Mari | Somatic Therapist

Introduction

Kia ora, I’m Mari. I offer somatic (body-based) therapy, rooted in Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy, nervous system adaptability, and Internal Family Systems (IFS), supporting people to come home to themselves through direct experience of the connection between mind and body.

You might be feeling anxious, low, overwhelmed, or disconnected from yourself. You might find the same patterns repeating in your thoughts, emotions, or relationships. Perhaps you find yourself lost and confused. Or you might understand why things are the way they are, and still feel caught in them.

This way of working offers a powerful path back to a lived and felt sense of your wholeness and inherent wisdom. By slowing things down, we begin to understand what’s happening for you through conversation and by noticing how your body responds in the moment. This can open up new ways of relating to yourself, and create more choice in how you move through your life. This approach honours the whole of you, allowing change to take root in a way that truly lasts.

I bring warmth, understanding, and integrity to our work, and hold a deep respect for how our experiences are influenced through relationships, environment, and the wider world around us.

Who I Work With

I have a lot of care for those who live with a harsh inner critic, low self-worth, or the sense that nothing is ever quite enough. This can show up as pushing yourself, burning out, second-guessing, or feeling disconnected from your body. I also support people moving through grief, in all the ways it can show up. This comes not only from training, but from my own lived experience.

Even with insight, parts of us can still feel stuck. If you recognise yourself here, you’re not alone. I also know deeply that with care, patience, and integration of the mind and body, things can meaningfully and profoundly shift.

I support people experiencing:

• Anxiety and stress

• Grief, loss, or life changes that feel hard to process

• Trauma or nervous system overwhelm

• Burnout and chronic exhaustion

• Perfectionism or harsh inner-criticism

• Low self-worth or people-pleasing patterns

• Body image concerns or disconnection from the body

• Relationship difficulties or repeating patterns

• Life purpose and meaning

• A longing for more joy, authentic peace, and resilence

If you’re wondering whether this might be a good fit, you’re welcome to get in touch.

I offer a free 20 minute discovery call so you can ask questions, get a sense of how I work, and see how it feels to connect.

My Approach

My approach is body-centred, trauma-informed, and relational.

Alongside conversation, we also pay attention to how your experience is held in the present moment. This might include noticing sensations, breath, gesture, posture, or the subtle shifts that happen in your body as you speak. Slowing things down in this way can bring awareness to patterns that usually happen below conscious awareness. A growing body of research is showing us that thoughts, emotions, and physical responses are closely connected, and working with both can support deeper, more lasting change.

I draw from Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy and Internal Family Systems. In simple terms, this means that we also explore your inner world with curiosity and care, making space for different parts of you to be heard and understood, such as the inner critic, the people-pleaser, or the part that pulls away (to name but a few). These patterns often developed for good reasons. When they are understood rather than pushed aside, they can begin to soften, opening up more space, choice, and ease.

Turning toward the body can feel unfamiliar at first, especially if disconnection has been an understandable way of coping. We always move at a pace that feels supportive and empowering for you, working collaboratively as you begin to understand and meet your experience in a new way. This is less about quick fixes and more about taking the time to reconnect to the wisdom that you already have, which supports real, enduring change.

My Training and Background

My path into this work began through my own experience of feeling disconnected from my body.

I spent several years as a professional dancer, where pushing through and achieving often came at the cost of listening more deeply. This led me to explore practices that supported a different kind of relationship with myself, including yoga, somatics, and body-centred psychotherapy.

I now bring nearly two decades of experience in yoga and somatic movement teaching, alongside extensive training in mind–body therapy.

My therapeutic approach is grounded in Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy, a mindfulness-based approach that works with the body to explore unconscious patterns. I also integrate somatic Internal Family Systems, which helps us relate to different parts of you with curiosity rather than judgement.

Alongside this, my work is informed by an understanding of the nervous system and how it responds to stress, overwhelm, and connection. This supports us to work in a way that builds true connection, resilience, adaptability, and capacity over time.

A Bit More About Me

I feel deeply connected to two places in the world: the UK, where I was born, and Aotearoa, New Zealand, which I’ve gratefully called home for the past eight years. I now live in Ōtautahi, Christchurch, where I’m able to immerse myself in the natural world while also enjoying live music, the creative arts, and a good speciality coffee. I love nerding out on yoga philosophy and have nurtured a daily meditation practice for 10 years.

Connect

If you’re feeling drawn to this way of working, you’re welcome to get in touch.

I offer a free 20 minute discovery call so we can connect, answer any questions you might have, and get a sense of whether this feels right for you.

(please note, I can't take ACC or WINZ)