SOMA Founder
Jacinda Gilligan
Human advocate l Speaker l Embodiment Coach Trauma Educator l Trauma-informed yoga facilitator
Jacinda Gilligan is a dynamic presenter and engaging trauma educator. With 30 years experience facilitating in a range of settings, she has developed the fine art of creating safe spaces : inclusive, non-coercive and responsively held with attuned care.
Specialising in metabolising trauma in the body, applied polyvagal theory and embodied leadership, she is an innovator in her work as an embodiment facilitator and coach, working with individuals, groups and leaders of organisations. Her Resilience Kete programme has been delivered in the Christchurch Women’s Prison
She has facilitated trauma-informed yoga for 15 years in the community, under the ACC Sensitive Claims contract and in prisons.
In 2025 she founded SOMA, the first Centre of Somatics in Aotearoa. SOMA is an extension of her commitment to making trauma-informed somatic modalities accessible across our communities & connecting individual healing with collective change.
