About

My name is Jo (she/her), and I am an educator, strategist, and somatics practitioner, born on Bunurong country and currently living on Wurundjeri country in Melbourne, Australia.

With a varied background in education, non-profit leadership, and social policy, my work now focuses on projects and responses that cultivate experiences of resilience, dignity, and care for people and communities. I am the founder and director of Collective Being, a non-profit organisation dedicated to democratising access to wellbeing.

Trained in trauma-informed, mental health aware, and somatic practices, I am especially curious about the ways in which dominant institutions and structures can be transformed from systems of burnout into systems of care.

In addition to my role with Collective Being, I currently work as a consultant across the fields of social justice, mental health, and community development.

Learn more

My approach

My approach has been shaped by my professional experiences as an educator, community strategist, and non-profit founder, as well as my lived experiences of chronic stress, trauma, and post-traumatic resilience.

My thinking and practice have been influenced by contemplative practices, somatic lineages, decolonial theory, politicised healing movements, systems design, political theory, pedagogy, and poetry.

Above all, I value my roles as a friend, daughter, sister, community member, and mother. Relationships are the threads that hold everything together, and I am grateful to be stitched closely to some very special people in this world.

I take a relational approach to my work, and deeply value the connections and collaborations that I make along the way.

What I offer

Service development

If your organisation is creating a new program, or invigorating an established one, service development includes the design of practice frameworks, program logics, delivery guidelines, and practitioner tools. May also include change management and train-the-trainer activities.

Example: Sustaining Economic Empowerment and Dignity for Women: conceptual framework (Brotherhood of St Laurence, 2023)

Workshop delivery

Immersive workshops for organisational teams covering themes of stress, burnout, vicarious trauma, and nervous system resilience. Designed to be nourishing as well as educative, these workshops integrate psychoeducation, reflective practice, and practical, adaptable tools for sustained wellbeing.

Example: Three-part workshop series with Good Shepherd AUS & NZ management team, integrating engaging research, science, and practice.

Please note that as of June 2025, I have a waitlist for new clients and organisational partners. If you are interested in working together, I would still love to hear from you.

Current and past projects

I founded Collective Being in 2017, in response to a gap in accessible, trauma-informed yoga-based practice. Collective Being is now an established non-profit organisation, supporting upwards of 1,200 people per year through therapeutic, evidence-informed somatic programs.
Our vision is a world where everyone has access to the resources, tools and support that they need to be well.
www.collectivebeing.org
As a strategist and consultant, I work at the intersection of research, policy, and practice, partnering with organisations to design and deliver programs that advance equity and social justice. My work spans youth homelessness, employment, out-of-home care, family violence, refugee rights, women’s financial wellbeing, housing and education.

In this role, I’ve developed practice frameworks, strategic plans, training resources and impact reports, and have led successful national tenders and grant submissions. I’ve also delivered workshops and whole of staff training programs across Victoria and interstate for organisations including the Brotherhood of St Laurence, BUPA, St Martins Youth Arts, White Lion, Family Life, HIPPY Australia, and the National Transition to Work Community of Practice.
Building on a background in education and secondary school teaching, I have designed and facilitated a diverse range of programs and content over the past 15 years - from yoga and meditation through to life skills, mathematics, workplace readiness, and arrival support for people seeking asylum.
As an embodiment, meditation and somatics facilitator, I have been teaching for 13 years, including most recently as a lead trauma-informed yoga teacher trainer for Yoga for HumanKIND.
For the past 7 or 8 years, my work has focused on the notion of Rest, and exploring the intersections between burnout, systems, and community care.

Testimonials

"Jo has done some exceptional work for BSL over the years. She has a remarkable ability to understand our work deeply and has supported us in authoring numerous practice guides that articulate our practice approaches, theoretical frameworks, and implementation manuals in accessible language. Jo is an absolute delight to work with, engaging wonderfully with people across all levels, including staff and participants. She brings a sense of calm to the work that often has tight deadlines, making the process much smoother and enjoyable."

- Rebecca Pinney Meddings, Children, Youth and Inclusion Programs Portfolio, Brotherhood of St Laurence
"I absolutely loved every part of the training. I felt safe and seen. I thoroughly enjoyed the generosity of resources so abundantly shared. Jo's facilitator approach was so warm and gentle, yet still drew your attention and exuded confidence."

- Collective Being training participant
“This was the best session I have been present in for years and there have been some fabulous presenters. Something was very soulful about her. I loved every minute… I shut down Teams/Inbox etc and never have done so in [my work] environment where I am unable to focus on one thing as there is so much going on - I was 100% present and so very grateful for today, thank you.”

- Good Shepherd staff wellbeing workshop series participant

Training & qualifications

Master of Education (Youth, Equity and Social Change), University of Melbourne, 2018
Master of Teaching , University of Melbourne, 2011
Post-Graduate Diploma of Education (Secondary), University of Melbourne, 2009
Trauma-Informed Facilitation, Liz Scarfe, 2017
Positive Education, University of Melbourne, 2013
NeuroCoach Training, Frazer Holmes Coaching, 2013
Cultural Awareness and Anti Racist Training, Ecumenical Migration Centre, 2012
Trauma Informed Educator Training, Berry Street Trauma-informed Education, 2011
Micro-Counselling Skills for Educators, Foundation House, 2011
Somatic Experiencing Practitioner In-Training - Level 1, 2022
Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy Certificate, Embody Lab, 2021
Somatics, Trauma & Resilience, Strozzi Institute, 2021
Moving & Soothing, Australian Childhood Foundation, 2021
Neurobiology of Self-Care, Australian Childhood Foundation, 2021
Rooted & Embodied 12 Month Somatic Immersion, 2020-2021
Somatic Abolitionism: My Grandmother's Hands Embodied Book Club, Resmaa Menakem, 2020
Traumatic Stress and the Breath, Jane Clapp, 2020
Embodied Boundaries, Jane Clapp, 2020
Mind Module, Embodied Flow (100 hours), 2019
The Embodied Self: Restorative & Yoga Therapy Teacher Training, Gena Kenny, 2019
Trauma Centre Trauma Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY) Facilitation 300hr Training, 2018
iRest Level 1 Teacher, Integrative Restoration Institute, 2018
Vinyasa Krama (40 hours), Rod Stryker, ParaYoga, 2018
Trauma-Informed Yoga for Youth Training, YogaED, 2018
Reaching In, Reaching Out, New Leaf, 2017
Certificate of Ayurvedic Yoga (150 hours), Balarama Chandra, 2015
Certificate of Vinyasa Teaching, (50 hours) Jenni Morrison Jack, 2014
Mindfulness Teacher Training , Mindful Schools, 2014
Healing Trauma with Yoga, Hala Khouri, 2013
Advanced Diploma of Yoga Teaching (350 hours), Australian Yoga Academy, 2011