I never set out to create a business. I set out to create a life I loved. A life that was authentic, that said horses were not negotiable in my life. And, from there... my equine therapy business unfolded. This year, I can say hand on heart that I have not had to ask my horses to work. That might seem like a strange thing to say. But in order for us to live, I have had to ask them to work. To perform. A huge part of my vision at Hurihanga was that I don't ask anyone to perfor

Many years ago, I had a wonderful friend who was full of fun...and he had this saying, "Crazy in the mind, happy in the body, happy in the mind, crazy in the body". It stuck and as I explore this craze of Somatic Experiencing, which is a modality created by Peter Levine, I find the simplicity in it. Trauma-informed is a new thing, yep...ya wouldn't believe it, but it was only really exposed in recent years. And boy has it exploded! Bessel Van der Kolk wrote, "The Body Keeps T

Last weekend reminded me of something I often encourage my clients to do, yet sometimes forget myself: Allow people to help. It began with a simple message from a friend I hadn't seen for quite some time. Jodi reached out to see if I was around over King's Birthday weekend. We made plans for her to arrive on Saturday evening, but instead she appeared at my gate just after 9.30am on Saturday morning, moments after I had returned from a refreshing walk along Te Arai Beach with

Recently, I completed a bathroom at Hurihanga. Now, a bathroom might seem like an unusual place to begin a conversation about mental health, but as I stood back and looked at the finished space, I realised it represented something much deeper. The room is unapologetically whimsical. Turquoise walls meet a pink vanity. Flowers spill across the floor and climb the walls. A natural stone basin sits beneath golden mirrors. Bright colours, birds, plants, textures, and playful deta