Hi, I'm Anna

I’m a mum, a former primary school teacher, and the person behind The Groundwork.

Working with children has always been part of my life.

Over time - in classrooms, homes and everyday life - I began noticing a shift.

More anxiety.
Bigger emotions.
More children struggling to cope with the pace and pressure of the world they live in.

At the same time, teachers and parents were feeling stretched - trying to support children while navigating a world that feels busier, louder and more demanding than ever.

It didn’t feel like children were becoming more difficult.

It felt like children’s nervous systems were carrying more than ever before.

Experience and Background

My work with children began long before I became a teacher.

Since leaving home at 18 to work at a summer camp, every path I’ve taken has involved caring for and working alongside children.

Over the years, this has included:

• Supporting children and families across New Zealand and internationally
• Volunteer work with children and communities in Nepal, Vietnam and Cambodia
• Working with families in private home settings in the Middle East
• Qualified primary school teaching and classroom experience across a range of year levels
• Supporting children with anxiety, behavioural and regulation challenges
• A real-world understanding of the pressures today’s families and schools are navigating
• Ongoing learning in nervous system regulation, child development and environmental wellbeing

These experiences have shaped a broad understanding of children - across cultures, environments and family contexts.

This work is grounded in real classrooms, real families and real life.

Supporting children isn’t just a career path for me.

It’s the thread that has run through my entire adult life.

Why I created The Groundwork

Through years of working with children and families - across different environments, cultures and settings - one pattern kept showing up.

Children weren’t lacking skills or strategies.

They were carrying too much.

Too much stimulation.
Too much pressure.
Too little time to move, play, be outside, rest or simply slow down.

I was seeing the same thing everywhere - rising anxiety, big emotions, and nervous systems working in survival mode.

When the load becomes too high, the nervous system shifts into protection.
Learning, behaviour and emotional regulation become much harder.

It became clear that the problem wasn’t the child.

It was the conditions around them.

The Groundwork focuses on strengthening those conditions so children’s systems can settle - rather than trying to manage or fix behaviour.

Because when a child feels safe and regulated, everything else becomes easier.

This approach is grounded in both real-world experience and nervous system science.

Who this work supports

The Groundwork works alongside:

• Parents navigating anxiety, big emotions or overwhelm
• Schools seeing increasing regulation and behaviour needs
• Communities wanting practical, preventative support for children’s wellbeing

The focus is simple and realistic - supporting regulation through environment, rhythm, connection and time in nature.

Because when the foundations are strong, everything else becomes easier.

New to The Groundwork?

How The Groundwork works

What people are saying

Kim, Christchurch

“Anna is bright, reliable, patient and genuinely caring. She has a strong understanding of child development, both through her education and her natural affinity with children. She connects with them in a delightful way, often turning everyday moments into something fun and engaging.”

Kate, Melbourne

“Anna is exceptionally knowledgeable when it comes to caring for children. She has excellent instincts, but is also wonderful to collaborate with. As parents, we have learnt a great deal from her.”

Sonja, Auckland

“Anna has a calm, reassuring presence as a teacher. The tamariki quickly built strong and trusting relationships with her. Mana motuhake, whanaungatanga and manaakitanga are clearly reflected in everything she does.”

Join the journey