About us
TAIORA - The tide of well-being

“Ko te kiato i te taiora” - Travelling the vessel of wellness

The whakatauki recognises the bigger journey of wellness and maintaining balance, it also acknowledges the goodness each individual has and the areas that they possibly need to grow. ‘Kiato’ is the particular part on the waka that maintains/stabilises balance. It recognises that we are all on this journey to wellness, but balance in heart, spirit and mind and body is always essential.

TAIORA is an evidence-based online training program giving teachers and parents the skills to support young people through mental health challenges.

Think of it like a mental health masterclass for teachers and parents. 
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TAIORA Co-Founders; Kristina Cavit & Brady Polkinghorne

Our purpose

TAIORA exists to empower students, teachers and whānau to be more calm, engaged and resilient through online mental health training. 

There are thousands of young people in Aotearoa who are suffering in silence without mental health support.
Our teachers, whānau and youthworkers are at the frontline no matter the subject they teach, they need the tools to deal with life's challenges, and in turn to create a country built on resilience.
Have a question about our courses, pricing, or bundle programs? Feel free to contact us.

Why choose us

Over the past 10 years we’ve been running our programs through our charitable trust The Kindness Institute which has become a leader in mental health education. We simply can’t meet the demand for our programs, which is why TAIORA exists - to take our kaupapa to everyone who needs it.

Our trainings address the most challenging issues that teachers and whānau are seeing today including anxiety, depression and low self worth. Furthermore, we work with our clients to understand their unique challenges and design a learning solution that meets their unique needs, specific to challenges they are experiencing e.g. Rangatahi anxiety 

Amongst our program participants, The UOW found a 12% increase in positive emotions and 12% decrease in negative emotions.

Evidence-Based Tools

TAIORA teaches various mindfulness-based tools that are scientifically proven, endorsed by psychologist advisors and have been shown to be effective through our mahi with The Kindness Institute, with evaluation results available here. 

Designed in partnership with rangatahi

Courses are co-designed with rangatahi advisors who have been trained through various programs at The Kindness Institute and are now mental health leaders in their communities. 

Kaupapa Māori focus 

TAIORA has a commitment to Te tiriti o Waitangi and recognises the Mana of Tangata Whenua (people of the land) and the traditions that have been handed down through the generations.

TAIORA incorporates tikanga Māori, te reo Māori and indigenous frameworks, with thanks to our kaumatua and Kaupapa Māori advisors. 

Meet our team

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Kristina Cavit MNZM
Co-Founder

Kristina is the Founder & Director of The Kindness Institute. She has spent the past 10+ years working with marginalised communities facing stress and trauma in New Zealand and around the world. She has trained with world leading organisations including Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Center for Mindfulness through the University Of Massachusetts Medical School, The Holistic Life Foundation, supported by Harvard and John Hopkins Medical School, and The Institute of The Work of Byron Katie.

As a Mindfulness educator and coach, Kristina is passionate about sharing practical strategies on how each of us can manage stress. Her point of difference is her ability to make challenging concepts accessible, highly engaging, transformative and fun.
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Brady Polkinghorne
Co-Founder

Brady (Ngāti Tamaterā, Ngāti Kiriwera) is the Director of The Kindness Institute, having been involved with the organisation as a volunteer for two years prior to the three years leading the organisation. He has over 10 years advertising experience in Aotearoa and the UK, having worked with Headspace whilst working in London. 

Brady is passionate about mindfulness, meditation and self-inquiry and feels blessed to be able to pass on tools and learnings that have fundamentally change his own well-being. 


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Christine Russell
Rangatahi Advisor


Christine experienced the Atawhai programme through The Kindness Institute in 2016 and feels incredibly lucky to still be involved, now leading the program as the Lead Facilitator.

After graduating, she felt inspired, confident and genuinely happy. Having gained an interest in Mindfulness, Yoga and Te Ao Māori, she knows how beneficial these tools are as well as having a space like this for others. Christine's intention is to continue to learn, share and teach these practices with whānau and community throughout Aotearoa. 
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Te Aorangi Kowhai-Morini
Rangatahi Advisor

Tēnā tātou katoa, Ko Te Aorangi-Kowhai tōku ingoaHe uri tēnei nō ngā whāruarua o Piarere, nō Waikato, Tainui, ka mutu, nō Ngāpuhi nui tonu anō hoki. Kua waimaria ahau ki taku reo Māori me ōku tikanga Māori. Nā Te Kura Kaupapa Māori anō a au i poipoi, ki raro i ngā mātāpono o Te Aho Matua.

Te Aorangi joined TKI in 2018 and since graduating the Atawhai program has now become a Mentor on the program. 

She brings an incredible blend of her own mātauranga and knowledge of Te Ao Māori into her teachings and continues to teach different mental health and hauora tools to various rangatahi Māori and others across the motu. 
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