Your healing starts here.

A personalised, doctor-led, multi-system approach that equips you to take back ownership of your health journey.

Meet all 15 Hanya House Healers

Under the guidance of husband and wife team, Dr. Rav and Ryan James, we have invited an informal collaboration of some of the best healers around. This is thanks, in part, to the unique town of White River – where Hanya House is located – that has attracted a community of forward-thinking wellness experts, each highly trained with years of experience.

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Food is Medicine Colab with The Plantsman Eatery

Kristen Hearne (Founder of The Plantsman Eatery) and Dr. Rav James (Founder and Medical Director of Hanya House Integrative Wellness Centre) both believe that food is the original medicine, capable of fundamentally shaping the quality of our lives. We’re excited to announce that in 2023 they have teamed up to bring a new #FoodisMedicine series to The Plantsman Eatery specials board featuring intentional, fresh, wholesome, and medicinal recipes.

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VACANCY: Marketing Internship

We are on the look-out for a Marketing Intern to join Hanya House & Dr. Rav James Inc. on a one-year contract (accommodation provided). The person we're looking for LOVES health and wellness, LOVES storytelling, LOVES writing, has an eye for design, and LOVES broccoli (joking, but not joking).

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Hanya Experiences
9 Experiences
from R800

Functional Medicine & Health Coaching

Meet with Functional Medicine practitioner, Dr. Rav James, to get to the root cause of your health challenge and develop a customised healing plan.

9 Experiences
from R350

Bodywork & Massage

Our therapist trained at a Conde Naste Traveler award-winning property and works together with Dr. Rav to select personalised treatments and essential oils that support healing, detoxification, and stress-relief.

4 Experiences
from R950

Life Coaching & Personal Development

Our Life Coaches are committed to clients as they work with life changes, past traumatic experiences, anxiety, and taking steady steps towards freedom.

2 Experiences
from R3200

Ketamine Assisted Therapy

For chronic depression and anxiety, transpersonal Ketamine Assisted Therapy sessions help patients to lay down new neural pathways.

3 Experiences
from R900

Vibrational Sound Healing

Our associate gong master and sound healer incorporates the gong, singing bowls, the monochord and tuning fork to help patients access their own intuitive frequency.

3 Experiences
from R900

Movement, Breathwork, & Meditation

Work with our experienced team to rebalance and retune your body, beginning with the original medicines of breath, stillness and gentle yoga.

3 Experiences
from R2250

Advanced Genetic Testing

Work with our team to accurately transition genetic results into realistic health solutions.

Understanding

The word Hanya guides all of our philosophies. It is inspired by the nearby Shangaan culture in South Africa’s north-eastern region as well as the Middle Eastern roots of Hanya’s co-founder, Dr. Rav James.

Hanya (Shangaan) alive or living
Hania (Hebrew) resting place
Hanya (Arabic) happiness
Ha-Nee-Ya (Native American Hopi) spirit warrior
Anya (Russian) grace

  • The Universal Hand is the universal hand of healing reminds us that each of us have the tools with in us to heal ourselves. It also holds the idea of guided healing using ancient arts or protection from harmful pattens, people or places.
  • The Trinity Flower symbolizes the coming together of old nature wisdom, modern medical science and an individual’s heart to form the sacred geometry that is the flower of life.
  • The Arch symbolizes inclusion and a safe space to heal.
Our Intention

“In a world where many people have lost sense of what it means to be alive in happiness, we have created a resting place; a significant moment in space and time where individuals can rediscover the intuitive healing properties of spirit and emerge anew, into a powerful meridian of meaning, grace and happiness.”

- Dr Rav James
Research
by Ryan James
Jun 6, 2022

Ketamine Assisted Therapy for Depression, Anxiety, PTSD & Alcohol Use Disorder

Recently we've been receiving questions about Ketamine Assisted Therapy and its use for treatment resistant mood disorders, especially depression, debilitating anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and alcohol use disorder (AUD). We have used Ketamine Assisted Therapy at Hanya House…

by Ryan James
Jun 1, 2023

Winter Skincare: Why Micro-Needling is a Good Option NOW, and My Winter Skincare Routine

By Cindy Brooks - My clients often ask me what the best time of the year is for skin treatments and I would have to say that winter is great because of the reduced UV levels. You’re also…

by Ryan James
Jun 1, 2023

Community Voices: BeJay Watson on Gratitude, Vibration, Becoming the Witness, and Renaming the Book in her Seventh Decade

