Hañsa Wellness New Zealand

Welcome to Hañsa Wellness New Zealand

Founded in 2014, Hañsa Wellness has evolved into an international brand with locations in Christchurch at Flow Wellbeing Therapeutic Centre and in Dunedin at nu yoga studio, New Zealand. Offering both online and in-person wellness services and products, Hañsa emphasizes natural health solutions through the practice of Yoga. The brand is dedicated to promoting sustainable movement for seniors and fostering health practices that support the overall well-being of people of all ages.

Hañsa Chair Yoga

Hañsa Chair Yoga is a specialist therapeutic class, although the sequences are relatively simple, observational and communication skills are vital to ensure the teacher and the whole class is safe and supported.  Our predominant demographic is older persons and people who have mobility, strength, and balance challenges along with degenerative shoulder, hips, spine and knee issues. The Hañsa therapeutic chair yoga team of teachers under-take professional development and regular feedback sessions. We hold indemnity and public liability insurance and first aid certificates. 

Hañsa is an integrated therapeutic system that is based on the human development process with philosophy derived from integration of Eastern and Western thought methodologies.

Melanie Morris leads the team of Hañsa Teachers, she has completed over 800 hours professional Hansa training both in Hansa flow teaching and Hañsa Therapy, Mel is a qualified Yoga Therapist and the Country Manager for New Zealand. She also has enjoyed Teacher training with Donna Farhi and was privileged to take part in Donna’s art of teaching programme.

We are currently delivering classes at Lady Wigram, Diana Issac, The Sterling and Cashmere View rest home villages.


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Hañsa Flow Therapeutic Yoga

It is a yoga movement practice that explores the artistry of moving from internal flow and form. It’s a practice that invites us to be intimate with our natural biomechanical rhythms. It’s a practice that requires awareness of the subtlest to the grossest parts of ourselves and therefore builds true mind, body, and neurological connection as we find graceful integration in the way we move.

The flow sequences within each Hañsa flow module are used to illustrate and embody inner form and rhythm in graceful, functional movement patterns. The blend of functionality and relationships to form brings to life a creative potential to assist students and teachers to explore and manage self on physical, emotional, and energetic levels.

As a true mind-body practice, from a mental perspective, Hañsa Flow also brings calmness to the mind, while building mental alertness and steadiness. It’s a practice that brings clarity and stabilizes the mind, as well as the emotions.

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Hansa Therapy Clinic

Over the past 30 years Founder Vincent Bolletta has been developing a wealth of knowledge in biomechanics, yoga therapy, movement therapy and postural analysis.  In more recent times Vincent has developed an international therapy and flow system encompassed on the Hañsa Wellness online platform.  Hañsa is a unique style that integrates eastern and western thought and methodologies to the practice of yoga and wellbeing.  A Hañsa Yoga Therapist has completed a minimum of 500 hours professional training with ongoing continued professional development and assessments.  Hañsa Yoga Therapists follow the process of healing and awakening through principles of human fundamental movement patterns and embodiment to support the individual to understand their own patterns and encourage self-management.

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Testimonials

  • I enjoy Hansa therapeutic yoga because “It is gentle for me to build up my body again and it is giving me back my strength”to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.

    Linda

  • Hansa chair yoga has helped me regain and retain my sense of balance to launch a business. Maybe you want to turn a hobby into something more.

    Marj

  • II enjoy Hansa yoga because the educative and holistic approach supports and extends my personal understanding of Hauora/well-being developed over the past 25 years. The slow, focused, positive, therapeutic nature of Hansa has helped me feel realigned, strong, and agile in my aging body and mind.

    Sandy

  • I have struggled with my knee for over twenty years and in the last two years it has got particularly bad, my other joints have also started hurting due to me favouring my knee. Wow have worked on re-engaging and strengthening the muscles around the knee with simple exercises I can do at home. I also has a session with Vincent who worked with functional touch and deep tissue massage in my muscles around the knee. The improvement we have seen in the short time I have been seeing Mewl and Emma have been unbelievable.

