Helping you heal, transform and awaken to your true potential.
Are you ready to release old patterns of thought, emotion and behaviour that keep you suffering?
Do you feel a desire to discover your greater Self and experience more of the stillness, joy and freedom which are your natural state?
Do you have the motivation and courage to seek help on your inner journey of transformation and awakening?
Hi, I’m James Hands, founder and director of Awaken Therapy, based in Queensland Australia. I have trained in and developed a range of powerful modalities to make your trauma healing journey as safe and manageable as possible.
I know the courage and persistence required for profound change, so I offer patient, caring support in all my connections; in person, in writing, in podcasts and in courses.
- Books, audio programs, online courses
- Holistic Psychology, Psychotherapy
- Clinical, Spiritual Hypnotherapy
- Individuals, couples, groups, community
Through my podcast my goal is to provide ongoing support, helping you heal, transform and awaken to your true potential.
Episodes
27 minutes ago
27 minutes ago
Do you think too little of yourself?
If you’ve been through significant trauma—whether in childhood or as an adult—it’s pretty obvious why you might come out of those experiences with low self-esteem, low self-worth, and thinking in a small way about yourself.
The truth is, you survived. Even if your self-concept feels battered or broken, you’re still here, and that’s your superpower.
So I invite you to write down three things you like about yourself. Even if it feels small, seeing it on a page helps. Bring those parts of yourself to the inner child who felt unworthy and remind them: you were never the problem.
Healing takes time, but it’s possible.
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I'm James Hands, Holistic Psychologist and Spiritual Hypnotherapist, and creator of Awaken Therapy. I have trained in and developed various powerful modalities to make your childhood trauma healing journey as safe and manageable as possible. I know the courage and persistence required for profound change, so I offer patient, caring support in all my connections.
I believe you deserve to have access to powerful, effective tools, techniques and supports in timely and affordable ways.
Alongside individual sessions, I have committed myself to providing you with a variety of affordable tools and courses. Each course is filled with practical education, powerful tools and accessible aids you can begin to use right away.
I am also in the process of writing a book - From Trauma Survivor to Soul Warrior due to be published September 2025
Disclaimer: this episode is for education and information purposes only. It does not constitute individual advice and the information contained may not be applicable or appropriate for everyone. If you need support, consider seeking individualised support from a qualified health professional.
Sunday Dec 01, 2024
From Trauma Survivor to Soul Warrior
Sunday Dec 01, 2024
Sunday Dec 01, 2024
What does it mean to move from trauma survivor to soul warrior? In this video, I delve into the concept of the soul warrior and explore how we can transcend the survival mode often created by trauma. Through my work over the past 30 years, I’ve seen the incredible strength and resilience people develop through life’s challenges. But healing isn’t just about addressing the psychological effects of trauma—it’s about breaking through the ceiling of survival and opening ourselves to the deeper, spiritual dimensions of our experience.
A soul warrior is someone who recognises that their challenges were not meaningless but part of a greater purpose—an opportunity for growth, wisdom, and the development of unique gifts. By reframing trauma in this way, we find liberation, forgiveness, and a deeper sense of self.
If you’re ready to explore the journey beyond survival and into soul-level awareness, this video is for you. Follow along as I share insights that will form part of my upcoming book, From Trauma Survivor to Soul Warrior.
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I'm James Hands, Holistic Psychologist and Clinical Hypnotherapist, and creator of Awaken Therapy. I have trained in and developed various powerful modalities to make your childhood trauma healing journey as safe and manageable as possible. I know the courage and persistence required for profound change, so I offer patient, caring support in all my connections.
I believe you deserve to have access to powerful, effective tools, techniques and supports in timely and affordable ways.
Alongside individual sessions, I have committed myself to providing you with a variety of affordable tools and courses. Each course is filled with practical education, powerful tools and accessible aids you can begin to use right away.
Disclaimer: this episode is for education and information purposes only. It does not constitute individual advice and the information contained may not be applicable or appropriate for everyone. If you need support, consider seeking individualised support from a qualified health professional.
Sunday Nov 24, 2024
Diving into wisdom—the deep knowing forged through adversity
Sunday Nov 24, 2024
Sunday Nov 24, 2024
✨Online self-paced courses to help you heal ✨
https://www.awakentherapy.com.au/learning-with-james
In today’s Soul Warrior Qualities video, we’re diving into wisdom—the deep knowing forged through adversity.
Wisdom isn’t just theory; it’s the profound truth carved out by suffering. Trauma gifts us with qualities like strength, courage, and empathy, but wisdom stands out as a rich awareness of what aligns with love and what doesn’t.
As we heal, we create space for truth, reconnect with our soul, and carry this wisdom forever as part of our soul character. Honour the wisdom you’ve gained—it’s your soul warrior attribute.
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I'm James Hands, Holistic Psychologist and Clinical Hypnotherapist, and creator of Awaken Therapy. I have trained in and developed various powerful modalities to make your childhood trauma healing journey as safe and manageable as possible. I know the courage and persistence required for profound change, so I offer patient, caring support in all my connections.
