Trauma Informed Creative Somatic Coach / Mentor
When life threatens to dry you out we journey together back to your creative soul's juiciness.
I am a nurse / artist who made a movie about the journey women take to shed body shame. On that journey I dove deep into finding out what actually shifts a person from loathing to love and I work with people to learn those skills.
Who I work with:
Individuals who want to find their spark again after feeling like they have lost track of it. And those who struggle with body shame issues and would like some methods to help to develop body gratitude.
Families that want to end generational trauma and stop body shame before it impacts the lives of their loved ones.
Schools - Who want practical trauma-informed tools to support their staff and students with avoiding burnout and building proven Mental Health resilience skills.
About me
Creative Activist
When I was in my 20's my family convinced me to not follow my dreams and become a professional cellist.
I'd starve they said. So I joined the military and became a nurse corps officer instead.
In my 30's I was so desiccated from the decision to supress my creative side and unhealed historical traumas that my life fell apart. It got ugly. But the good news is I found my way back to my souls work.
It involved a camera and my nursing skills. And a promise to follow my joy and passion and never sell it out again.
Along the way I have won New Zealand's Creative photographer of the Year, started a charitable trust, helped found a magazine amplifying youth voice and most recently at the tender age of 51 became a multi award winning filmmaker. (It is never too late to follow your dreams).
There is a through line in my work in all genres that explores the impact of trauma on our capacity to live fully as the creative beings we were born to be. I believe deeply in the body, mind and spirits innate desire to find balance and healing, just as water unblocked moves to the sea.
Speaker
I'm a TEDx speaker. In 2018 I spoke about the formation of our trust, Every Body is a Treasure after my 5-year-old niece started to show signs of body shame.
After 20 years of working with women and families while at the same time working as a creative, I have developed a theory of practice that acts like a very simple diagnostic tool to help you figure out where trauma has impacted you in your life and where it is still holding you back.
My Keynote Embodied Creativity takes the audience on a personal journey to discover where they have potentially been sidelined by trauma and how to return to their authentic creative selves.
Skill Basket
As a creative, I have three main areas that I get to serve others with.
Basically I am a HeArtivist. Heart + Art + Activism. I use my creative tools, coaching skills, and wairua (my access to creative energy) to support others to course correct into their natural path of greatest impact in the world.
Holistic Wellbeing
- Somatic Therapist (for people dealing with historical traumas)
- Transformational Coach (for those feeling burned out, people in a transitional period, or stuck creatives)
- Youth worker for gifted creatives, neurodiverse, rainbow youth, and girls struggling with self-compassion issues.
- Compassionate Communication trainer and facilitator
- Chakradance Facilitator
- Organic / Permaculture Farmer/Gardener
- Currently Studying Rongoā (Māori wellbeing / healing methods) at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa.
- Prior US Naval Nurse Corps Officer - 10 years of leadership and holistic nursing training.
Artist:
- I use my camera as a therapeutic tool.
- A tool to question others view of themselves
- A tool to ask questions of the world.
- Master Photographer and Past winner of NZ's Creative Photographer of the Year.
- Multi Award-winning documentary film-maker
- Community Artist - I use art making as a tool to build community wairua (wellbeing).
My Photography
My Film
Community Building - Philanthropy
- Every Body is a Treasure Trust Founder / Director
- Post Graduate Diploma in Social and Community Leadership - University of Auckland
- Community Artist / Teacher / Facilitator / Mentor
- Click Happy
- The Rainbow Challenge
- Create Happy Media
Mentorship Roles
How I can help you
