About

Hi! I’m Pınar.

Ever since I was a young person, I’ve loved exploring the art of connection and creativity. Now, I am on a journey to (co)create a culture that recognizes childhood and youth as uniquely important stages of life.
Passionate about adventure, friendships, and authentic conversations, I support childrenteens, and families with 
  • 1:1 consultations,
  • Somatic counseling, nature play mentorship, and art therapy,
  • Weekly yoga gatherings + school bookings,
  • Seasonal workshops + retreats
If you want to get to know my story a bit more, feel free to read further, or if you’d like to access my professional bio, scroll down. 
Want to work with me? Let’s chat. 

Bio

Pinar O’Connor is a youth mentor, counsellor, and yoga educator.  She holds a Bachelor of Engineering and a Graduate Diploma of Counselling. Throughout her interdisciplinary training, she aimed to collect various skills that could help her dream, collaborate, and create with young people and children. She has been lucky enough to work with hundreds of teens and children in various settings such as youth travel, nature sports camps, and weekly gatherings.

Pinar peer-tutored and taught in university, working in different leadership roles, as a volunteer in several social responsibility projects, and as a camp coach at a community-loved youth empowerment organisation overseas. In addition, she has served as the lead mentor in Alithia Learning, and as a provisional counsellor in Bello Youth Hub in New South Wales, Australia.

Her journey to study counselling stems from the motivation to provide a safe & supportive space for youth on their paths and incorporate the person-centred approach and the positive communication tools into her services.

She is here to provide young people, children and their families with a sense of self-inquiry while collecting unforgettable, wholesome memories together. In this way, she hopes to contribute to the holistic wellbeing of our community and to give back to Earth.

You can find her at:

www.pinaroconnor.com

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Qualifications & Memberships

Certified Yoga Therapist In Training (850 Hours)

THE YOGA THERAPY INSTITUTE, AMSTERDAM, THE NETHERLANDS

Certified Yoga Teacher (200 Hours)

OM YOGA RISHIKESH, RISHIKESH, INDIA

Certified Children’s Yoga Teacher (95 Hours)

INSPIRED KIDS YOGA, SUNSHINE COAST, AUSTRALIA

Certified Youth Mentor

SHINE FROM WITHIN ACADEMY, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA

Proficiency of International Camp Director

INTERNATIONAL CAMPING FELLOWSHIP, SHA TIN, HONG KONG

Graduate Diploma of Counselling (CHC51015)

OPEN COLLEGES, SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA

Bachelor of Production Systems Engineering

SABANCI UNIVERSITY, ISTANBUL, TURKEY
AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION (ANZMH)
PSYCHOTHERAPY AND COUNSELLING FEDERATION OF AUSTRALIA (PACFA)
INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF YOGA THERAPISTS (IAYT)
YOGA ALLIANCE INTERNATIONAL 
INTERNATIONAL CAMPING FELLOWSHIP
NSW AUSTRALIA REGISTERED ACTIVE KIDS PROVIDER

Skills, Interests & Awards

Playing the violin (1999 – Present)

Trinity Guildhall College, London: advanced certificate (2007)

Outdoor recreation (2001 – Present)

Skiing, Windsurfing, camping, backpacking, running, sky diving, paragliding

Philosophy & Spirituality (2006 – Present)

Psychology, Neuroscience and Education + Yoga and Meditation (Internationally Certified)
National Youth Philosophy Summit Presenter: “Modernity and Self-Interrogating Human” + “Wisdom to Intuition, Rumi to Human.”

Learning languages and travelling (2002 – Present)

French (Upper Intermediate): Diplome D’Études En Langue Française (DELF) – Level B2
Spanish (Beginner): Currently studying in Coffs Harbour Community College – Level A1
English (Near Native)
Turkish (Native)
ERASMUS + EUROPEAN UNION YOUTH IN ACTION PROGRAMME (2013) 
Given a grant for the “Nanotechnology Horizon Project”, which was aimed at educating & inspiring young
students on nanotechnology.
ERASMUS+ YOUTH IN ACTION IS THE EU’S LEARNING MOBILITY PROGRAMME FOR YOUNG PEOPLE, PROMOTING INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE, NON-FORMAL LEARNING, EQUITY AND INCLUSION.
DEAN’S AWARD FOR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, SABANCI UNIVERSITY (2011) & (2013)
An annual award, Dean gives a student to recognise their interdisciplinary achievements across scholastic and university life