The Brave Space

26/11/2025

Please be fully informed before going down the path of anti depressant/anxiety meds for your child.

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24/11/2025

Hey guys, what do you reckon? Can we magic up a dedicated space in nature for The Brave Space in 2026? Plus, here’s YOUR inspirational message for the day. You got this💪

23/11/2025

Once a week our non-toxic yoga mats get an extra special clean. I make my own yoga mat spray these days using distilled water, witch hazel and a blend of very high quality essential oils. My daughter helped to concoct the last batch - it’s extra pepperminty! Turns out this is very attractive to cats… 😆

(Skip is possibly the oldest living cat. A rescue from Melbourne who wound up in rural NZ many years ago. Completely deaf but still enjoying a very good quality of life…)

19/11/2025

There’s no such thing as a “bad” emotion!
Even the most uncomfortable ones carry valuable information to help us thrive.

Potentially the most transformative session of the program yesterday in Whakatane.
P.s. No offence intended to any Boomers! I can only imagine how hard it was for many of our parents’ generation (and previous generations) growing up (in terms of receiving the emotional support that was required).

🟢Check out Wildling Books for more info on the Aroha emotional wellbeing book series.
🟢Check out The Tapping Solution online!

12/11/2025

Holy emotional rollercoaster! 🎢

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had some hella uncomfortable emotions coming up this week.
My ol’ mate anxiety was back - with overwhelm lurking close by. Sadness popped in. Loneliness even came to visit. This is so normal, by the way!!

Coincidentally (or not 😉) this week we are delving into my favourite topic of all - “The Gift of Emotions” at The Brave Space. Oh the divine perfection of it all - this is certainly not lost on me…. 💫

It’s times like these I really have to walk my talk. Put my money where my mouth is. Practice what I preach & all that… so I can show up for the kids - not as a fragile wreck, but as a guide who has
welcomed these visitors with compassion and curiosity, done what I require to do to help them move through, harnessed the gold from the experience…. and come out the other end feeling more connected - to myself & all of my cherubs.

All emotions are welcome in my classes, and I remain ever so grateful for all of mine too… without which I could never work in this space with true authenticity or integrity.

Here’s to learning to ride those beautiful waves guys, and not getting drowned by them!! 🤪🌊 🌊 🌊

10/11/2025

Eastern Bay whanau - here is an awesome decluttering opportunity from Jade at Heart Space Thrift Store. Get the kids on board with the spirit of giving this Christmas 🎄


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09/11/2025

🩷 🙏 An Attitude of Gratitude 🙏 🩷

At The Brave Space we learn to direct our focus toward all of the good things in our lives, through a dedicated Gratitude Practice. We express gratitude by sharing in circle with our peers, and through recording specific things we feel thankful for in our Gratitude Journals. This can be through words, pictures or both, depending on the child.

Every week I am deeply moved by what the tamariki record in their journals. It's personal and unique to each child, and helps me gain a deeper understanding of their interests/passions and what is important to them. This is such a useful thing to know as a teacher and helps to inform our sessions together.

We also acknowledge and celebrate what we're proud of, which is a valuable practice I hope they will carry into adulthood. This can be a "small" thing or a big thing, and gives the kids a real confidence boost to share within our supportive small-group setting.

In the spirit of gratitude today, I'd love to thank everybody who supports this soul-led initiative to help kids thrive on all levels - physical, mental, emotional and spiritual. 400+ Facebook followers and growing steadily! Parents and caregivers - thank you for trusting me with your precious taonga. Together we are making some serious ripples that are quite literally changing the world. 🩷

Amy x

03/11/2025

Getting our dragon on today as we explore the power of our mind and how we can shape our self talk to cultivate our reality 💥

Apologies that this video doesn’t show the full Dragon pose! 🙈 It’s an adaptation of either a high lunge or a low lunge - with the twist for an extra challenge.

02/11/2025

👏👏👏

We spend years teaching children how to solve equations, memorize facts, and chase success — yet we rarely teach them how to sit with their pain. We tell them to be strong, but we never explain that true strength sometimes looks like tears, like asking for help, like admitting you’re not okay. We prepare them for exams but not for heartbreak, for careers but not for loss. And so they grow up learning to silence their emotions, to wear resilience like armor, all while carrying the weight of unspoken feelings they were never taught to understand.

Emotional intelligence is the lesson life keeps repeating until we finally listen — not with our minds, but with our hearts. It teaches us through broken relationships, through moments when logic can’t fix what empathy can heal. It reminds us that understanding ourselves and others is not a soft skill; it’s a survival skill. The world doesn’t need more people who know the right answers — it needs more people who know how to sit in discomfort, to hold space for pain, and to choose compassion over control. That is the education that truly changes us.

— Balt

02/11/2025

Hi everyone!

A shameless plug today for my parents' macadamia nut business - because I'm super proud of what they have created! :)

As a nutritious, slow-release energy snack for families, you can't beat macadamias - especially home-grown, spray-free ones such as these! They are packed with goodies such as healthy fats and fibre, making them so good for young brains and tummies (always cut them up for little ones to avoid choking).

I mostly eat the Natural and Lightly Roasted macadamia nuts....but these chocky ones are a mouth-watering treat and make a sweet gift (no pun intended!). Only the best quality, Belgian chocolate is used from Scilla Chocolates in Ohope....

Also, for those who have their own macadamia nut tree but struggle to crack 'em open, you'll want to check out the legendary WonderCracker (designed and built by Ohiwa Macadamias too).

The best way to explore the product range & order is online (www.ohiwamacadamias.co.nz - with free local delivery!) or check them out at the Wharfside Harbour Market in Port Ohope from 8.30am-12.30pm this Saturday 8 November. :-)

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29/10/2025

I’ve set myself a new challenge to complete at least three decent nature walks every week (bush, beach or farm) - regardless of the fickle spring weather. 🌦️ Today’s hikoi around the Fairbrother Loop track almost didn’t happen - my ego came up with quite a few reasons why I should skip it (“I’m too tired”, “It’s too cold and windy”, “I haven’t got time” etc)…

Thankfully I chose to listen to my inner voice and go anyway! And of course I was rewarded with so many amazing discoveries and wildlife encounters. Being in nature is one of the best ways to ground and recalibrate before facilitating a session at The Brave Space!

P.s. This is possibly an unpopular opinion, but if we all spent more time in the real world connecting with trees, and less time “connecting” to devices, the world would be an infinitely better place (and our youth wouldn’t experience the degree of mental health challenges we see today).