    Tim

  • I was referred to Hansa Wellness by a good friend after trying many ways to help my upper back pain. Mel and and Emma made me feel welcome and looked after from the very first appointment. The consultation and discussion are just as important as the yogas therapy in so many ways. The correlation between mind and body has been highlighted, and I have learnt that stress affects my body. With the continued help and support of Mel I have been able to alleviate quite a bit of pain and also understand myself much better. I highly recommend Mel and Hansa Wellness to anyone needing a safe and nurturing experience.

    L

  • For the past three and a half years, Melanie Morris from Hansa Yoga has been an invaluable part of our village community, bringing the benefits of both chair and mat yoga to our residents. Her classes are more than just exercise—they are a time for connection, learning, and transformation. The feedback from our residents has been outstanding. Many have noticed remarkable improvements in their strength, flexibility, and overall well-being. The sessions have helped them better understand their bodies, move with more confidence, and feel stronger in their daily lives. Beyond the physical benefits, Mel fosters a warm and welcoming environment, making each class an opportunity for socialising and lifting spirits. Her expertise and encouragement have made a real difference, and we are so grateful for her dedication and passion. Thank you, Mel for your commitment to the health and happiness of our community!

    Suzi Cadigan, Village General Manager, The Sterling, Kaiapoi

  • Mel and her Hansa Yoga team have been providing chair yoga, breath-with-movement yoga, and pelvic floor yoga to our Independent residents for over a year. These classes have been consistently well-attended, with participants sharing positive feedback about the physical and mental benefits, including improved flexibility, increased relaxation, and better overall well-being. The sessions have become an integral part of our residents’ wellness routines. Thank you,

    Tayara Branco
    Resident Experience Coordinator
    P: +64 3 386 3018
    1 Lady Isaac Way, Mairehau, Christchurch 8052, New Zealand

Frequently Asked Questions

General FAQ

  • Hañsa is an integrated therapeutic system that is based on the human development process with philosophy derived from integration of eastern and western thought methodologies.

    The applications of Hañsa principles and methodologies are done through Hañsa Therapy and Hañsa Flow.

    Hañsa Therapy is a therapy system that combines functional touch, rehabilitative work, and movement to support and return optimal functioning of the body.

    Hañsa Flow is a creative movement practice that embodies the Hañsa therapeutic principles, and created to enhance stability, ease, and grace in one’s movement.

    The word “Hañsa” itself means Swan in sanskrit, and it alludes to the inner guru within us and the ability discern information through awareness and observation, which is one of the values of Hañsa

    Learn more about Hañsa here.

  • The practice of Hañsa Flow is a circular, multi-directional movement practice with creative sequences that focus on transitions rather than poses.

    The movements in Hañsa Flow are created with the human developmental patterns in mind and aligns with the biomechanics of the human body to provide better support and stability to the body.

    The Hañsa Flow sequences are also created to illustrate and embody inner form and rhythm in graceful, functional movement patterns.

    Through this rhythm, Hañsa Flow brings calmness and stability to the mind, making the practice a mindful meditative movement practice.

    Find where you can practice Hañsa Flow.

  • Yes, Hañsa Flow can be practiced by all level practitioners. Many of the movements are based on Yoga movements, but you don’t have to know yoga before you start practicing Hañsa Flow.

    We have some online practices that are suitable for beginners and can be a great entry point for everyone who wants to try Hañsa Flow.

    Generally, the Hañsa Flow practice does not include positions that are too difficult, nor it demands a high fitness ability.

    The Hañsa Flow practice might challenge your coordination and spatial awareness. These are important practices that will train us to improve our movement awareness and ability.

    However, you can take your time in learning the practices. They are created to be repeated. So take your time to familiarise yourself with the movement and always practice within the comfort of your abilities.