BeJay Watson. One minute she’s having a coffee at Yoons in White River, then you’ll see her “pretzeled up for Christmas” (in her words) at her Iyengar class in Nelspruit, five minutes later she’s hosting the most exquisite…

by Ryan James
May 15, 2023

VACANCY: Marketing Internship at Leading Wellness Sanctuary

Hanya House, a leading Functional Medicine & Integrative Wellness Sanctuary located on a secure country estate in White River (Mpumalanga), is looking for a Marketing Intern to join our team on a one-year full-time contract.    Who will…

by Ryan James
May 13, 2023

Food is Medicine with Dr. Rav James & The Plantsman Eatery

Kristen Hearne (Founder of The Plantsman Eatery) and Dr. Rav James (Founder and Medical Director of Hanya House Integrative Wellness Centre) both believe that food is the original medicine, capable of fundamentally shaping the quality of our lives.…

by Ryan James
Dec 9, 2022

Say HELLO to the 2023 Line-Up of Hanya House Healers

As we open 2023, we are privileged to do so with a team that embodies the spirit of safe and peaceful healing. From January, HANYA will have 15 healers working independently under the Hanya House roof (meet them…

by Dr. Rav James
Oct 14, 2022

Reset Your Metabolic Health

What is it? A 4-week online doctor-led and community-centric journey to manage your weight, reverse disease processes, optimise energy levels, sleep better, and live with more vitality simply by understanding your body’s glucose responses. Next Start Dates: 5…

by Dr. Rav James
Jun 17, 2022

Food is Medicine Soups

I'm so excited to bring you this compilation of Food is Medicine soups that I cook in our house almost every month. Just a quick (and important) note before we start: I don't use stock in all my…

by Denise Sohandev
Jun 9, 2022

Where Do I Start When I Keep Letting Myself Down?

It’s Monday and I’m definitely not having chocolate again. This time I mean it. No chocolate, ever, I’m done, for good this time. Half an hour later you’re in your car heading to the nearest filling station to…

by Ryan James
Jun 6, 2022

Q&A With a Patient: Depression & Ketamine Assisted Therapy

Stacy (not her real name) is a Hanya House patient who - in 2020 - sought out Ketamine Assisted Therapy as a complementary treatment as she weaned off of her anti-depressants. Stacy had been prescribed anti-depressants by a…

by Ryan James
May 18, 2022

Simpler IV Therapy Options For Your Wellness Journey

As part of her Functional Medicine approach, Hanya House Medical Director, Dr. Rav James, incorporates intravenous (IV) vitamin therapies into the health plans of many patients. IV Therapy & Health Coaching in One Consultation Dr. Rav sees these…

by Denise Sohandev
Apr 29, 2022

Why All The Talk About The Inner Child And How Can I Talk To Mine?

“This article isn’t for me, my inner child is just fine, I had a great childhood, no need to go scratching in the hornets nest, thank you very much.” The inner child can sound like a lot of…

by Ryan James
Apr 14, 2022

Why Naming Your Lizard (And Its Tunes) Could Change Your Life

So far this year, what has been your loudest and most troubling lizard tune or tunes? If the answer came to you straight away, that’s great – you might already be using self-awareness tools regularly. If your answer…

by Ryan James
Apr 6, 2022

A Parenting Expert & Functional Medicine Doctor Team Up to Share Small Steps For a Healthier Family

Hand-in-Hand Parenting Expert, Kelly van Rooyen, and Functional Medicine Specialist, Dr. Rav James, recently teamed up in a series of four short videos to discuss the vital importance of nutrition, and food culture for healthy families. They discussed…

by Dr. Rav James
Mar 30, 2022

Dr. Rav James Inc. – Notification of Price Change Effective 1 May, 2023

I would like to thank all of my patients for the continued support of my root causes, Functional Medicine approach to health and healing. I am so grateful for your belief in my practice and in the greater…

microbiome
by Dr. Rav James
Mar 14, 2022

Not Sure About Pooping in a Tube? Here’s How It Could Change The Way You Live

Question: Why poop in a tube? Answer: Because while chia seeds, cherries, and chickpeas might be one person’s superfood, they’ll be another’s poison. And sometimes, that poison can more dangerous than you might think, affecting not only how…

by Denise Sohandev
Mar 7, 2022

Is Yoga Therapy Part of Your Long-Term Healing Roadmap? Here’s Why it Should Be

You're probably getting used to hearing the phase "connection to body", especially from our team at Hanya House. From leading Functional Medicine experts like Dr. Mark Hyman, to spirit philosophers like Eckhardt Tolle, Gabor Mate, and Martha Beck,…

Candice
by Candice Buys
Mar 1, 2022

3 Essential Oils I (Almost) Always Choose for Clients Experiencing Stress & Burnout

Why do most people come to me for bodywork treatments? I would love it if the answer was "maintenance", in other words alleviating muscle tension, detoxifying, facilitating blood flow, clearing lactate, and finding stillness. The reality is that…

by Dr. Rav James
Feb 16, 2022

4 Life Changing Things I Learnt by Attaching a Glucose Monitor to My Arm

A while ago I attached a glucose monitor to my arm for 14 days. You’ll all know that a glucose monitor is a useful tool for diabetics, but can it be life-changing for non-diabetics too? With more and…

by Dr. Rav James
Feb 16, 2022

Dr. Rav’s 3-Month Functional Medicine Weight Management Program

What is it? A comprehensive 3-month doctor-designed program focused on fundamentally changing the way that you approach sustainable weight management and metabolic health, starting with hormones, not calories. Next Start Dates: Online: 23 January, 2023 *This is not…

by Denise Sohandev
Feb 2, 2022

*This* Yoga Pose Pushed Me To My Emotional Limit

When I first started teaching yoga I invited a close relative to practice with me. She never came back. Years later when I asked her why, she told me: “It made me think too much." I interpreted that…

by Dr. Rav James
Jan 31, 2022

8 Blood Panels You Should Be Testing For Optimised Health & Early Detection

Vitamin D. Most doctors don’t test for this very important hormone (not actually a vitamin) even though we know it plays a really important role in immune health and bone health, to name just two. But let’s name…

by Denise Sohandev
Jan 23, 2022

I Rejected Kundalini Yoga in 2020. But We’ve Met Again and It’s Even Better Than Before

