Our team
We are a team of trainers and coaches who each bring a unique perspective and approach. We are dedicated to providing cutting edge neuroscience based training and ideas that are informative, transformational and fun. We also provide skills mentoring and supervision.
Sarah Carruthers
As far back as I can remember, I was a gold star, home run, A+ achiever who believed I needed to be PERFECT to be worthy, valued and loved. I said “yes” to everything and worked hard to be popular, get the best grades, be the best and to win at all costs. In my early 20s, I won a highly contested internship and started my dream job as an advertising strategist at a major creative agency in London. And on the weekend, I travelled around the country/world to compete as a member of the Great Britain clay pigeon shooting team.
From the outside, it looked like I had it all - a successful career, a swanky apartment, going to parties, travelling to glamorous locations, working on big brands alongside creative geniuses… At age 28 I won my first gold medal at clay shooting. It should have been my greatest achievement but instead I felt empty. It was as if I had become world champion at faking a smile and saying I was doing great – even though on the inside, I was a mess. After years of people pleasing, looking outside for meaning/fulfilment and running on adrenaline, I had burned out. I was completely exhausted, disillusioned, anxious, unfulfilled and disconnected from others. And disconnected from the fun, courageous me I once knew.
I knew things had to change. I couldn’t go on as I was. I reached out to a skilful coach who taught me that I wasn't broken, but that I just needed to learn to be with myself in an entirely new way. I discovered how to treat myself differently; developing self-awareness and self-compassion; becoming more present; learning to face life’s challenges with fortitude and grace; and beginning to awaken to my true self. It was like I got plugged back in. Suddenly the world was full of possibility and opportunities.
Not long after, I left the world of advertising and immersed myself in behavioural science, sports psychology, NLP, hypnotherapy, mindfulness, human consciousness, the enneagram and interpersonal neurobiology. I was hungry for more knowledge and understanding, I knew there were others like me and I wanted to help them. I bio-hacked and geeked out on research. I reconnected with my core values and got clear on what I wanted. I engaged in intentional, conscious inner work discovering even more about my true nature and better comprehending what had got in the way of connecting to all of life and the Great Mystery. I felt alive again and I loved it.
So now, after 20+ years of studying, researching, coaching, teaching and engaging in my own inner work, I can see myself more honestly and accurately and I continue to discover who and what I truly am, not just for me, but for those around me. It is through being consciously embodied and present, that I have been able to recover my true nature and better understand what can get in the way of experiencing radical wholeness and the ability to yield a simple phosphorescence that Emily Dickinson called “the light within”. If this resonates and you are ready to access your light within, I'm here to help.
I live with my husband Rob and two girls just north of Mt Taranaki in New Zealand where the beautiful sea and nature nourish my soul.
The official bio
Sarah is an internationally recognised neurocoach, educator, researcher and strategist who has taught the principles of embodied intelligence to individuals and organisations for twenty years. Her approach to helping people be at home in themselves and at ease in the world is grounded, playful, compassionate and intelligent. She has worked with a wide range of challenges including:- rewiring past trauma, reducing stress, building resilience, accessing creativity, finding meaning and purpose, compassionate communication, turning up performance, enhancing focus and developing leadership skills. Her coaching toolbox includes positive psychology, mBraining, humanistic-NLP, hypnosis, havening, mindfulness, neuro-coaching, MBSC, Hearthmath, Refocusing Counselling, Interactive Drawing Therapy, Time Line Therapy, Map of Meaning, Polyvagal Informed Therapy and Spiritual Direction.
When not working with clients or facilitating trainings, you can find Sarah poking, peering and wondering at the wonderful things cast upon her local beach with her husband and two girls outside of New Plymouth, New Zealand where she lives.
Dr Suzanne Henwood
I have been incredibly privileged to learn from, and work, with some amazing people throughout my career. People who believed in me and allowed me to stand on their shoulders, supporting me to be all I can be.
Many people do not have that support. And it makes such a difference. Now I love being able to do that for others.
Today, I weave my backgrounds in healthcare, academia, research, leadership, coaching, supervision and training to provide an extensive integrated and embodied support to individual and teams.
Using a variety of modalities (mBraining, NLP, Havening, ACT, Time Line Therapy, Existential Coaching, Refocusing Counselling, Map of Meaning, Breathing, Heartmath, Polyvagal Informed Therapy, Emotional Culture Deck, IDT, Gratitude, Solution Focused Brief Therapy), with an evidence base to support their effectiveness, I use physiology and neurology to help people to rewire their brains, access their own inner wisdom and get lasting change.
I am passionate about making a difference in the world. I revel in supporting people, seeing others shine and excel. My desire is to take my learning over 30 years and share it in an accessible way to fast track changes in others. And, of course, I am still learning, still developing, and I don’t think I will ever stop.
I live in Auckland, New Zealand with my husband. I have two grown up children and three cats.
The official bio
Suzanne is a highly-sought after author, trainer, coach, and keynote speaker. She specialises in stress and anxiety, research, leadership, personal excellence, deep transformational change and working with workplace stress, psychological safety, and bullying. With a diverse background which includes a career as a radiographer, an Associate Professor at Unitec Faculty of Social and Health Sciences, Coach and Awakener, Suzanne likes tomatchacademicinsightswithreallifewisdom. Sheisawarm,curiousandinspirational coach with a vast knowledge in her field.
Andrew Barbour
Andrew currently works as a technical adviser and board member for a number of different companies, ranging from the coaching industry, health and well-being to digital communities, SaaS and new technologies.
Andrew was invited to sit on an Aventis advisory board in his capacity of systems expert and supported technology for GSK, Aventis, Johnson and Jonhson, BSAC and Bayer.
After successfully selling a pharma-tech business Andrew moved to Lithuania where he launched G2L, an IT company specializing in the full system life cycle and over time has been involved in a number technical innovations including work around life sciences, physical training (HIT) and rail telemetry. The latter of which involved working with EMT, Network Rail and Virgin in the development of a system that measures the safety of railway tracks and the impact of damaged rail on rolling stock.
Most recently, Andrew has worked in academia as a part of a group building a philosophy and framework for the creation of super-engaged digital communities. This work has lead to the development of an extensive algorithm that actively promotes positive behaviour through reward as well as the creation of a new virtual currency.
Andrew is also a published author and has toured extensively while supporting book promotions and educational initiatives. He is passionate about the promotion of classical English Literature and making it more accessible to the young. He has worked as a ghost author for a number of different personalities and has a range that stretches from poetry and medieval essays to autobiographies and text books.
He is also currently involved in the development of a resort in the Baltics and also has business interests in both America and New Zealand.
Our Associates
We have access to some of the world’s best minds, research and coaching skills that we collaborate with as and when needed.