  • Our Hañsa Wellness platform is a perfect place to start your Hañsa Flow practice.

    Check our online videos here.

  • Most of the practices in our online videos are Hañsa Flow practices. Some of them are single sequences. Some are part of a series to give you a continuity of practice, and can be used as daily practices as well.

    In addition to the flow practices, there are a few practices that are more therapeutic based.

    At the moment, we’re working on expanding our offerings to include fitness practices as well. So we hope to have more of those in the future.

  • We have a few resources for you to begin understanding some of the Hañsa principles. You can begin by listening to the Hañsa Bites we have in the membership which we also post in our YouTube channel.

    For more in depth discussions on different aspects of Hañsa, you can check our Hañsa Conversations podcast.

    Check our Resources Center for link to our YouTube and Podcasts.

    Every few months we hold online workshops/ trainings. Check this website, follow our social media on Facebook and Instagram, or sign up to our newsletter to be informed of upcoming online events.

    We’ll also let you know about future offline events through the channels above and we hope to see you in one of these events.

Teacher-Training FAQ

  • We have a 200-hour Hañsa Fundamental Yoga Training that teaches foundational yoga for people who are interested to learn yoga through a functional and bio-mechanical perspective.

    This program is suitable for you if you’re looking for a training similar to the standard 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training.

    However, we normally do this training by request in collaboration with different yoga organisers or studios. If you have a group and wish to engage us in our 200-hour Hañsa Fundamental Yoga Teacher Training program, please contact us and we can discuss the matter further.

    Learn more about the 200-hour Teacher training here.

  • If you already went through a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training, you can take our Hañsa Flow Certification Intensive Training.

    The Hañsa Flow Certification Intensive Training is a 4-day training that provides the background, practice and philosophy of flow as a movement practice. You will also study a sequence and see how these movements embody the Hañsa therapeutics system.

    Upon successful completion of the training, you’ll be awarded the Level 1 Hañsa Flow Teacher certification and you have the ability to teach a basic Hañsa Flow practice.

    You’ll also be eligible to subscribe to our Black Swan membership where you’ll get updated sequences and receive mentoring to support your learning journey.

    Learn more about the Hañsa Flow Certification here.

  • If you’ve taken a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training, then you can take our Hañsa Therapy Professional Training.

    The Level 1 of the Hañsa Therapy Professional training is equivalent to about 200 hours of study.

    Upon completion of the Level 1 training, you’ll gain a better understanding of the body’s biomechanics and understand how to support basic injuries and dysfunctions. You’ll also be able to teach basic Hañsa Therapy class.

    The Level 2 of the Hañsa Therapy Professional training is equivalent to about 300 hours of study.

    Upon completion of the Level 2 training, you’ll gain deeper understanding of the body’s behaviours, functions, and and characteristics. You’ll be able to give therapy to others under mentoring.

    Learn more about the Hañsa Therapy Training and its pathway here.

  • We recommend taking all of our teacher training offline and in person because the applications of the Hañsa principles, especially the Functional Touch techniques, involve layered and subtle nuances that can only be experienced in person.

    However, to accommodate different styles and access, we have set up hybrid formats for our trainings.

    If you’re interested in being a certified Hañsa Flow teacher, you can begin your training by taking the Online Principles of Flow training. You can later complete your flow training by joining a Level 1 Hañsa Flow Certification Intensive whenever it becomes possible for you to join the offline training.

    If you’re interested in taking one of the Hañsa Therapy trainings, check out our Hañsa Professional training, where each module of the training will be delivered in combination of online lectures and recordings, and completed with an offline weekend training.

    Sign up to our newsletter to be notified of our upcoming trainings to join them!

  • At the moment, we don’t have one planned. We’re continually monitoring social restrictions related to the pandemic and we will hold one as soon as it’s feasible to do so.

    We’ll announce our upcoming training through this website, our social channels (Facebook and Instagram), and our newsletter.