Our Story
Leigh Patuawa - Founder of Soul Learning®
Classroom teacher, author, and wellbeing educator.
Soul Learning® was born from lived experience, both personal and professional.
I lost my mum when I was young. At the time, I didn’t have the language, space, or wellbeing tools to understand what I was feeling or how to process it. I carried those experiences quietly, doing my best to keep going — like so many young people do. Looking back, I know that having simple, reflective, wellbeing skills would have made an enormous difference.
As a teacher, I began to notice the same patterns in classrooms — students disconnected from themselves, seeking external validation, pressure, or a sense of belonging, without being supported to look inward first. I also saw teachers wanting to help, but already stretched, with little space for programs that added to their workload.
Soul Learning® was created to meet that gap.
Written by teachers, for teachers, the In-School Program provides practical, preventative wellbeing tools that can be woven into everyday classroom life — without additional pressure.
Grounded in Te Ao Māori and Te Whare Tapa Whā, the program supports people to strengthen emotional regulation, resilience, self-confidence, and connection from the inside out.
At its heart, Soul Learning® exists to remind people that they are not alone. Life is a journey, and while some of the hardest experiences shape us deeply, they can also become the foundation for growth, understanding, and purpose. By nurturing wairua and supporting the whole person’s wellbeing, we empower people to live with greater awareness, balance, and confidence — now and into the future.