All the team at Strength + Soul are hand picked. We believe in passion and drive and love for what you do. It is these qualities that no amount of training or knowledge can produce.
Each team member is encouraged to follow their passions, to follow their dreams and to enjoy the career path that is health & wellness.
Osteopath
Full Bio >
Gillian was born and bred in London, UK. She has loved living in
Northland since 2018. She is an experienced Registered Osteopath,
Naturopath and Trauma therapist who qualified from the British College
of Osteopathic Medicine in London in 2006 with both a Bsc. Ost Med
in Osteopathy and Diploma in Naturopathy. She has extensive
clinical experience practicing in clinics throughout London and has
also tutored undergraduates in Osteopathy whilst there. She is keen
on ongoing postgraduate training including completing training in
Structural, Cranial and Visceral Osteopathy, Paediatric health, Neil
Asher Techniques (for frozen shoulder) and varied forms of myofascial
release.
Gillian successfully treats both adults, children and babies for a wide
range of complaints, her emphasis on the importance of finding the
root cause of an injury or ailment to allow tailoring of the treatment
for individual needs. She has a “whole person” approach and believes
that the body reacts to physical and emotional stresses in unique
patterns, and her treatments focus on removing obstacles to full
healing and recovery. Post treatment advice on exercise, diet and
lifestyle are given in practical and common sense ways, using her
knowledge and experience to teach people to use their bodies for
more balanced and healthy outcomes. She is fully registered with
both the General Osteopathic Council UK (GOsC) and the Osteopathic
Council of New Zealand (OCNZ)
In pursuit of her special interest in treating those recovering from
trauma, Gillian also trained in Somatic Experiencing (S.E) devised by
Peter Levine. She completed her training in 2019 in Sydney. This body
based talking therapy supports release and healing from shock, stress
and trauma. It is used to tackle symptoms, such as chronic pain, PTSD, unresolved body dysfunctions or sensitivities.
Gillian is married and lives locally in Whangarei. When she is not in clinic
she is most likely to be found walking in the beautiful New Zealand
landscapes or enjoying her favorite music or songs.
Personal Trainer
Full Bio >
Jamie Hitchcock is the co-founder of Strength + Soul. One of his proudest career accomplishments is creating Strength + Soul with Tania and developing a vibrant and enthusiastic culture to “work” in. His lifelong passion for movement and sports has led him to a career where he gets to share that passion with his clientele. Jamie has had the pleasure of working with teenage athletes, weekend warriors, post operative and “post-youth”.
Jamie believes that moving well and moving often and sensible not strict nutrition are two of the biggest factors in living and feeling well as we all move into older age. As a self confessed geek who spends a great deal of his money on books, Jamie loves upskilling and educating himself so he can share this knowledge with whoever is willing to listen.
Training regardless of goals can and should be enjoyable so a good amount of laughs and banter is necessary while on the training floor. Jamie would describe his methods as a blend of conventional and unconventional which doesn’t leave you in a whimpering mess and loves seeing previously apprehensive clients go from strength to strength.
Jamie can be found either in the gym, the bush, squash courts, touch field or the beach depending on the weather. He lives in Whangarei with his long term partner Nicola and son Max and daughter Ady.
Craniosacral Therapist
Full Bio >
Sandra was born and raised in the beautiful Eastern Bay of Plenty. As a young girl she was surrounded by family members who were the healers of the region – her Nana, Koro, Great Uncle and Aunty. As a youngster living on a farm she would practice what she saw the elders doing on her beloved pet animals. Rocky the calf (the award winning Pet day calf that is) and Peppy the farm dog being the most patient of patients.
Fast forward a number of years and along came her husband (who happens to be a Whangarei boy) and two daughters. As her two girls were growing up, if they ever became unwell or injured, it was second nature to know exactly what to do, and how to help/assist them to become well again.
Many many years later and a couple of successful and enjoyable career paths later Sandra had feeling, an intuitiveness pop up when she was sent and email from her daughter . This email was a two day Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy introduction workshop. Over these two days, all of those feelings and sensations that were present as a little girl on the farm, and as a mother came flooding back, “I felt something awaken inside of me”.
At the end of the workshop she had her classmates, tutors and course director all tell her she had to continue on and learn more.
