Hurihanga is a place shaped by lived experience.

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It is not a clinic in the conventional sense, nor a retreat that exists outside everyday life.

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Hurihanga has emerged through years of listening — to people, to bodies, to land, and to the subtle signals that tell us when something is being pushed, and when something is ready to unfold.

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At its core, Hurihanga is about how healing is held.

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The Heart of Hurihanga

Hurihanga was born from working with people who are often highly capable, sensitive, and resilient — yet deeply tired from carrying too much for too long. Many arrive having learned how to survive, cope, and perform, while quietly losing trust in their own bodies and inner timing.

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Alongside this work has been an ongoing personal journey of learning how to slow down without collapsing, to lead without over‑functioning, and to belong without self‑abandonment.

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Hurihanga grew at the intersection of these two paths.

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The Land & the Field

Located at Te Arai, Hurihanga is shaped by land, weather, animals, and rhythm.

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Mist that hides the sunrise. Tides that change the plan. Heat that signals it is time to stop.

Horses respond here not to force, but to presence. Dogs need clear boundaries to feel safe. Nature continuously reflects what is needed in the moment.

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Rather than treating the natural world as a backdrop, Hurihanga listens to it as an active participant in the work.

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A Relational Way of Working

Healing at Hurihanga is not directive or prescriptive.

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Sessions are shaped by nervous system awareness, clear containment, and respect for each person’s pace. Leadership is relational rather than hierarchical — walking alongside rather than ahead, allowing insight to emerge rather than be imposed.

Boundaries are held gently and firmly, creating safety without control. Within this containment, people are able to soften, feel, and re‑orient without being overwhelmed.

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Learning Through Experience

Hurihanga values transmission as much as technique.

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Much of what is learned here happens through experience — by observing how animals are approached, how space is held, how rest and movement are balanced, and how plans adapt in response to energy, emotion, and environment.

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This applies equally to clients, groups, and those learning alongside Hurihanga through apprenticeship or working‑student roles.

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Pleasure, Rest & Integration

At Hurihanga, healing does not rely on endurance.

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Rest is not a reward. Pleasure does not need to be justified. Joy and beauty are recognised as legitimate supports for recovery and growth.

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Experiences are allowed to integrate before they are interpreted. Not everything needs to be named immediately.

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About Rachelle Millar

Hurihanga is guided by Rachelle Millar, a counsellor, facilitator, and equine‑assisted practitioner with a background spanning therapeutic work, leadership development, and spiritual facilitation.

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Rachelle brings together trauma‑informed counselling, equine‑assisted learning, somatic awareness, and spiritual psychology, shaped by decades of lived and professional experience.

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Her approach is grounded, relational, and deeply respectful of individual sovereignty. Rather than offering answers, she creates conditions in which people can reconnect with their own wisdom, capacity, and inner authority.

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In Essence

Hurihanga is not something you attend to be fixed.

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It is a place where people learn to trust themselves again — through relationship, rhythm, and presence.

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Here, healing happens not apart from life, but within it.