About me

Welcome

Hello and welcome to my website. My name is Corinne Wilkie-Fessler, better known as Cori, and I am the face of KOA, my business. I have been round the sun 48 times and see my life as a constant work in progress. I live in Edinburgh, Scotland, and I am the founder of KOA, the creator of the KOA: Unplugged podcast, and the Surrender series. My work is rooted in trauma informed practice and integrative nervous system regulation theory. I am passionate about creating 1-to-1 as well as group spaces that are trauma informed, compassionate, inclusive and grounded in authentic connections. I offer services in the community and collaborate with a number of professionals and organisations. This is my life’s work; I am my life’s work!

A Little About Me

I was born in Zurich, Switzerland and my parents moved us as a family to France when I was 6 months old. My early years were spent in France, South Africa, USA, and finally England. In my teens I chose to move to Aberdeen, Scotland to study sociology and psychology at Aberdeen University, I have called Scotland home since I was 19. I have lived in the United Kingdom since I was 12 years old. I identify as ethically Swiss and culturally British. Many people ask me why my family moved so much and a fun fact is that my father was a choclolate engineer who trained with Lindt and then travelled with us aroudn the world working in the chocolate industry. Growing up in such diverse environments shaped my worldview, fostering a deep appreciation for inclusivity, cross-cultural understanding, and the richness of varied life experiences. I have been married for over 27 years to my partner in life who is Scottish and am the mother to 2 cats which are our children, Eilidh and Lachlan. I love animals, being in nature, live music and some fun facts, I used to own a Harley Davidson, I like heavy metal music, dancing wildly like noone is watching and human connections.

As a human being, I navigate surviving trauma, living with the menopause and neurodivergence with compassion. I am passionate about normalising being human and believe that we can all rewrite our stories by doing the inner work and having a strong support system. I value authenticity and honesty, feel most at home in nature, and love living fully in the present through dance, music, and community connection. I also adore animals.

I am known to always be learning something new and recently realised I have not had a break from studying since i left school! I am a life long learner and honestly, have trained in so many modalities such as yoga, mindfulness, sound, somatic practices, compassion and more with the intention of implementing the practices into my own life. Building my integrative toolkit has allowed me to build a more balanced and compassionate life. I am a work in progress but I am progressing.

Trauma Informed Practice

Trauma informed practice is at the heart of everything I offer. It is not simply a framework or concept I refer to within sessions, but an approach I am committed to embodying across all aspects of my work.

For me, trauma informed practice begins long before a person enters a space. It is present in the language used in communication, the clarity of information shared, and the way people are supported to make informed choices about whether a space feels appropriate for them.

Across all of my offerings, I aim to create conditions that prioritise safety, choice, transparency and autonomy. Participants are clearly informed about what each space involves, including that my sessions are not therapy, and that participation is always optional. People are encouraged to move at their own pace and stay connected to their own boundaries, capacity and needs throughout.

I provide clear and accessible information in advance so that individuals can understand the structure of a session, the group context and what they might reasonably expect emotionally and physically. I welcome questions at any stage, including before attendance, and I actively encourage people to listen to their own responses when deciding whether something feels right for them. It is always welcome if someone decides that a space is not for them, as this is an important part of self awareness and embodied choice.

My work is grounded in phase one trauma work, focusing on safety, stabilisation and resourcing. The intention is not to move people beyond their capacity, but to support greater awareness of the nervous system, increased regulation and the development of internal resources over time. Where appropriate, I encourage participants to seek additional therapeutic support alongside group work, and to engage with a wider range of practices that support their wellbeing.

All of my sessions integrate theory, grounding and resourcing, ensuring that there is always choice and accessibility within the experience. I also recognise that trauma informed practice requires awareness of the wider contexts that shape human experience, including neurodivergence, gender, culture, identity, systemic influences and accessibility. Different people experience safety and connection in different ways and this is always taken into account.

Central to my approach is the understanding that I am not the expert on another person’s lived experience. Each individual brings their own history, body and nervous system. Trauma informed practice therefore requires humility, curiosity, ongoing learning and a willingness to listen and adapt.

