The Wānanga Why Taiora What you’ll experience Courses Testimonials Book a kōrero

Practical, culturally grounded wānanga for teams under real pressure.

Wānanga that reconnect people to themselves, their wairua, and their mahi.

 

Māori Wellbeing and Mindfulness Training

  • Burnout & compassion fatigue
  • Cultural wellbeing & belonging
  • Practical tools that work under real pressure

Trusted By:

“Our team wants this twice a year. You filled my soul today.”

— Youth Social Worker, Presbyterian Support Northern

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Our Whakataukī

“Ko te kiato i te taiora”

TAIORA – The Tide of Wellbeing

The name encompasses that every stage of wellness (like the tides of the ocean) has a purpose and cycle of balance. It removes the pressure to be something, someone, or somewhere we are not.

‘Ko te kiato i te taiora’ – Travelling the vessel of wellness

‘Kiato’ is the part of the waka that stabilises and maintains balance. It recognises that we are all on a journey toward wellness, and that balance in heart, spirit, mind, and body is essential.

 

Kia ora, we’re Krissy & Brady.

We support the people who support everyone else.

Taiora delivers Māori-led wellbeing and mindfulness wānanga for organisations who want their people to feel calm, connected, and resourced - so they can continue their mahi without burning out.

Krissy (Kristina) Cavit, MNZM  (Whāngai)

Co-founder of Taiora and founder of The Kindness Institute, honoured with the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to youth and community. Krissy’s background is in accessible Mindfulness education and she leads wānanga with warmth, humour, and evidence based tools. She also loves dogs and chocolate.

Meet the Team →

Brady Polkinghorne (Ngāti Tamaterā)

Co-founder and experienced Māori hauora facilitator. Brady helped develop the Headspace website and previously served as Director at The Kindness Institute. He brings leadership, playfulness, and practical wellbeing tools to teams under pressure - and loves his two cats.

Meet the Team →

HAUORA WĀNANGA & WELLBEING TRAININGS

We help the helpers - the kaimahi holding our communities together.

Our mahi is simple:

  • Restore calm
  • Rebuild connection
  • Strengthen resilience
  • Return people to balance

We create spaces where teams can slow down, laugh and reconnect. We support kaimahi (staff) to learn tools they can use immediately.

Full-Day Hauora Wānanga (Wellbeing Workshop)

$7,500 | Up to 30 people | 7 hours | All materials included

Designed for teams experiencing:

✔ Burnout, overwhelm or fatigue

✔ Compassion fatigue or exhaustion

✔ High emotional or relational load

✔ Constant change or pressure

✔ Stress impacting team connection or performance 

Your team will leave:

✔ Calmer and more regulated

✔ More connected

✔ Equipped with practical hauora tools

✔ Confident supporting their own wellbeing and each other

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WHY TAIORA

Tailored: Not Corporate:  No rigid, tick-box PD. Each wānanga is shaped around your people, giving practical tools that your team can use immediately under pressure.

Warm & Engaging:  wānanga are welcoming and accessible, with plenty of laughter, connection, and shared moments. Through our trauma informed facilitation, there’s no pressure to go “deep”, people can participate in ways that feel comfortable and safe.

Māori-Led, Rangatahi-Informed: Facilitated by experienced practitioners alongside rangatahi Māori, bringing warmth, humour, playfulness, and lived experience into every session.

Culturally Grounded & Inclusive: approaches benefit everyone. Staff of all backgrounds can connect safely, explore hauora tools, and strengthen resilience, including those with little prior knowledge of Māori wellbeing.

WHAT ORGANISATIONS SAY

Person 1 “Fantastic! Best workshop we’ve done to date.”

— Social Worker, Presbyterian Support Northern.

Person 2 “Our team wants this twice a year. You filled my soul today.”

— Youth Social Worker, Presbyterian Support Northern.

Person 3 “Even better than I imagined. Leaders left with tools they’ll carry for life.”

— Ruawai, Emerging Talent Manager, Foodstuffs.

Person 4 “Kristina is gifted at holding space for all kinds of people. Her work is the real deal.”

— Emma, HR Consultant .

Person 5 “I’m going away feeling at peace and with more agency.”

— Academy Ex Education Staff.

Person 5 “Kia kaua e whakamā ki ngā mahi pēnei ana - he taonga, he mana tiaki. Kia tau te wairua - ngā mihi maioha ki a kōrua.” (The most valuable thing has been learning not to be ashamed of this kind of work, it is sacred, precious and empowering.)

— Academy Ex Participant.

Person 5 100% of participants reported learning ways to self-regulate and calm. “I’m going away feeling a sense of clarity, peaceful, with practices that I can use. THANK YOU!””

— Academy Ex participant.

Person 5 “Kristina may be the most calming, soothing person I have ever met and is well placed to deliver this rejuvenating experience, that, if you let it, really could be life-changing. I am excited about applying The Work to everyday life. Already I feel so much lighter. Thank you!”

— Shelley, Mt Eden.

Person 5 “Kristina has helped me to relax and gain peace of mind. It’s not hyperbole to say the time spent with Kristina has changed the way I live my life for the better. At first, I was very sceptical but once we’d done a few sessions I saw that it was an amazing tool. It’s helped me to relax and be less judgemental in my day-to-day life.”

— Dominic, Youth Worker.

HOW IT WORKS

A simple, supportive process

From first conversation to a grounded, restorative experience for your team.

Book a kōrero with Brady or Krissy

A chance to understand your people and what support would make the most difference right now.

Confirm your date

We’ll agree on a date, time and format.

 Choose the workshop that’s right for you

Pick the wānanga that best supports your team.

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Our Wānanga Offerings

Full-Day Hauora Wānanga

$7,500 | Up to 30 staff

A deep, restorative day designed for teams experiencing burnout, compassion fatigue, or high emotional load.

Hauora Reset Session

90 minutes | $2,500

A deep, restorative day designed for teams experiencing burnout, compassion fatigue, or high emotional load.

Your team leaves calmer, more connected, and genuinely resourced.

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