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Penelope
Somatic Therapist
Penelope
Introduction
Penelope is a Somatic Practitioner and Registered Social Worker. Drawing on her skills in trauma, grief, couples work, mindset shifts, and embodied ritual, she weaves together the grounding of somatic healing with the expansion of intuitive movement.
She guides individuals and couples through healing, transformation, and growth.
As a trauma informed yoga teacher and somatic guide, her sessions invite the body to speak, the heart to open, and the spirit to remember its own wisdom. Anchored by her love for nature, the elements, spirituality and family, Penelope creates sacred, supportive spaces where clients can unravel what no longer serves them and step into deeper self-connection, clarity, and wholeness.
If you want to know more or make an appointment, feel free to contact me via the Send a message - button.
Online therapy
Our online sessions are designed to feel just as connected, safe, and supportive as if we were in the same room. We meet via WhatsApp, a secure and accessible platform that allows for both video and audio calls. You’ll need a stable internet connection, a quiet, private space where you can relax, and a device with the WhatsApp app installed. You add your phone number into WhatsApp and this is how we connect.
Before our first session, I’ll send you a simple guide to help you set up your space so you feel comfortable and grounded—perhaps with a cup of tea, your journal, or a cosy blanket. Once our call begins, we’ll dive into the work together, using the same approaches I offer in-person: somatic practices, gentle guidance, and tailored therapeutic support.
WhatsApp also allows for easy communication between sessions, so you can share reflections or receive brief check-ins as needed (within agreed boundaries). This way, your healing journey can flow with consistency, even from the comfort of your own home.
Qualifications and registrations
- Registered Social Worker
- Yoga Teacher Training 500hours
- Somatic Healing Certification
- Trauma Informed CPD
- Reiki I, II
- Romiromi & Mirimiri
- Grief Specialities
Registrations
Penelope is listed among the counsellors in Invercargill.
Specialisations
- 1. Somatics
- 2. Grief & Loss
- 3. Mindset Shifts
- 4. Trauma Healing
- 5. Ritual & Ceremony
- 6. Intuitive Movement
- 7. Life Transitions
- 8. Emotional Regulation
- 9. Couples & Relational Therapy
- 10. Personal Transformation
Specialisations and Expertises
I specialise in somatic therapy, trauma recovery, grief support, couples work, and guiding personal transformation. My approach weaves together evidence-based therapeutic practices, intuitive movement & touch, ritual, and body-based awareness to support deep, lasting change.
I most often work with people navigating unresolved trauma, significant loss, relationship challenges, emotional overwhelm, and times of deep change or uncertainty. Many clients also come seeking support to reconnect with themselves, shift limiting beliefs, or integrate spiritual and ritual practices into their healing.
The number of sessions depends on your unique needs and goals. Some clients find clarity and direction in as few as 3–6 sessions, while deeper trauma or relationship work often benefits from 10–20 sessions. We’ll regularly review progress together, ensuring the pace and depth of the work feels supportive for you.
Most common issues I support people with:
Trauma and PTSD – gently processing and integrating past experiences through somatic and therapeutic approaches
Grief and loss – creating space to honour its many layers and allow emotions to move in their own time
Relationship and couples challenges – guiding deeper connection, communication, and repair
Mindset and self-belief shifts – reframing limiting patterns and opening pathways for personal growth
Life transitions – navigating change with clarity, resilience, and embodied presence
Grief and loss – creating space to honour its many layers and allow emotions to move in their own time
Relationship and couples challenges – guiding deeper connection, communication, and repair
Mindset and self-belief shifts – reframing limiting patterns and opening pathways for personal growth
Life transitions – navigating change with clarity, resilience, and embodied presence
Therapies offered
- Coaching
- Cognitive behavioural therapy
- Couples coaching
- Couples counselling
- Dialectical Behaviour Therapy
- Family Therapy / Coaching
- Havening
- Internal Family Systems
- Mindfulness
- Narrative Therapy
- NLP
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Root Cause Therapy
- Solution focused therapy
- Somatic Experiencing
- Somatic Therapy
- WINZ Counselling
Issues I can help with
- Abuse
- Addiction
- ADHD
- Anger management
- Anxiety
- Being a perfectionist
- Being assertive
- Body image
- Burnout
- Codependency
- Communication
- Depression
- Fear
- Feeling lonely
- Grief & loss
- Jealousy
- Low self esteem
- Neurodiversity
- Panic attack
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Relationship issues
- Self confidence
- Separation anxiety
- Setting boundaries
- Sleep problems
- Stress
- Trauma
- Workplace stress
- Worrying too much
Fees
Fees per Session
Individual Therapy (Somatic, Trauma, Grief, Life Transitions)
Relational Therapy (Couples & Family)
60 minutes – $90 + GST NZD
Discounts & Concessions
Low-income concession – Ask about WINZ subsidised sessions
Students – 10% discount
Payment Methods
Cash
Invoice after appointment
Cancellation Policy
Cancellations within 24 hours. Cancellations on the day of the appointment time will incur the full session fee, unless due to emergencies.
Availability (Opening hours)
| monday | - |
| tuesday | 9-4 |
| wednesday | 9-4 |
| thursday | 9-3 |
| friday | - |
| saturday | - |
| sunday | - |