Subscribe

Nicole initially trained as an early childhood educator and has a Bachelor of Education from Auckland University. Though she loved the theory and learning, teaching five days a week in early childhood centre did not resonate. While teaching early childhood she was introduced to Yoga and started practicing about one a week.  Not long after this, she left New Zealand and spent several years travelling, still maintaining a (very minimal) yoga practice while working in France through ski seasons. Nicoles first real introduction to the complex nature of being human and what the spiritual path could offer came after her first 10 day silent Vipassana meditation. Nicole then ended up travelling to India, where everything changed, she learnt more about yogic philosophy and decided Yoga Teacher training was the next step. Returning back to NZ, she trained at The New Zealand School of Yoga under Mike and Sharon Byron-Mckay. The training was of B.K.S Iyengar style and was full time for a year. She qualified as a registered Yoga teacher with a 500RYT + Introduction to Yoga Therapy.

During this time her interests were expanding, including her interest for her own healing and self discovery. Over the past 10 years training has never stopped, this includes: Reiki level 3, Yoga Nidra level 2, Acro Yoga Teacher Training, 200RYT Vinyasa Teacher training, Trauma Informed Yoga (TCTSY), Diploma of Counselling and Psychology, Online Trauma Training with Peter Levine, Online Somatic Trauma training with Albert Wong, Psych-K level 2, EFT  (Emotional Freedom Technique) Level 2, Hanna Somatics Level 1, Online 50hr Yin Yoga with Bernie Clark , Rainbow Kids Yoga, Online Subtle Yoga Teacher Training with Kristine Weber, Eden Energy Medicine Level 1, Soul Speak certified and Somatic Trauma Therapy Certificate (In progress).

Nicole's passion is cultivating Radical Awareness, through the tools of self reflection. She believes the process of getting to know ourselves is the journey to freedom and that this happens in the most loving and empowering way through a Trauma Informed Perspective.  Our physical bodies, our minds, our emotions, our spiritual connection are all intimately interconnected and in essence need to be addressed as one to truly come home to ourselves.

From a passion of wanting to understand how things work, wanting to understand why, and wanting to create beautiful solutions, John has explored numerous careers and interests. His interest in technology led him to work in the world of printing, photography, design, signage and graphics where he spent nearly 10 years. John's passion for the environment then led him to study Landscape Architecture, where he achieved an Honours Award BLA (excelling in research), while concurrently studying, tutoring and volunteering in Permaculture. John began working in the fast paced corporate environment of the Architecture world and working through a divorce while co-parenting 2 young boys - so his newly found Yoga practice became a necessary solace. As the internal space grew, so did a passion for understanding why and how it was happening.

When John met Nicole she was already teaching Yoga and looking for a premises to open the Raw Yoga Studio, so he was involved in the creation process from the beginning. After practicing intensively for 2 years John qualified as a yoga instructor and the researching and learning has never stopped, this includes: 200RYT & 300RYT with Raw Yoga, Trauma Informed Yoga (TCTSY), Online Subtle Yoga Teacher Training with Kristine Weber, Yoga Anatomy Training Online with Jason Crandell, Online Yoga Anatomy and Functional Anatomy with Tiffany Cruickshank, Online Fascia Anatomy with Tom Myers, Yoga Philosophy with Edwin Bryant, Yoga Philosophy with Christopher Wallis, Yoga Nidra level 2, Online Somatic Trauma training with Albert Wong, Psych-K level 2,  Hanna Somatics Level 1, Online 50hr Yin Yoga with Bernie Clark , Rainbow Kids Yoga, Eden Energy Medicine Level 1,  Soul Speak certified  and Somatic Trauma Therapy Certificate (In progress).

John is passionate about understanding the Body-Mind construct through the process of 'everyday researching' using the tools of Meditation, Philosophy, Movement together with an exploration of the intersection of Ancient Wisdom and modern Scientific and Somatic understanding. He believes that understanding how trauma effects our everyday lives holds the key to bringing about more kindness, compassion and unity in our relationships and ultimately the world at large.