My intention is not to create dependency, but to support people in developing their own tools for recognising and working with dysregulation, building resilience and moving through life with greater agency, self trust and choice.

Trauma informed practice is not something that can simply be stated. It is something that must be continually embodied, reflected upon and integrated into how space is held, how communication happens and how relationships are approached.

Professional Life

I currently wear two professional hats, which I believe complement each other beautifully.

As the face of KOA
I offer a range of services grounded in trauma informed principles, compassion, nervous system regulation, and integrative practices. I identify as a trauma informed, somatic, integrative therapist and have completed a variety of training, including Person-Centred Counselling professional training, Postgraduate Training in Systemic Coaching and Family Systemic Constellations, Reiki Master training, Yoga Teacher training (over 350 hours), Trauma Informed Transformational Breath Work Level 1-3 Training, Mindfulness Teacher Training and Compassion Mind Training, Sound Therapy/Sound Massage, Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy, and Embodied Resilience Training. I am currently completing a 3 year accredited training in hypnotherapy and psychotherapeutic counselling, which I will complete in 2028. In June 2026 I qualified as a Hypnotherapist. I am a lifelong learner and continue engaging in training to ensure I have a broad skill set to meet the diverse needs of my clients. My work is evidence based and integrative.

I am committed to meeting people where they are, using trauma informed approaches in supportive, non-judgemental spaces. While I offer some 1-to-1 sessions, I predominantly specialise in group work. Group work allows me to do the work I love: creating safe enough, supportive spaces where people can learn together, co-regulate, and feel empowered. Safety, choice, and nervous system regulation are at the heart of all I do.

Wearing my KOA hat. I have worked with individuals and organisations including The Ripple Project, Carers of East Lothian, Visit Scotland, Simon Community Scotland, Microsoft, Barnardos, and the University of Edinburgh (to name a few).

I am known for being passionate about making my services accessible and have worked with community enterprises and projects to offer diverse offerings.

Examples include:

Being involved in the Salisbury Centre’s Community Empowerment Project offering a variety of trauma informed workshops 2024 to 2026
Offering women only trauma informed funded workshops monthly at The Art and Spirituality Centre since October 2025
Working with Yellow Beacon since 2023, offering funded community online mindfulness courses and practice sessions
Working with Streetreads, Simon Community Scotland offering trauma informed somatic workshops since February 2026

As a Justice Social Worker in a Specialist Trauma Informed Team
Since 1998, I have worked across many professional sectors, including early years education, adult social care, counselling, coaching, trauma work, community justice, children and families, sexual abuse, substance misuse, and mental health. In the past I have worked as a teacher, counsellor, manager, leader, coach, social worker, social care worker and more. I currently work as a Justice Social Worker in a trauma informed specialist team which covers Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders in Scotland. As part of my role I offer 1-to-1 offence focussed interventions, consult on complex cases, complete risk assessments, trauma screenings, and facilitate therapeutic groups such as Moving Forward to Change and Survive and Thrive. My work is rooted in mindfulness, nervous system awareness and compassion theory.

Additionally, I am a National Specialist Trainer in Mindfulness and Compassion for the Moving Forward to Change programme. I also provide trauma informed mindfulness development, as well as training sessions for justice workers and serve as a Trauma Ambassador within the justice sector. I am trained to trauma specialist practice level, and trauma informed practice underpins all I do. Working within a trauma informed specialist team, keeps me connected to frontline public sector work, which I believe is essential to understanding systemic change.

Why this is my life’s work?

Personally, I have experienced complex trauma which shaped me as a person and for much of my life caused me to be stuck in a chronic state of threat. I recognise this impacted my relationships, my beliefs, my coping strategies and included being hyper-alert and hyper-independent. In addition, I recently discovered that I was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a child, which as an adult has helped me understand why I often felt dysregulated, overstimulated, or emotionally overwhelmed. As an adult navigating neurodivergence and trauma, I have learnt that many of the symptoms overlap. Using somatic practices and having more nervous system awareness has saved me. I am my own life’s work and I am still a work in progress.

