About » Me
About Me
My name is Ahly and I have been studying mindfulness practices, body awareness and emotional intelligence for over 10 years.
My style of therapy is grounded in body wisdom, using somatic and mindfulness based approaches to psychotherapy such as Hakomi, and integration approaches such as IFS (Internal Family Systems) as well as elements of Karla McLaren’s Emotional Literacy & Empathy framework.
I have schooled my self in Body Sensing through Yoga Nidra, Nada Yoga Mantra & Sound, MBSR (Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction), EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), NVC (Non Violent Communication), Enneagram Work, Shadow Work, Journeying and Advaita teachings. All parts of these may be utilised in my therapy sessions.
My Approach
My approach is both gentle and direct. I hold an enormous compassion and sense of wonder for the wounds that come from being human, as well the capacity to see beyond our woundings to that part in each of us that is whole and complete.
I trust the journey - a journey that at times feels full of paradox, and I hold steadfastly that each time we meet, it takes us closer to your own Self-truth and wisdom.
As I accompany you on this journey, I honour and delight in supporting you in coming home to your true nature; your true Self. This is the foundation of how I work; supporting your natural healing impulse to move towards your own sense of wholeness.
How I roll
I love to play in the realm of souls, dreams, movement and playfulness. I utilise mindfulness, embodied experiments, playfulness, and the respectful relationship we foster in self exploration.
I am deeply committed to embodiment practices such as yoga, chanting and dancing. In addition I have been practicing meditation and mindfulness since 2009, receiving on-going mentorship from dharma teachers and friends.
I am a mum to be beautiful 6 year old boy. Learning to be a 'mum' has been - and is - the most humbling, levelling, dismantling and heart opening experience; my greatest spiritual practice :-)
I am a poet, nature-explorer, singer and lover of life.
Therapy is a wonder-filled exploration into knowing your Self. I welcome and affirm you on your journey and will be honoured to hold space with you.
Education and Certifications
NZ Hakomi Institute
Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy Group Supervision (ongoing, with Dr Paris Williams)
Advanced Trauma Training with Dr Paris Williams, 2020, & Assistant to Paris, 2022
Eco-Therapy: Mindfulness and the Heart of Nature - Returning to your Essential Self, with Rob Fisher, 2019
The Growth & Grit of Intimacy - Creating a cooperative and compassionate couple alliance, with Halko Weiss and Maci Daye, 2019
Relationship and the Risk of Connection, with Suhari Mommsen-Bohn, 2019
Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy Training (2 years), with Jules Morgaine and Suhari Mommsen-Bohn, 2018
Advanced Hakomi Character Theory I and II, with Jules Morgaine, 2015
Embodied Family Systems, with Suhari Mommsen-Bohn, 2015
Hakomi Institute of California
From Trauma to Dharma, with Manuela Mischke-Reeds, 2020 (online)
Mindfulness Based Couples Therapy Training with Rob Fisher, 2020 (online) - ongoing
University
Certificates in Creative Writing; Poetry, Whitirea & VUW
Masters of Library & Information Science, VUW
Bachelor of Arts, majoring in Anthropology, VUW
My Philosophy
At the foundation of how I work is the belief that we are innately whole and our body holds an intelligence that is always communicating with us to move us towards a state of harmony.
Jon Eisman, the founder of Re-Creating Self says…
we are innately whole, but typically [we] create a “committee” of limiting trance states in order to accommodate difficult life situations.
These trance states aren’t see-able until we develop the ability to pan-out and view our experience.
That is what we practice in The Hakomi Way.
