Hortense Suleyman

Hortense Suleyman is a Yoga Instructor at Harbor. Her sessions combine yoga and Pilates with strength training tailored to each client.

She specialises in supporting people recovering from injury or surgery, and those with hypermobility, where joints move further than usual. With each of them, she works on building strength and stability so that they can move with confidence again.

She has her own experience of hypermobility and surgery, and of living with joint and muscle pain, which has shown her how much stability work and carefully adapted exercise can help.

Professional Background & Qualifications

Hortense is a Senior Teacher with Yoga Alliance and holds several yoga teacher training certifications. She has also completed Mat Pilates certification at Levels 1 and 2.

Through the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), she qualified as a Corrective Exercise Specialist. This training focuses on correcting posture and movement imbalances that can lead to pain or injury.

Her academic background is in ceramics, with a BA (Hons) from Camberwell College of Arts and an MA from the Royal College of Art.

Healthcare Leadership & Experience

Hortense plans movement support around each client individually, and her clients include people with long-term joint and muscle problems. Her work also covers functional movement, meaning the strength and control needed for everyday tasks.

Beyond exercise, she supports clients with weight management and with lifestyle changes they can keep up.

Throughout, she uses yoga and Pilates to improve how well clients move, not just how strong they are.

Approach to Care

Hortense doesn’t follow a fixed routine. Depending on what a client needs, a session might focus on balance, flexibility or endurance, or it might be slower and focus on breathing to calm the nervous system.

She wants clients to feel safe trying new movements and pushing themselves just enough so they come to trust what their bodies can do over time.