Authenticity Studio
At Authenticity Studio, we honour and celebrate individuals who lead with authenticity—those who choose to live truthfully and show up fully as themselves. We believe that leadership is not about titles or following a prescribed path, but about the courage to be real, the willingness to embrace your unique voice, and the strength to walk your own journey.
Through our podcast, Authentic Leadership, we shine a light on these stories. Each episode features a guest who shares not just what they do, but who they are—their experiences, values, and the moments that shaped them. From self-discovery to bold self-expression, from personal challenges to professional breakthroughs, these conversations reveal what it means to lead with heart, integrity, and humanity, but above all, for one's authentic self.
Essence + Truth + Clarity = Authenticity
Authentic Leadership Podcast
This space honours the voices of those leading with heart, courage, and integrity. Through honest conversations and personal stories, we explore what it truly means to lead from a place of authenticity. Whether through lived experience, quiet service, or bold advocacy — each story shared here is a reflection of leadership that begins with being, not striving.
What happens when a former marine science lecturer becomes the caretaker of Golden Yogi and bridges science and spirituality in community healing? In this episode, Monika Merriman shares her journey from academia to yoga, breathwork, sound journeys, and ceremony—and how Golden Yogi serves as a mental-health–friendly, community hub in Takapuna, Auckland.
We talk energy, intuition, Reiki, shamanic practices, and the practical, evidence-informed side of nervous system regulation. Monika reflects on holding safe space, making classes affordable and accessible (including mums & bubs, prenatal/postnatal, yin + acupuncture), and why authentic leadership is simply showing up as yourself.
What does it mean to live authentically when life hands you anxiety, loss, and unexpected change? In this heartfelt conversation, Jordyn Elyse shares her journey through identity struggles, chronic anxiety, travel, anthropology, grief, and motherhood—and how she found courage in vulnerability.
We talk about the realities of social anxiety from childhood, the stigma of mental health, and why small micro-moments of kindness can completely change a person’s life. Jordyn reflects on grief after separation, what it means to raise children with honesty, and how authentic leadership is about showing up as yourself—even when it’s messy, vulnerable, or deeply human.
If you’ve ever struggled with belonging, loss, or finding your place, Jordyn’s story will remind you that you’re not broken—you’re beautifully human.
Authentic leadership in Aotearoa New Zealand with Darryl Bishop MNZM—peer support, lived experience, NGOs, Like Minds, Ember, MH101, social justice, and community-led mental health change.
In this Authentic Leadership Podcast conversation, Darryl Bishop MNZM reflects on what authentic leadership means in New Zealand’s mental health and addiction sector. He shares why NGOs and community organisations act like movements, how peer support and lived experience reshaped services, and what it takes to lead through service rather than status.
We revisit the spirit of Like Minds and the creation of MH101, explore Ember’s “Bold Horizon” strategy, and discuss the courage to call out what isn’t working while building partnerships that create lasting change. This is a grounded, inspiring kōrero about social justice, systems change, and the power of communities to care for their own.
If you value leadership that is transparent, relational, and accountable to whānau and community, this conversation is for you. Subscribe for future episodes, and visit Authenticity Studio to see how we’re growing this kaupapa through podcasts, workshops, and storytelling.
What does it really mean to lead authentically? In this conversation with Kevin Harper, Chief Enabler at Changing Minds, we explore the essence of authentic leadership—beyond titles, labels, and hierarchies.
Kevin shares his reflections on leadership as service, the tension between power and responsibility, and why the journey matters more than the destination. Together, we unpack how lived experience brings strength, how emotional availability creates true connection, and why authentic leadership is about truth-telling, vulnerability, and enabling others to shine.
If you’ve ever questioned what leadership looks like when no one is watching, or how we can build environments where people feel seen, heard, and empowered, this kōrero is for you.
Official Announcement
Authenticity Studio and the Wellbeing Charitable Trust are pleased to announce a partnership committed to working together on future projects aligned with our shared purpose and mission—to serve the wider community of Aotearoa, New Zealand.
The Wellbeing Charitable Trust, through its co-founder Eva Chen, brings deep community connections and extensive experience working with grassroots communities, along with a strong understanding of the gaps and needs in this space. It is with great pride that the Trust enters this partnership with Authenticity Studio.
Authenticity Studio, with its strong foundation in lived experience and community insight, will offer key infrastructure support. This includes amplifying the voices of those with lived experience from all walks of life and building sustainable funding models to support the meaningful work the Wellbeing Charitable Trust already provides to the community.
Co-founded by Eva Chen, MNZM, in 2014, the Trust was born from her personal experience of postnatal depression and her deep empathy for other mothers facing similar challenges. Since then, Eva has become a powerful advocate and voice for many communities, helping others to find and strengthen their own voices.
Eva has shared that this partnership represents something she has long hoped for—a genuine collaboration where each organisation brings its unique strengths together to uplift the community.