Who we are - Our Story Together

Together and as individuals John and Nicole have lived, and continue to live through our own healing and transformation.

We find ourselves standing together in what is feeling like a new world, filled with abundant possibilities and new found opportunities. We feel deeply moved to share our experiences, skills and wisdom through the language and techniques of Yoga, Somatics and what we often call Radical Awareness.

When Nicole met John, it really did feel like the stars aligned and a new creation began. Like all wonderful love stories these two found each other at the perfect moment for all that would unfold. Nicole was already teaching yoga and was about to open the first Raw Yoga studio in Milford, John soon followed on the path of becoming a teacher and since then, conversations that aren’t in some way related to the practices of yoga (or the things that stem from it) are quite rare.

After making the decision to close due to the situations of that infamous global pandemic, it was uncertain if there would ever be a dedicated studio space again. Teaching classes and running trainings continued, but the future was uncertain… In late 2022 an opportunity arose that was too good to pass on and the space that is now Raw Wellbeing was created. Once again in Milford, just a few doors down from the previous studio.

A journey of transformation is first and foremost an individual story, both John and Nicole had found themselves on a path of self discovery that sparked from very different places. Cultivating awareness is basically our birth right as humans, the process of transformation means breaking open from our early conditioning and the boxes we may have wrapped ourselves in. Cultivating personal awareness could truly be one of life's great mysteries.

We aren’t gurus, we aren’t spiritual masters, we aren’t ‘enlightened’, we are a modern day couple navigating what it means to work with the body, mind and soul in a fast paced ever changing world… This is your open invitation to join us for the continuing ride….

 

Nicole and John

For more about our individual journeys, trainings and qualifications, expand the boxes below by clicking on the +

 


  • 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.

    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.

‘I know for myself when I consider the suffering in the world, especially the increasing issues around mental health within our communities. I have no doubt that much of these issues come from a lack of education and opportunities to access the tools and space we humans require to cultivate radical self awareness.’

 
 

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    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.

    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.

‘I believe that as a collective human family we are standing at a precipice. We can turn back and continue doing what we have always done and continue to grow the divide and disharmony in the world…. or…. we can jump off the cliff, really look at the root cause of things that need to change and create a new world, based in the consciousness of love and awareness, a new world that truly serves everybody’