Denise Sohandev is a Life Coach, Breathwork Specialist and Yoga instructor at Hanya House. In 2020 her deep love of Kundalini yoga was shaken when the Kundalini community was hit by a major scandal. Here she explains how,…

by Denise Sohandev
Jan 21, 2022

Transformational Breathing Experience Coming Up – 28 July 2022

Why Join a Transformational Breathing Experience? Guided by Life Coaches, Denise Sohandev and Ryan James, our Transformational Breathing Experience explores a self development theme (see below) before moving into a conscious-connected breathing session. During this session we will…

by Dr. Rav James
Jan 13, 2022

As a Functional Medicine Doctor, I’m Focusing on These 10 Healthspan Categories in 2022

In 2022 we know more about how to extend healthspan (defined as the number of years we live free of chronic disease) than ever before. Not only does the latest medical research on anti-aging and longevity continue to…

by Ryan James
Dec 31, 2021

In 2022, Hit the Healthspan Trail, Beginning with the Pursuit of Meaning

If you were to ask us what one of the most powerful anti-aging activities is, our answer would be: The pursuit of meaning. Why?  Because the closer we get to the reality of how precious and mysterious our…

by Dr. Rav James
Dec 15, 2021

Bush Braaiing Done Right

A braai (barbecue) can be extremely bad for your health. Or it can be medicine. You choose. December in South Africa is certainly NOT a picture of health: High quantities of meat, including boerewors, which is a processed…

by Dr. Rav James
Dec 2, 2021

25 Food Medicine Photos… To Get You Inspired

This last month has been one of my best. Teaching and sharing about the healing power of food always gets me revved up. And as I have come together with people around food – in my Consultation Room,…

by Dr. Rav James
Nov 17, 2021

For You, Is Food a Chore or is Food Medicine?

How do we value food? Functional Medicine specialist at Hanya House, Dr. Rav James, often hears people saying:  “But to eat healthy is expensive.”  Alcohol is also expensive. Fashion is expensive. Ready made meals and fast-food. Cosmetics. Fancy…

by Denise Sohandev
Nov 16, 2021

3 Exercises to Tackle Anxiety Now

Beat anxiety - in the moment. Multiple recent studies have shown that – in the last two years globally – the number of people suffering from anxiety disorders has increased significantly. No surprises there. Anxiety is complex, and…

by Dr. Rav James
Aug 10, 2021

Food is Medicine with Dr. Rav: 4 Quick & Easy Breakfast Ideas

For people looking to track a “food is medicine” approach to their life, one of the hardest meals to change is breakfast. I don’t ask all my patients to cut out sugar, gluten, dairy, and eggs forever, but…

by Ryan James
Jul 19, 2021

Hanya Q&A: With Life-Coach, Ryan James

Ryan James is a Life Coach and Ketamine Assisted Therapist who trained under the team of world-renowned Life Coach, Martha Beck. He currently leads our development at Hanya House overseeing our experiences, operations, and new product design and…

by Dr. Rav James
Jul 14, 2021

Improving Recovery Post-COVID: A Functional Medicine Approach

How can you best support your body as it recovers form COVID-19? In today’s article Hanya House Medical Director, Dr. Rav James, discusses "conscious recovery", supplementation, and IV vitamin therapy drawing on experience treating post-COVID patients who have…

by Dr. Rav James
Jun 29, 2021

6 Reminders for Covid-19 Waves

There are specific protocols for prevention and treatment that I am here to help with: I am continually researching what combinations of treatments are showing the best results. These need to be discussed on a case-by-case basis and…

by Ryan James
Jun 23, 2021

Q&A with Dr. Rav: What Should I Expect if I Sign Up for Health Coaching?

Recently the New York Times published an article titled We Could All Use a Health Coach. Given the amount of information, misinformation, opinions, and clickbait on food and health that bombards us on a daily basis, it’s not…

by Ryan James
May 25, 2021

A Multi-Dimensional Approach to Anxiety

Anxiety has been a common feeling for many of the patients I have worked with in 2021. My approach is multi-dimensional, but I start by looking at how a person’s biochemical processes might be making the anxiety worse…

by Ryan James
May 25, 2021

Can Stress Break Down Brain Tissue?

Cortisol is released when we experience stress. Most people have heard this part before. But. Did you know that cortisol is a catabolic hormone, that can break down the gut lining and break down brain tissue? When I…