I believe you deserve to have access to powerful, effective tools, techniques and supports in timely and affordable ways.
Alongside individual sessions, I have committed myself to providing you with a variety of affordable tools and courses. Each course is filled with practical education, powerful tools and accessible aids you can begin to use right away.
Disclaimer: this episode is for education and information purposes only. It does not constitute individual advice and the information contained may not be applicable or appropriate for everyone. If you need support, consider seeking individualised support from a qualified health professional.
Sunday Nov 17, 2024
Using your own trauma experience to help others
Sunday Nov 17, 2024
Sunday Nov 17, 2024
✨Online self-paced courses to help you heal ✨
https://www.awakentherapy.com.au/learning-with-james
In recent episodes, I’ve been exploring the qualities that emerge from facing deep challenges and trauma, especially in childhood. Today, I’m reflecting on empathy—the ability to attune to others, feel into their experiences, and connect on a deeper emotional level.
For those of us who’ve been through profound suffering, this capacity grows from navigating dark, intense emotions and turning those experiences into strength. Personally, I’ve catalysed my own journey through trauma—growing up with an alcoholic father, losing him to suicide at 13, and enduring years of terror—into a passion for helping others.
Over the past 30 years, I’ve worked with hundreds of people, many of whom have faced unimaginable pain. That shared understanding has allowed me to transmute my own suffering into service, supporting others out of dark, stuck places and helping to shift their energy toward healing.
If you’re still feeling weighed down by your past, know that it’s possible to work through it and uncover the qualities of a soul warrior within you. Empathy, compassion, and the strength to heal are incredible gifts—and they can make the world a better place.
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I'm James Hands, Holistic Psychologist and Clinical Hypnotherapist, and creator of Awaken Therapy. I have trained in and developed various powerful modalities to make your childhood trauma healing journey as safe and manageable as possible. I know the courage and persistence required for profound change, so I offer patient, caring support in all my connections.
I believe you deserve to have access to powerful, effective tools, techniques and supports in timely and affordable ways.
Alongside individual sessions, I have committed myself to providing you with a variety of affordable tools and courses. Each course is filled with practical education, powerful tools and accessible aids you can begin to use right away.
Disclaimer: this episode is for education and information purposes only. It does not constitute individual advice and the information contained may not be applicable or appropriate for everyone. If you need support, consider seeking individualised support from a qualified health professional.
Sunday Nov 10, 2024
Survived childhood trauma? Let’s honour your strength and determination.
Sunday Nov 10, 2024
Sunday Nov 10, 2024
✨Online self-paced courses to help you heal ✨
https://www.awakentherapy.com.au/learning-with-james
If you're here listening to this, you've already shown incredible strength just by showing up and seeking help. Whether it’s been overcoming trauma, childhood adversity, or difficult life patterns, the qualities you've developed in the flames of these experiences are yours forever.
This strength, determination, and willpower are part of your soul’s character, forged by facing challenges day by day. Yes, the journey is messy and layered, but every step you take, every time you turn up for yourself, that’s courage.
Honour that resilience and join me as we keep exploring the qualities of the soul warrior.
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I'm James Hands, Holistic Psychologist and Clinical Hypnotherapist, and creator of Awaken Therapy. I have trained in and developed various powerful modalities to make your childhood trauma healing journey as safe and manageable as possible. I know the courage and persistence required for profound change, so I offer patient, caring support in all my connections.
I believe you deserve to have access to powerful, effective tools, techniques and supports in timely and affordable ways.
Alongside individual sessions, I have committed myself to providing you with a variety of affordable tools and courses. Each course is filled with practical education, powerful tools and accessible aids you can begin to use right away.
Disclaimer: this episode is for education and information purposes only. It does not constitute individual advice and the information contained may not be applicable or appropriate for everyone. If you need support, consider seeking individualised support from a qualified health professional.
Sunday Nov 03, 2024
Soul warrior qualities
Sunday Nov 03, 2024
Sunday Nov 03, 2024
If you’re listening, you’ve probably been through some significant challenges in your life—maybe childhood trauma, adult trauma, or even what I’d call omission trauma, where there was a lack of love, emotional support, or severe neglect. These experiences can be completely debilitating, leaving us frozen in complex post-traumatic stress and barely able to function. But here’s the thing—I believe there’s good that can come out of the bad. Through these challenges, strengths, qualities, and resources can develop.
I’ve had the privilege of working with so many amazing people who have been through incredibly difficult experiences, and yet, they’re here. They’ve managed to survive, to drag themselves through those ordeals, and they’re determined to heal and grow. It’s remarkable, isn’t it? These qualities of strength, wisdom, empathy, courage, and will—they’re what I call the “gifts of trauma.” They don’t come easy, and they don’t come cheap, but they become part of who we are, our “soul personality.”
