Meet the founder

 

Kia Ora. Hello. I’m Julia, the Founder of Hā Habit!

I was born and bred in Aotearoa, New Zealand. My father is Māori, our tribes are Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Maniapoto, and Te Atihaunui-Ā-Pāpārangi. My mother is Pākeha (half Dutch, part English, and Jewish).

I know all too well what it's like to be trapped by overwhelming feelings of stress and anxiety. As a teenager and adult I have experienced anxiety and depressive states. I struggled with eating disorders (which I hid for 8 years), I abused substances and developed a pattern of self-loathing. For a long time, I had no direction in my life. I was also very secretive about my struggles and didn’t tell anyone because of the shame I was feeling.  As time progressed, I knew I didn’t want to continue this way of life, especially after having my son.  I set out on a path of personal development. This led to a new love for growth, transformation, and finding solutions to get through life’s emotional and mental challenges.

I started studying mental health professionals and personal development gurus all around the world to find solutions that worked.  I had amazing success in applying numerous techniques in my own life, some of which I’ll be sharing in the Hā Habit. I also obtained a Bachelor of Social Sciences, double majoring in Psychology and Human Resource Management so I could further develop my skills and empower others to move through their challenges. Part of my journey led me to conscious breathing as a powerful tool for regulation and emotional healing.  It has allowed me to gain more awareness of my thought patterns, behaviours, and actions.  

Knowing how to regulate the body for stress management is a key component of the Hā Habit.  Having come across the concept of breathing necklaces, I knew this was a powerful way to develop breathing habits that can stick for life. I was inspired to create a New Zealand version and that’s when the Hā tool was born.  I also have created an e-book & that will help you to use the Hā tool effectively and address deeper issues of anxiety and stress. The hope is to motivate you in doing the mental, emotional, and spiritual work that can assist in your healing.  There is powerful Western and Indigenous knowledge that will help you to be calmer, happier, and have the fortitude to carry on faithfully in this life journey.  I am so grateful you chose the Hā Habit.

Arohanui (much love)
Julia