As a professional, throughout my career, I have experienced the impact of long-term stress, vicarious trauma, and pressure in different roles. Having been close to burnout on two occassions in my career and surviving the impact of chronic stress, I understand what it means to feel overwhelmed and lost. One example is being in leadership roles, including leading a large team as a Head of School and being the co-founder of Wilkie and Schiesser Ltd. in Zurich from 2015 to 2017. These experiences taught me the value of work-life balance, sustainable working practices, and the importance of working as an embodied professional/leader. I now know how detrimental stress can be and how important having accesible resources is to manage symptoms.

Working in the social sector has shown me the impact of systemic changes, vicarious trauma, and stress, often overlooked in these professional settings. I have learnt to listen to my body, set healthy boundaries, and prioritise well-being. I have become an advocate for embodied professionalism/leadership: working proactively with our nervous system, recognising moments of dysregulation, embracing compassion, and being adequately resourced. Most importantly I have found my voice and proactively share my needs, recognise my limitations and express how I feel. a strong team and supportive workplace is one where there is open communication. Work should not result in burnout.

Through somatic practices and nervous system regulation, I have learnt to embrace all parts of myself, cultivate self-compassion, and experience true balance; these practices showed me the power of self awareness. These lived experiences empower the professional I am today. Everything I teach, I have tried and I want others to feel empowered enough to make life long changes that serve them.

At the heart of KOA is a commitment to supporting people to understand their nervous systems, manage reactions, and regain a sense of control. I believe resilience grows through connection, and that with the right support, everyone can thrive.

Registrations, Memberships & Professional Insurance

I engage in regular clinical supervision and ongoing training.

I am registered with the European Mentoring and Coaching Council, Balanced Minds, National Counselling and Psychotherapy Society (student), SARA, The National Hypnotherapy Society, UK Reiki Federation, UK Mindfulness Teacher Register, Scottish Social Services Council, and Yoga Alliance, and hold full professional insurance. I am also a member of Women’s Enterprise Scotland and The Global Compassion Coalition, and hold current PVG and DBS checks.

Core Values & Mission

Whether through KOA or my justice work, my aim is to help people feel seen, heard, and empowered. I care deeply about social justice, compassion, and bridging personal growth with systemic change. Above all, I believe in the strength of community, the courage of vulnerability, and the quiet power of showing up for ourselves, each other, and the world we hope to create.

MY PROFESSIONAL TRAINING & CPD OVERVIEW

Summary of training and continuous professional development:

Hypnotherapy and Psychotherapeutic counselling

Hypnotherapy Diploma: accredited by the National Hypnotherapy Society. Chrysalis Courses, 1-year Diploma in Hypnotherapy in partnership with Queen Margaret University – qualified in June 2026
Psychotherapeutic Counselling Diploma: currently in Year 1 of a 2-year Psychotherapeutic Counselling Diploma. Chrysalis Courses in partnership with Queen Margaret University. National Counselling & Psychotherapy Society (NCPS) accredited. Due to qualify in 2028.

Trauma and trauma informed practice

Postgraduate Program Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies (80 hours) with The Trauma Research Foundation
The Body Keeps the Score. Trauma Healing Through the Senses with Bessel A. Van der Kolk, M.D. CPD
Healing Trauma working with somatic wounds certificate with Peter Levine
Treating Trauma With the Felt Sense Polyvagal Model™ Advanced Strategies To Harness the Power of the Body’s Natural Healing Process training with Jan Winhall
EMDR Immersion Course: Applying EMDR Therapy Across Clinical Applications with Arielle Schwartz and other professionals
Trauma Focused Tapping with Stacy Ruse
Healing trauma training with Peter Levine
Polyvagal theory training with Stephen Porges: Neural Exercises for Safety and Connection with Dr. Porges
Trauma Project, Scotland training to specialist level
Trauma Project, Scotland training: Creating trauma systems and environments module
Trauma Project, Scotland training: Wellbeing & Self Care module for practitioners training
Trauma Project, Scotland training: Recovery in Relationships Module
Trauma Project, Scotland training: Towards Trauma Enhanced Practice training
NHS Education for Scotland (NES): trauma training level 1 & 2: Developing your trauma skilled practice 1: understanding the impact of trauma and responding in a trauma informed way Developing your trauma skilled practice 2: trauma in children and young people