Sometimes we get stuck in thinking, “This shouldn’t have happened. This is all bad.” And yes, a lot of things happen that aren’t even in the soul blueprint—there’s a lot of free will, and things go wrong. But we can make good out of bad; we can make lemonade out of lemons. And I feel so privileged to work with people who, despite terrible origins, turn it around to be stronger, to be better parents, or to have the courage to show up and seek help.
If you’re listening to this, maybe you’re one of those people who have the strength to catalyse trauma into these remarkable qualities. Not everyone can do this. But those who can, who have the maturity to hold it and own it, develop a resilience that’s extraordinary. It’s like a sword being tempered by flames and hammered on the anvil into a fine blade. And at the core, underneath all the messy residue, is this incredible strength. Just being here, listening, is a testament to the strength you’ve acquired through those struggles.
In the next episode, I’ll unpack another one of these soul warrior qualities. Join me.
✨Online self-paced courses to help you heal ✨
https://www.awakentherapy.com.au/learning-with-james
I'm James Hands, Holistic Psychologist and Clinical Hypnotherapist, and creator of Awaken Therapy. I have trained in and developed various powerful modalities to make your childhood trauma healing journey as safe and manageable as possible. I know the courage and persistence required for profound change, so I offer patient, caring support in all my connections.
I believe you deserve to have access to powerful, effective tools, techniques and supports in timely and affordable ways.
Alongside individual sessions, I have committed myself to providing you with a variety of affordable tools and courses. Each course is filled with practical education, powerful tools and accessible aids you can begin to use right away.
Disclaimer: this episode is for education and information purposes only. It does not constitute individual advice and the information contained may not be applicable or appropriate for everyone. If you need support, consider seeking individualised support from a qualified health professional.
Sunday Oct 27, 2024
Sick of how things are? The emotional and physical benefits of therapy.
Sunday Oct 27, 2024
Sunday Oct 27, 2024
✨Private sessions✨
https://www.awakentherapy.com.au/private-consultations
✨Online self-paced courses to help you heal ✨
https://www.awakentherapy.com.au/learning-with-james
Therapy can be challenging—it takes time, effort, and money. But like dentistry, while it’s not always fun, we benefit from the results. Whether we’re dealing with anxiety, depression, addiction, or relationship issues, therapy helps us clear stuck energy and unresolved emotions, creating more freedom and ease in our lives. By doing this inner work, we can experience emotional, physical, and even spiritual benefits, allowing us to live more fully. It’s not easy, but with patience and support, healing is possible. Every part of us deserves attention, and nothing in us can’t be healed.
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I'm James Hands, Holistic Psychologist and Clinical Hypnotherapist, and creator of Awaken Therapy. I have trained in and developed various powerful modalities to make your childhood trauma healing journey as safe and manageable as possible. I know the courage and persistence required for profound change, so I offer patient, caring support in all my connections.
I believe you deserve to have access to powerful, effective tools, techniques and supports in timely and affordable ways.
Alongside individual sessions, I have committed myself to providing you with a variety of affordable tools and courses. Each course is filled with practical education, powerful tools and accessible aids you can begin to use right away.
Disclaimer: this episode is for education and information purposes only. It does not constitute individual advice and the information contained may not be applicable or appropriate for everyone. If you need support, consider seeking individualised support from a qualified health professional.
Sunday Oct 20, 2024
Anger isn’t destructive - it’s empowering
Sunday Oct 20, 2024
Sunday Oct 20, 2024
✨Do you have hidden childhood trauma? Take the quiz to find out.✨ https://www.awakentherapy.com.au/Do_you_have_hidden_childhood_trauma
Anger gets a bad reputation, but it can actually be an ally. At its core, anger is an expression of our willpower—helping us set boundaries, say no, and stand up to injustice. It’s a vital part of who we are, allowing us to assert ourselves and stay strong. Anger, in its pure, love-based form, isn’t destructive—it’s empowering. It helps us shift from over-giving and pleasing to asserting our true selves. Embrace your will, get comfortable with your anger, and see it as your best friend on your path to healing.
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I'm James Hands, Holistic Psychologist and Clinical Hypnotherapist, and creator of Awaken Therapy. I have trained in and developed various powerful modalities to make your childhood trauma healing journey as safe and manageable as possible. I know the courage and persistence required for profound change, so I offer patient, caring support in all my connections.
I believe you deserve to have access to powerful, effective tools, techniques and supports in timely and affordable ways.
I have committed myself to providing you with a variety of affordable tools and courses, which you can access without having to wait. Each course is filled with practical education, powerful tools and accessible aids you can begin to use right away.
✨The Power Of Mind – Healing Through Self-Hypnosis✨ https://www.awakentherapy.com.au/the-power-of-mind
Disclaimer: this episode is for education and information purposes only. It does not constitute individual advice and the information contained may not be applicable or appropriate for everyone. If you need support, consider seeking individualised support from a qualified health professional.