Hollie Hazon-Dodd

Hollie is a qualified Shaw Method teacher, Physiotherapist and Clinical Pilates teacher. Bringing a wealth of experience and deep understanding of the way the body works to her lessons, she loves sharing the joy that Shaw Method brings to swimming. Whilst teaching swimming over the last 13 years, she has worked with vast range of students, from parents with their 6 month old baby to those discovering a new retirement hobby, as well as people with specific challenges to their swimming practise, such as severe anxiety, autism, behavioural conditions, physical disabilities and injuries or pain.

Hollie was introduced to Shaw Method by her grandmother, who at age 86 was still having butterfly lessons with Steven Shaw! From her early teens, Hollie struggled with chronic widespread pain and fatigue – she was eventually diagnosed with hypermobile Ehlers Danlos and more recently, endometriosis. Hollie describes learning Shaw Method swimming as the very first step in her Pain Management journey – the paced progressions allowed her body to gradually increase strength, control and awareness both in and out of the water and Shaw Method quickly became a way of life.

Hollie profoundly values the therapeutic qualities of water and the sense of wellbeing it nurtures. She further honed her knowledge by doing post-graduate training in aquatic therapy, providing hydrotherapy for a range of patients including those with neurodiverse traits, neurological disorders and MSK problems. She has also worked with NHS Persistent Pain and MSK teams.

In addition to her Shaw Method practise, Hollie enjoys Iyengar yoga and personal practise of mindfulness, meditation and breathwork. She enjoys drawing on all facets of her embodied experience and professional knowledge to help her students explore the medium of water and art of swimming to discover the exhilaration, serenity and sheer joy of Shaw Method swimming.