So she did, and with flying colours. At the end of her final papers, she was offered a job to tutor herself.
For the last three years Sandra has been practicing Craniosacral therapy in Auckland & Whangarei and often travels back down home to the Eastern Bay of Plenty to treat her elders and family members.
“I am amazed everyday at the strength and wisdom of the human body, and how it has the natural ability to heal. This is one of the wondrous reasons why I love working as a Craniosacral Therapist”
Pilates Instructor
Full Bio >
Niki is a UK trained physiotherapist with over 20 years experience who has worked all over the world including many years in the middle east, treating children and people with war injuries A keen sailor, Niki and her husband Simon packed up their two young children and set off on a long distance sailing adventure in 1999, finally ending up many thousands of miles later in New Zealand in 2004 and vowed to make it home. Deciding that Whangarei was the best place for their family (and their sailing) they firmly put down their roots.
Niki decided it was time for a career change and retired from physiotherapy to train as a Pilates instructor and set up her own Pilates studio in Whangarei, the only fully equipped studio here. With her physiotherapy background, she specialises in Pilates for rehabilitation whether for elite athletes or the not so fit.
When not enjoying teaching Pilates, Niki and Simon will be found sailing on the same boat that brought them to Whangarei all those years ago or walking in the great outdoors or travelling to Auckland to see their now adult children.
She is very excited to join the team at Strength and Soul who share the same nurturing approach to exercise as she does.
Physiotherapist / Acupuncture
Full Bio >
Rosana graduated in 2003, and has worked for over 15 years in private practice treating a wide range of musculoskeletal injuries and conditions, as well as working closely with many sports teams over this time.
With a thirst to provide best possible treatment for all aches and pains Rosana went on to complete her Masters in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy in 2008. The enhanced combination of clinical reasoning, spinal manipulation and acupuncture added to her manual therapy base and has enabled a broad skill set to draw from in providing individualised and successful outcomes for many problems.
Rosana believes in a multi-disciplinary approach, happy to work together with any other medical or health professional to provide a full focus on health, wellness and recovery. It is this collective strive for better wellness that see’s Rosana join the Strength and Soul space.
Rosana is equally as passionate toward injury prevention as she is recovery from injury and believes in keeping our bodies well oiled and fluid throughout all phases of life.
With the belief that health and wellness is unique to all, Rosana likes to bring a fresh, individualised approach to all problems – enjoying returning athletes to sport, contractors back to the work site, children back to the playground and avid gardeners to their back yards. There is no pain too big or too small.
Rosana is Whangarei born, enjoys the local lifestyle and is proud of her Croatian heritage which still runs strong through the North. Outside of work you will find her relaxing at Matapouri Bay, listening to music, with a likely side of cheese and wine.
Massage Therapist
Full Bio >
Shyanne is Northland born and breed wahine, Whangārei being her hometown. She spent her Secondary school years at Kamo High school, where she first discovered her passion for hauora. After graduating in 2012, she packed her belongings and headed for the big smoke to pursue a Bachelor in Sport & Recreation. It was during this tertiary study that her love for haoura in particular human anatomy was embedded further.
Shyanne then decided to take a leap of faith and move down to chilly Christchurch. The only person she knew was an uncle who she hadn’t seen for over 8 years. Shyanne’s passion for hauora and her new found love of human anatomy, made her determined to pursue a career that encapsulated these wisdoms. One day, during a chance encounter with a tutor at the New Zealand College of Massage, her intuition peaked and without any doubt she enrolled for the class of 2017.
Over the next two years of study Shyanne took every opportunity to gain as much clinical experience as possible, such as working with the Canterbury Crusaders, New Zealand Warriors, Christchurch Marathon and Coast to Coast. And, graduated as one of the top of her class with a Level 6 Diploma in Clinical Massage.
Her greatest career achievement to date is traveling to Cape Town, South Africa with the 2019 Women’s Masters Indoor cricket team. Her greatest personal achievement is becoming a mother in May 2021 to her beautiful daughter Laniākea .
As a Clinical Massage Therapist of five years Shyanne strives to stay up to date with the latest evidence & continued education. Deepening her knowledge & skills by understanding that healing comes not just from within the physical realm. She is a Reiki & Mirimiri practitioner, and continues to be guided on furthering these knowledge bases.
