A dance instructor who experienced an 'emotional breakdown' during a rigorous yoga retreat in Goa has succeeded in her legal battle ...
A dance instructor who experienced an 'emotional breakdown' during a rigorous yoga retreat in Goa has succeeded in her legal battle for damages.
Personal trainer and dance instructor Melissa Revell claimed that 'self-exploration exercises' included in the £2,250 yoga teacher training program caused a mental breakdown, leaving her unable to work or manage her daily needs.
Ms. Revell, 35, mentioned that she was in good physical condition before starting The Yoga People's program based in Luton in 2019 — but has since increased from a size six to a size 16.
She has attributed unpublicized mental exercises to the course, which 'retraumatized' her by bringing back memories of her adoption.
The instructor, from Richmond in the westLondon, filed a lawsuit against The Yoga People's trading company TYP International Ltd- operated by British yoga instructor Jamie Clarke, 59, and Mexican trainer Dulce Aguilar, 43 - aiming for more than £200,000.
The High Court in London has decided that she is eligible for compensation following Mr. Clarke's confirmation that the company would not contest its earlier denial of responsibility regarding Ms. Revell's case.
And currently, Ms. Revell is eligible for a payment after Mr. Clarke informed London's High Court that the company has abandoned its defense regarding responsibility for what occurred to her.
Ms. Revell mentioned that she had transitioned from being fit, active, and employed to being 'unable to take care of herself,' living a life that is 'highly secluded, poor, and chaotic,' with 'severe anxiety every time she leaves her apartment.'
The yoga company previously told the court that Mr. Clarke, Ms. Aguilar, and its other employees were not at fault.
They rejected the idea that there was any "psychological" aspect to the training, nor did they acknowledge that the emotional breakdown Ms. Revell claims she experienced was a predictable outcome of a yoga class.
Nevertheless, Mr. Clarke has recently informed the court that the company will no longer contest the matter of responsibility, as it has exhausted its financial resources.
The firm separated from its legal team and suffered a crucial early court battle, preventing them from presenting their own medical expert testimony.
"The company ceased operations as of July 2022," he stated to Judge Master John Dagnall.
We currently lack the financial resources to support the claim.
We believe it is unlikely the claimant will succeed in proving liability, yet we are stuck in a difficult position where we lack the funds to cover our legal defense.
With [the company's previous lawyers] Kennedy no longer involved, we are now without representation or the resources to defend the claim.
In paperwork submitted to London's High Court, Marcus Grant, representing Ms Revell, stated that she spent £2,250 on a 200-hour yoga training program in Goa during September and October 2019, with the goal of obtaining certification as an Ashtanga yoga instructor.
But she ultimately left India prematurely and returned home following a breakdown caused by an exercise involving the exploration of childhood memories, he mentioned.
Speaking about the activity, he stated: 'On 24 September 2019, Ms Aguilar directed the claimant and the other students enrolled in the course to take part in a body-based touch session conducted by her.'
Ms. Aguilar stated that the objective of the activity was for students to reflect on their childhood recollections and their bond with their parents, enabling them to forgive past actions, find healing, and progress forward.
As part of the activity, the students were asked to form pairs and arrange themselves in a circle, with one individual positioned in front of the other. They were directed to take turns in their pairs to support each other.
While embracing the other person, they were told to visualize that the other person was their parent and to massage their shoulders, hold their hands, and stroke their hair.
Ms. Aguilar stated phrases like, 'I love you, you are my teacher, my caregiver, my nurturer, and I forgive you.'
The lawyer stated that 'after the session, the claimant began trembling and felt unwell' and was experiencing 'intense anxiety'.
In the days that followed, she spoke with Mr. Clarke and shared her emotions, explaining that it was resurfacing long-ignored memories from her childhood, he said.
"Mr. Clarke replied that he couldn't dedicate all his time to a single student, but suggested individual therapy sessions back in the UK," he added.
The lawyer stated that this "dismissive reply" and being "left without any resolution or assistance," combined with "pressure to engage" in more "psychology-oriented activities," led Ms. Revell to "become extremely unwell" and return home.
She was later identified as having 'marked and intense complex PTSD along with co-occurring depersonalization/derealization disorder' and 'functional neurological disorder'.
He stated, 'She is still greatly disabled due to her injuries.'
Her enduring relationship with her partner...ended due to her mental health condition.
She now resides by herself and maintains a highly secluded, poor, and troubled existence.
She rarely leaves her house. She is incapable of taking care of herself. She is unable to cook, clean, or do the shopping. Because of this, her home is messy and unclean. She has difficulty with personal care.
She can go for several days without changing her attire or washing her hair. She doesn't maintain a proper diet.
Due to her inability to work out, she has put on weight; she previously wore a UK size 6-8 but now is a size 14-16.
Despite having a history of mental health issues since her teenage years, she had been in good mental and physical condition from 2013-14 onward, and this remained the case until the yoga class.
'Nowhere in the brochure did she receive any warning that the course would involve psychology or psychotherapy elements,' he stated.
Never was there any indication provided regarding the potential risk of retraumatization from participating in any of the yoga course's activities.
Attendance at all course sessions was required to receive their yoga instructor certification.
If she had been made aware of the need to participate in psychology and/or psychotherapy related to potentially traumatic or distressing childhood experiences and interactions with her parents, she would never have enrolled in the course.
In the company's favor, its legal team had previously rejected any blame and stated that the program did not involve psychological or psychotherapeutic aspects.
"But it was indeed a yoga course, which naturally centered on physical, mental, and spiritual exercises," they stated.
There are conversations regarding emotions as a component of yoga.
There was no obligation to participate in psychology/psychotherapy, and the claimant was aware that yoga included spiritual healing.
The claimant finished the activity without any issue or discomfort and, at the conclusion of the session, went to Ms. Aguilar and expressed that she enjoyed the exercise and found it emotionally impactful. She then embraced Ms. Aguilar.
It is refuted that the claimant was required to participate in any activity.
It is refuted that she was obligated to 'retrieve her childhood recollections and interactions with her parents.'
The individual involved was informed about the objective and intent of the...activity prior to its start, as well as the manner in which it would take place. She had the option to decline participation if she chose to.
It is refuted that the goal of the activity was to bring up potentially traumatic or upsetting childhood experiences. The aim of the exercise was simply to experience love and cultivate forgiveness towards anyone who had harmed you. This applied to parents as well as parking attendants.
It is acknowledged that no warning was provided regarding the potential for re-traumatisation from participating in any of the course's exercises. Re-traumatisation was not anticipated as a result of the activities undertaken by the claimant.
It is rejected that the defendant was required to perform any kind of future evaluation regarding the claimant's mental condition. It was adequate for the defendant to ask if the claimant had any physical or psychological issues.
The claimant...stated, while signing the waiver, that she did not have any current mental or physical conditions and no prior conditions, both mental and physical, that could impact her performance.
Following a brief hearing held through video conference, Master Dagnall said to Mr Clarke: "If you are not planning to appear to defend the claim, your prospects of success appear slim."
The judge proceeded to issue what is known as an "unless order," instructing that the company's defense regarding liability be dismissed unless Mr. Clarke confirmed by the end of November 17 that he planned to personally appear in court to defend his company's case without legal representation.
Later, lawyers for Ms. Revell stated outside the court that Mr. Clarke, representing the company, confirmed it would not be present at the trial, resulting in a judgment being issued in favor of the claimant regarding liability, with damages to be determined.
The worth of her assertion will be evaluated in the subsequent phase of the legal proceedings.
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