Sound

Sound Healing Practitioner Training including sound massage qualification level 1 & 2 with Palm and Bowl

Mindfulness

David Treleaven trauma sensitive mindfulness advanced level training: The Complete Trauma Sensitive Mindfulness Training Program:  Part One Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness: The Introductory Guide to Recognising Trauma, Responding Skillfully, and Preventing Retraumatisation  Part Two  Advanced Trauma-Sensitive Mindfulness: Widening the Window of Tolerance and Supporting Trauma Recovery
Strengthen Your Trauma Sensitive Skills in Critical Times 4 part series with David Treleaven
Mindfulness Now: Mindfulness Teacher training, Accredited mindfulness teacher training.
Mindfulness based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy Diploma, 150 hour training with Centre of Excellence

Compassionate Mind and Compassion Focussed Therapy

Compassionate Mind Training, teacher training with Balanced Minds including an introduction to compassion focussed therapy, supervision and the full train the trainer training for CMT
Introduction to compassion focussed therapy 2 day workshop with Balanced Minds
The Biology and Contagiousness of Kindness course with David R Hamilton

Yoga and Embodiment

Trauma Informed Yoga & Embodied Resilience Teacher Training (TREY) (80 hours) with Golden Mandala Yoga Soma Institute
Yoga Nidra Network: Total Yoga Nidra Immersion Experience: comparative and creative forms of Yoga Nidra training
Yoga Alliance recognised 100 hour YIN and Restorative Yoga Teacher training with Meadowlark, Edinburgh, Scotland
Yoga Alliance recognised 200 hour Vinyasa Yoga Teacher training with Sadhana studio

Futher therapeutic work including integrative trauma informed approaches

Counsellor training, person centred counselling with Rape Crisis, Aberdeen, UK: Rape and Sexual Abuse
Asset 4 Level Diploma: Child psychology diploma
Youth Counsellor training, specialised counselling via e-mail and text
Expert Strategies for Treating Narcissism course with NICABM (10 modules and 4 case studies)
An IFS approach to protector parts course with NICABM with Richard Schwartz
Somatic Hypnotherapy masterclass with Caroline Strawson
Integrative Somatic Trauma Therapy Training (ISTT) (60 hours) with The Embody Lab
EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) & TFT (Thought Field Therapy) Tapping Certification Course
The Neurosomatics of Leadership & Belief Change CPD with Neurosomatic Intelligence

Coaching

Postgraduate Diploma in Systemic Coaching and Supervision including family systems constellations intervention, BSO/ECA recognised with Institut fur systemische impulse, Switzerland

Breath work

Transformational Breath ® Essentials (Levels 123) with Elif Clarke

Reiki

The let animals lead method of Animal Reiki level 2 with animal Reiki Scotland
Reiki levels 1 & 2 certification with Reiki Maya Centre
Reiki Master and teacher certification with Reiki Maya Centre

Community Justice

Moving Forward 2 Change group facilitator training with Community Justice Scotland 2 week training : programme for men who have committed sexual offences, underpinned by trauma informed practice, compassion focussed therapy, strength based theory, dialectical behaviour therapy theories and more.
Moving Forward Making Changes group facilitator training with Community Justice Scotland 3 week training: programme for men who have committed sexual offences, underpinned by strength based, cognitive behavioural therapy theories, compassion based practices, the window of tolerance and more.
Survive and Thrive national trainer training with NHS Education for Scotland (NES)

Social Sciences and Social Work:

Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Social Studies and Diploma in Social Work, Diploma, BASW/SSSC recognised with Robert Gordon Univeristy
Master Degree of Arts in Sociology and Social Sciences with Aberdeen University

Other profesional development:

Introduction to shamanism training with The School of Shamanism

Links to the organisations/schools I have trained with most recently: