Raquel is an experienced studio director with a full-time focus on promoting inclusivity and accessibility in all the spaces she facilitates.

She brings her decade-long corporate skillset of sales and workplace wellbeing into her role as SOMM's customer experience and operations manager to create a more seamless flow for SOMM's members and teachers.

Her heritage is Mexican and Vietnamese, born in USA, and now a citizen of Aotearoa New Zealand. She draws from her background in psychology (Bachelor's degree), yoga (500hr+ training, 1,000+ facilitation), plant medicine and indigenous frameworks, to offer a holistic approach to those she can support.

She's likely to be your first point-of-contact for any SOMM-related inquiries. Feel free to book time with her here to discuss how we can enhance your SOMM experience.

Nicole Roberston is the SOMM’s Strategic Advisor and also a teacher-facilitator. With over 25 years of international experience across diverse industries she has the unique skill set of walking in two worlds—the corporate and the holistic, wellbeing world. As teacher of Awareness Insight Meditation, Compassionate Inquiry Facilitator, Coach from The Somatic School, EFT Practitioner as just some of the strings to her bow, Nicole works alongside Claire and other faculty members at The School of Modern Meditation (SOMM), where she contributes her extensive experience and holistic approach to strategic advising.

Jo is a Meditation Teacher (trained through SOMM) and Breathwork Facilitator (trained through AOB). She is passionate about helping Adults and Teens develop a different relationship and perspective of their minds, bodies and emotions, and also a better understanding of their nervous systems through practices of breathwork and meditation.

From a young age, Caroline has been fascinated about ways in which we as humans can connect back to the essence of who we are. Having felt disconnection from self and what felt like a constant unease, deep down she knew that there was more to life. It was as if from then on, it became her life path to find practices, teachers and community to support her in this return home to herself. With consistent practice and support Caroline's world began to shift. The anxiety that she thought was simply her forever no longer had such a strong grip, the negative self talk began to dissipate and she could feel a softening of her nervous system. Experiencing firsthand what has unravelled through these practices, Caroline feels deeply inspired to continue her own learnings and to share this knowledge with others. Her wish is to teach meditation in a way that feels accessible and to encourage people that it's never too early (or too late) to begin following your path. For the last 3 years Caroline has been assisting Claire with her Teacher Trainings and Retreats. She also currently teaches yoga in Mount Maunganui Studios, runs her own overseas retreats and facilitates mental well-being online courses and workshops.

Emily came to meditation via yoga, which she has practiced for 20 years now. Out of many meditative practices, Emily has found the still practice of meditation hugely beneficial and therapeutic for her journey. She is part of the SOMM 2023/24 TT cohort, and looks forward to having her daily meditation practice as a keystone foundation and support for her work in architecture. “Meditation has been a return to myself, and an understanding of what it is to be human.”

Emma is a dynamic entrepreneur and meditation teacher who has transformed her life through mindfulness practices. She manages multiple audiovisual and production companies, as well as a theming company, while balancing family and social commitments. Emma credits her meditation practice for eliminating anxiety, boosting creativity, and improving her stress management.

As a modern-day meditator, Emma completed the AIM Teacher Training with Claire Robbie in 2021 and the Meditation Teacher Training with Jacqui Lewis from The Broadplace in 2022. She now shares her expertise with others who have busy modern lifestyles, emphasising how meditation has profoundly changed her perspective on life, helping her process emotions more effectively and recover from stress more quickly. Emma is passionate about teaching this simple yet powerful practice to others, enabling them to experience similar positive changes in their lives.

Joseph is a yoga teacher and a lifelong student of breath, body, and mind. He is also a Crossfit Coach and Personal Trainer - perpetually exploring ways to bridge the gap between the practice of yoga and meditation with functional fitness. Joseph is from the US where he grew up in Minnesota, pursued a career in acting, and post-pandemic found a passion in helping people through health, wellness, and fitness. Most recently, he moved from Florida to Auckland in pursuit of personal development and adventure! Breath and bodywork has personally guided him through mental and physical ailments. He wants yoga and meditation to be accessible and relatable to all, so that he can share the benefits this work can have for any walk of life.

Born in Canada, and of Syrian & Iraqi heritage, Maryam is a yoga & meditation instructor, reiki master, cacao intake facilitator and retreat leader. She believes deeply in the importance of unity, love and collective energy a vehicles for healing. Her training background spans internationally through Latin America, Canada and New Zealand. Maryam’s ability to create a safe, nourishing space as she guides you on a journey to a deeper connection within the self is the foundation of all of her practices.

SIan learnt to meditate a few years ago with SOMM founder Claire Robbie and has since completed the Awareness Insight Meditation teacher training. She is also a primary school teacher and hopes to weave these two practices together over the coming years. Sian has been profoundly affected by the way meditation can heal us from the inside out, bringing the body and mind into congruence and hopes to further this knowledge further her studies in Yin Yoga this year. She is particularly interested in the history of meditation and exploring the different lineages of the practice. Sian loves teaching and helping people with addictions develop and sustain a compassionate, nurturing and self-sufficient meditation practice.

Aviette’s interest in Buddhism was sparked as a teenager living in Thailand. Over the years she has felt a strong pull towards meditation and has explored a range of different meditative practices and styles. Meditation for her is ‘The Art of Allowing’. Allowing our thoughts, sensations and emotions to be present and all parts of ourselves to become integrated. Aviette has experienced the profound benefits of a consistent daily meditation practice. Aviette has spent the last year exploring, developing and deepening her meditation practice through Meditation Teacher Training with SOMM Founder Claire Robbie. She was a founding member of SOMM, loves being part of our precious community and looks forward to sitting with you regularly.

Sierra Truong: an artist and meditation facilitator originally from Hanoi, Vietnam. Starting her journey of learning and teaching meditation in 2014, at the beginning of last year, Sierra started bringing the art of tea into her meditation workshops. She now weaves Vietnamese tea appreciation ceremonies and tea meditation into the sessions she facilitates. Sierra is a devotee of joy and love. Her passion is to support people’s wellness and to bring the community together through the way of tea.

Rebekah is a reiki master, qi gong enthusiast, martial artist and creative. She is about to embark on her second year of Elemental Alchemy Qi Gong Practitioner training - The Alchemist Year through The SOUL Centre. She is also the Alchemy intern, allowing her to deepen her connection and knowledge of these energy practices. Rebekah believes that everyone has the power within them to heal themselves, to come home to their bodies and the earth, and to create a strength that stretches across body, mind and spirit. Through this calling, Rebekah has followed many passions including theatre making, teaching karate, and more recently sharing her love for vibrational medicine through teaching Qi Gong and holding 1:1 reiki sessions.

Maggie was first drawn to meditation when she returned to the corporate law world after living for a period of time in Bali. The adjustment was challenging and she looked to meditation as a tool to help her focus for work, control drinking habits and improve health. Fast-forward a few years, it became clear to Maggie that meditation is so much more than that - there is a way that everything starts to shift as we deepen our capacity to hold life and everything that arises in that container with presence, kindness and curiosity. Maggie still works as a corporate lawyer full-time and is passionate about sharing all things meditation and mindfulness-related. Maggie has trained with Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach for the past couple of years in the MMTCP programme. She also attended one of SOMM's silent retreats where she first met Claire and completed the Awareness Insight Meditation Course. In her spare time, Maggie practises yoga and loves tackling physical challenges, having competed in CrossFit, international weightlifting, and is now training for her first ultramarathon.

Molly is a Neurological and Respiratory Physiotherapist, Buteyko Breathing Instructor, Yoga and Pilates Teacher. She also has a degree in Medical Science. Molly works in various ways giving individuals the tools to prevent the onset of illness and disease. Molly is incredibly passionate about breathing retraining due to how much of the population could benefit from it’s practices and how dramatic these changes can be. Conditions that are very common in our society can be treated and reversed so easily through simple breathing techniques.