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.
Beyond yoga, our community also finds Sam as a consistent presence in our calisthenics classes. A dedicated handstander, he hosts regular handstand workshops at Mind Body Lab and is currently working towards his press handstand. His discipline in bodyweight training has brought him great progress - he achieved his first ring muscle-up in spring 2025 and is now training towards the full back lever and bar muscle up. An integral part of our calisthenics community, Sam’s dedication, strength and passion inspire those around him both on the mat and at the bars.
Jennie Carwardine
Yoga Teacher & Personal Trainer
Jennie came to yoga while searching for more freedom, creativity, and space in her work. On her mat, she found a sense of openness through connecting movement with breath— an experience that continues to shape how she teaches today.
Her classes are light-hearted and creative, inviting students to take ownership of their practice. Rather than focusing heavily on alignment, Jen encourages exploration of sensation, curiosity and choice, allowing each practice to feel personal and intuitive. Jennie qualified as a yoga teacher in 2016 and, having found a strong sense of purpose through teaching, she's continually inspired to learn and evolve.
She's also a qualified personal trainer, and her background in yoga, strength training and other movement practices influences the way she structures her classes, supporting mindful flow while keeping the body engaged and mobile.
Danni Layland
Yoga Teacher & Level 3 Personal Trainer
Danni's love for movement started early, with over 10 years of gymnastics shaping her foundation in strength, discipline and body awareness. That passion has grown into a deep commitment to understanding how the body moves and functions as a whole. Danni has completed her Level 2 and Level 3 qualifications in Personal Training and is currently nearing the completion of her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training. Together, these disciplines give her a well-rounded approach to health, combining strength, mobility and mindful movement. Her goal isn’t just to help people look good, she wants to help them feel strong, capable and healthy in their everyday lives. Danni focusses on functional fitness that supports real strength, longevity and confidence in her classes, so her clients can move better, live stronger and stay healthy for the long term.