Shyanne loves educating and empowering clients about their own hauora through massage therapy, exercises / stretching or a holistic approach. Her massaging sessions are a mixture of relaxation and therapeutic techniques, such as deep tissue therapy, myofascial treatments, neuromuscular and trigger point therapy.
Outside of the clinic you will find her in nature, chasing rivers and exploring the city of one hundred beaches. She also loves whānau time and catching up with friends.
She is a registered member of Massage New Zealand and is a Southern Cross Easy-claim provider.
Gillian was born and bred in London, UK. She has loved living in
Northland since 2018. She is an experienced Registered Osteopath,
Naturopath and Trauma therapist who qualified from the British College
of Osteopathic Medicine in London in 2006 with both a Bsc. Ost Med
in Osteopathy and Diploma in Naturopathy. She has extensive
clinical experience practicing in clinics throughout London and has
also tutored undergraduates in Osteopathy whilst there. She is keen
on ongoing postgraduate training including completing training in
Structural, Cranial and Visceral Osteopathy, Paediatric health, Neil
Asher Techniques (for frozen shoulder) and varied forms of myofascial
release.
Gillian successfully treats both adults, children and babies for a wide
range of complaints, her emphasis on the importance of finding the
root cause of an injury or ailment to allow tailoring of the treatment
for individual needs. She has a “whole person” approach and believes
that the body reacts to physical and emotional stresses in unique
patterns, and her treatments focus on removing obstacles to full
healing and recovery. Post treatment advice on exercise, diet and
lifestyle are given in practical and common sense ways, using her
knowledge and experience to teach people to use their bodies for
more balanced and healthy outcomes. She is fully registered with
both the General Osteopathic Council UK (GOsC) and the Osteopathic
Council of New Zealand (OCNZ)
In pursuit of her special interest in treating those recovering from
trauma, Gillian also trained in Somatic Experiencing (S.E) devised by
Peter Levine. She completed her training in 2019 in Sydney. This body
based talking therapy supports release and healing from shock, stress
and trauma. It is used to tackle symptoms, such as chronic pain, PTSD, unresolved body dysfunctions or sensitivities.
Gillian is married and lives locally in Whangarei. When she is not in clinic
she is most likely to be found walking in the beautiful New Zealand
landscapes or enjoying her favorite music or songs.
Jamie Hitchcock is the co-founder of Strength + Soul. One of his proudest career accomplishments is creating Strength + Soul with Tania and developing a vibrant and enthusiastic culture to “work” in. His lifelong passion for movement and sports has led him to a career where he gets to share that passion with his clientele. Jamie has had the pleasure of working with teenage athletes, weekend warriors, post operative and “post-youth”.
Jamie believes that moving well and moving often and sensible not strict nutrition are two of the biggest factors in living and feeling well as we all move into older age. As a self confessed geek who spends a great deal of his money on books, Jamie loves upskilling and educating himself so he can share this knowledge with whoever is willing to listen.
Training regardless of goals can and should be enjoyable so a good amount of laughs and banter is necessary while on the training floor. Jamie would describe his methods as a blend of conventional and unconventional which doesn’t leave you in a whimpering mess and loves seeing previously apprehensive clients go from strength to strength.
Jamie can be found either in the gym, the bush, squash courts, touch field or the beach depending on the weather. He lives in Whangarei with his long term partner Nicola and son Max and daughter Ady.
Sandra was born and raised in the beautiful Eastern Bay of Plenty. As a young girl she was surrounded by family members who were the healers of the region – her Nana, Koro, Great Uncle and Aunty. As a youngster living on a farm she would practice what she saw the elders doing on her beloved pet animals. Rocky the calf (the award winning Pet day calf that is) and Peppy the farm dog being the most patient of patients.
Fast forward a number of years and along came her husband (who happens to be a Whangarei boy) and two daughters. As her two girls were growing up, if they ever became unwell or injured, it was second nature to know exactly what to do, and how to help/assist them to become well again.
Many many years later and a couple of successful and enjoyable career paths later Sandra had feeling, an intuitiveness pop up when she was sent and email from her daughter . This email was a two day Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy introduction workshop. Over these two days, all of those feelings and sensations that were present as a little girl on the farm, and as a mother came flooding back, “I felt something awaken inside of me”.
