Adisa Banjanovic

Trauma-informed Yoga Teacher and Somatic Experiencing (SE™) Practitioner currently delivering relationship-based, holistic support to autistic young people and individuals with neurodevelopmental and SEMH needs. I specialise in emotional regulation, nervous-system awareness and using creative, embodied approaches - including therapeutic yoga and the Safe and Sound Protocol - to foster resilience and wellbeing. A calm, reflective professional with a strong corporate background in project management, enabling me to combine sensitive youth care with the excellent communication and record-keeping skills necessary for successful team collaboration.

Learning support assistant (LSA) at New Barn School (2026-03 – Present)

Providing in-school support to autistic and other SEN pupils aged 11-16 within SEN secondary school setting.

• Supporting students with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) and other needs through consistent, relationship-based interventions.
• Applying nervous system regulation tools and somatic approaches to help children manage anxiety, stress and emotional dysregulation.

Learning support assistant (LSA) at Hazelwick School (2024-05 – 2026-02)

Providing daily, in-school support to SEN pupils aged 11-16 within a mainstream secondary school setting.

• Supporting students with Social, Emotional and Mental Health (SEMH) needs through consistent, relationship-based interventions.
• Applying nervous system regulation tools and somatic approaches to help children manage anxiety, stress and emotional dysregulation.
• Designing and facilitating targeted anxiety support groups to build emotional resilience and self-awareness.
• Teaching age-appropriate yoga and movement practices to both students and teaching staff to support wellbeing and regulation.
• Collaborating with teachers and school staff to embed wellbeing strategies into the wider school environment.

Sensory panelist at Nestle (2018-11 – Present)

Acting as a trained sensory panellist, assessing key sensory characteristics of predominantly coffee products, alongside other Nestlé products.

• Evaluating attributes such as aroma, flavour, taste, mouthfeel and aftertaste using structured sensory methods.
• Providing consistent, objective feedback to support product quality, development and benchmarking activities.
• Participating in regular and ad hoc sensory panel sessions in line with established protocols and standards.
• Assisting the Sensory Manager with the organisation, coordination and smooth running of sensory panel sessions as required.
• Contributing to continuous improvement of sensory evaluation processes through accurate reporting and collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Founder of wellness business at Extrawdinaire (2016-10 – Present)

Founded and set up an independent wellness business integrating yoga teaching, somatic therapy and nutrition support.

• Delivering personalised yoga sessions tailored to individual wellbeing, stress management and physical health needs.
• Applying somatic therapy approaches to support nervous system regulation, emotional balance and trauma-informed care.
• Providing basic nutrition guidance to support holistic health and lifestyle improvements.
• Designing and delivering wellbeing programmes for individuals and small groups.
• Managing all aspects of the business, including client engagement, session planning and ongoing service development.

Survey Director at Retail Knowledge (2014-12 – 2015-07)

Managing the end-to-end delivery of the UK Retail Fraud Survey report on a contract basis.

• Conducting detailed research, data collection, and analysis to identify key fraud trends and insights across the UK retail sector.
• Producing a comprehensive written report, translating complex findings into clear, actionable outputs.
• Coordinating with stakeholders to ensure accuracy, relevance and timely completion of the survey and final report.

Project Manager at Euromonitor International (2004-06 – 2012-12)

Managing complex research projects, including Future Demographics reports covering trends across 85 countries and 7 regions, and Country Profiles spanning over 200 countries and 7 regions.

• Overseeing the end-to-end production of reports, from scoping and commissioning through to analysis and publication.
• Managing, commissioning, and training freelance analysts to deliver work to a consistently high analytical and editorial standard.
• Editing news articles and in-depth reports, ensuring clarity, accuracy, and alignment with organisational standards.
• Creating infographics and topical insight pieces to communicate complex data and trends in an accessible and engaging way.
• Liaising closely with data analysts to secure timely delivery of required datasets from internal databases.
• Delivering high-quality analysis to tight, recurring weekly deadlines in a fast-paced research environment.
• Researching and analysing political, socio-economic, and operational drivers across Eastern Europe, including managing a team of 5–10 freelance researchers collecting data from national and international sources.

Professional training in psychosomatic / body-based therapy – Somatic Experiencing (SE™) Int'l (2022 – 2025)

MA in Political Economies in Russia and East Europe – University College London, UCL (2002 – 2003)

BA in Economics & Business with East European Studies – University College London, UCL (1997 – 2000)