Tui Cabin on Government Rd might be small but inside enormous amounts of healing work is taking place.
Therese Hogan and Etai Gilad have had a long-time dream for a collaborative wellbeing space and it took two family tragedies in the space of a year to set the wheels in motion.
When the pair lost Etai’s brother Ron in 2019 and Therese’s brother Marty passed away in 2020, they knew it was time to make their dream a reality and Tui Cabin was built in the couple’s backyard.
“Our brothers have inspired us as we’re creating this healing space. I know for me, when Marty passed, it was that real, big reminder that life is short. And you’ve just got to follow your own dreams and do what is going to make you happy in that moment,” Therese says.
Both men took their own lives and they had both battled mental unwellness.
“To us as therapists that work in psychology, bodywork, and energetic work, we are helping people with exactly those kinds of issues, but it’s difficult with your own family. It’s very different when a client comes to you – then they want help. They want to make change,” Etai says.
“This is a reminder for our family to know that they (Marty and Ron) are being remembered and that when we help others, we not only help them, we help the whole community.”
Etai and Therese moved to Raglan in 2017 and very quickly ensconced themselves in the community.
Therese took up physiotherapy work at Raglan Physio and Etai, a grief therapist and hypnotherapist, continued his work through Art of Change Therapy.
Both embraced the Raglan Timebank, Etai is a Timebank Champion, and it was through Timebank that they started the very successful Raglan Falafels.
“Timebank is what got us into the community, helped us get to know people and make connections in the community. The falafels started as a fundraising for Timebank,” Etai says.
But the couple felt they had more to offer, and the death of their brothers was the inspiration they needed to finally build the cabin.
“I’ve been feeling this pull to move away from physiotherapy for a long time, and then it kept pulling me back. But this is a dream that I’ve had to be in this little beautiful space, that’s close to nature, my garden and to my kitchen, and just offering heartfelt work, rather than in my head. I was working towards it, but not really clearly. When Marty died, within a couple of months it became really clear to me that you just have to do this. He really inspired me in his passing to follow my dreams and do what I need to do,” Therese says.
With the support of their landlords and friends and a lot of help from the community they began building Tui Cabin in August last year.
“We built it with healing intentions in mind as well. It’s got crystals in the walls. It’s cool to be able to work from a space being built from that intention,” Therese says.
“We took the time to really find what we want. Not to rush into finish building it, but just taking the time to build something that we enjoy being in,” Etai says.
When you enter the space, it immediately feels calm. The walls are lined with naturally treated wood and wool insulation helps with maintaining temperature.
In true Raglan style, many of the fittings have been recycled, like the windows which came from friends in Waingaro.
Therese will operate Fusion Flow from the cabin offering massage and bodywork, and Etai will also provide massage – the pair offer couple’s sessions – and he will continue using the main house for Art of Change Therapy. They also both offer mirimiri through Poihakena Marae for Te Toi Ora ki Whaingaroa.
As well as sharing their space with clients, the couple have offered Tui Cabin up to other local therapists to use for reiki and reflexology.
To find out more visit artofchangetherapy.com and fusionflow.co.nz