At the end of the workshop she had her classmates, tutors and course director all tell her she had to continue on and learn more.
So she did, and with flying colours. At the end of her final papers, she was offered a job to tutor herself.
For the last three years Sandra has been practicing Craniosacral therapy in Auckland & Whangarei and often travels back down home to the Eastern Bay of Plenty to treat her elders and family members.
“I am amazed everyday at the strength and wisdom of the human body, and how it has the natural ability to heal. This is one of the wondrous reasons why I love working as a Craniosacral Therapist”
Niki is a UK trained physiotherapist with over 20 years experience who has worked all over the world including many years in the middle east, treating children and people with war injuries A keen sailor, Niki and her husband Simon packed up their two young children and set off on a long distance sailing adventure in 1999, finally ending up many thousands of miles later in New Zealand in 2004 and vowed to make it home. Deciding that Whangarei was the best place for their family (and their sailing) they firmly put down their roots.
Rosana graduated in 2003, and has worked for over 15 years in private practice treating a wide range of musculoskeletal injuries and conditions, as well as working closely with many sports teams over this time.
With a thirst to provide best possible treatment for all aches and pains Rosana went on to complete her Masters in Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy in 2008. The enhanced combination of clinical reasoning, spinal manipulation and acupuncture added to her manual therapy base and has enabled a broad skill set to draw from in providing individualised and successful outcomes for many problems.
Rosana believes in a multi-disciplinary approach, happy to work together with any other medical or health professional to provide a full focus on health, wellness and recovery. It is this collective strive for better wellness that see’s Rosana join the Strength and Soul space.
Rosana is equally as passionate toward injury prevention as she is recovery from injury and believes in keeping our bodies well oiled and fluid throughout all phases of life.
With the belief that health and wellness is unique to all, Rosana likes to bring a fresh, individualised approach to all problems – enjoying returning athletes to sport, contractors back to the work site, children back to the playground and avid gardeners to their back yards. There is no pain too big or too small.
Rosana is Whangarei born, enjoys the local lifestyle and is proud of her Croatian heritage which still runs strong through the North. Outside of work you will find her relaxing at Matapouri Bay, listening to music, with a likely side of cheese and wine.
Shyanne is Northland born and breed wahine, Whangārei being her hometown. She spent her Secondary school years at Kamo High school, where she first discovered her passion for hauora. After graduating in 2012, she packed her belongings and headed for the big smoke to pursue a Bachelor in Sport & Recreation. It was during this tertiary study that her love for haoura in particular human anatomy was embedded further.
Shyanne then decided to take a leap of faith and move down to chilly Christchurch. The only person she knew was an uncle who she hadn’t seen for over 8 years. Shyanne’s passion for hauora and her new found love of human anatomy, made her determined to pursue a career that encapsulated these wisdoms. One day, during a chance encounter with a tutor at the New Zealand College of Massage, her intuition peaked and without any doubt she enrolled for the class of 2017.
Over the next two years of study Shyanne took every opportunity to gain as much clinical experience as possible, such as working with the Canterbury Crusaders, New Zealand Warriors, Christchurch Marathon and Coast to Coast. And, graduated as one of the top of her class with a Level 6 Diploma in Clinical Massage.
Her greatest career achievement to date is traveling to Cape Town, South Africa with the 2019 Women’s Masters Indoor cricket team. Her greatest personal achievement is becoming a mother in May 2021 to her beautiful daughter Laniākea .
As a Clinical Massage Therapist of five years Shyanne strives to stay up to date with the latest evidence & continued education. Deepening her knowledge & skills by understanding that healing comes not just from within the physical realm. She is a Reiki & Mirimiri practitioner, and continues to be guided on furthering these knowledge bases.
Shyanne loves educating and empowering clients about their own hauora through massage therapy, exercises / stretching or a holistic approach. Her massaging sessions are a mixture of relaxation and therapeutic techniques, such as deep tissue therapy, myofascial treatments, neuromuscular and trigger point therapy.
Outside of the clinic you will find her in nature, chasing rivers and exploring the city of one hundred beaches. She also loves whānau time and catching up with friends.
She is a registered member of Massage New Zealand and is a Southern Cross Easy-claim provider.