer a beautiful blend of mindful movement, meditation and self-inquiry, inviting students to slow down, tune in and explore body and breath with intention. A humble and passionate student of life, Sam lives the yogic path and continually brings new insights to his teaching—always grounded in authenticity and a deep connection to Self.
Cate Smith
Yoga Teacher
Yoga has been part of Cate's life since her twenties — sometimes front and centre, sometimes in the background — but always there when she's needed it. It’s helped her through tough emotional times, supported physical recovery when physio felt like a chore, and continues to guide her toward the kind of life she actually wants: grounded, calm, and authentic. Yoga helps Cate to stay intentional and keep choosing what truly supports her, rather than slipping back into old patterns or chasing fleeting highs. Cate completed her initial training in 2022 with the Yoga Shakti School, and has since studied yin, restorative and 100h yoga therapy. She's currently studying to be a Yoga Therapist with The Minded Institute and is excited to bring new learnings to her teaching.