This episode is an up-the-guts kōrero with my good brother Kawariki Thompson, also known as Mr Waana Heal Stay Real.

Kawariki has been on a deep healing journey, using his real and raw lived experiences to support others in reconnecting with who they truly are — beneath the titles, beneath the masks, and underneath the hurt and pain they’ve been carrying for years.

Coming from a rough background, including childhood abuse and life in gangs, Kawariki shares how those experiences shaped him — and how he eventually chose to confront them instead of running from them. Today, one of his most powerful modalities is breathwork, which he uses to help people regulate their nervous systems, process trauma, and break cycles rooted in the past.

We talk about the nervous system, different ways of understanding trauma, the importance of giving and receiving love, and how breakdowns often become the doorway to breakthroughs.

This kōrero is honest, confronting, and deeply human — and will resonate with anyone who knows what it’s like to carry pain and still wants more from life.

We dive into:

✨ Kawariki’s upbringing and lived experiences
✨ Trauma, abuse, and the impact on identity
✨ From gangster to healer
✨ Breathwork as a tool for healing and regulation
✨ Understanding the nervous system
✨ Different ways to view and process trauma
✨ Giving and receiving love
✨ How breakdowns lead to breakthroughs
✨ Reconnecting to who you really are

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