Compassionate Recovery is the heart of Karuna

— and the foundation of the books From Pain to Purpose and The 12 Stepping Stones.

This approach moves beyond labels and diagnoses, offering a gentle, empowering path rooted in self-awareness, presence, and compassion. It invites you to reconnect with your true self and walk a sustainable path toward healing and wholeness.

Take the first step today—explore our services or schedule a free consultation.

About the author Upcoming books

Pain is a universal experience, but healing is a deeply personal journey.

From Pain to Purpose invites you to explore the transformative power of facing life’s challenges with curiosity, compassion, and courage. Drawing from ancient wisdom, modern science, and the Polynesian Wayfinders who crossed vast oceans by reading the stars and swells, this book offers a fresh approach to navigating loss, trauma, and addiction towards healing and personal growth.

It introduces the concept of Compassionate Recovery, a gentle, holistic approach that honours how complex our struggles really are. Through reflections, practical tools, and powerful stories, you’ll discover how to meet your struggles with kindness, reframe your experiences, and uncover the strength that lies within you.

Whether you’re navigating active addiction and trauma, seeking purpose beyond addiction, or simply longing to feel whole again, this book will walk beside you as a gentle companion on your journey of transformation.

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What if nothing about you needs fixing?


What if you simply need to remember what has always been whole within you?

Drawing on insights from psychology, mindfulness, and contemplative philosophy, this gentle guidebook opens a doorway, revealing the path towards healing, self-awareness, and inner integration.

Each of the twelve stepping stones represents a mindful attitude, like patience or letting go, or an inner resource you already possess that supports growth, resilience, and restoration. One is self-compassion – the capacity to meet pain with kindness. Another is emotional resilience – the strength to stay present through difficulty without shutting down. Then there are the stones of mindfulness, impermanence, emotional honesty, humility, witness consciousness, interconnectedness, trust, equanimity, and gratitude. Whatever stone calls to you, each will help guide you back to presence, stability, and meaning.

Written with warmth and wisdom, this book will walk beside you as you gently unravel patterns of coping, chaos, and conditioning. It invites you to meet life with curiosity, courage, and compassion. Whether you are healing from trauma, navigating grief, or longing for a deeper connection with yourself, The 12 Stepping Stones offers a grounded and soulful way forward – one breath, one moment, and one conscious step at a time.

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Transformations that Inspire

Read real stories from individuals who have overcome challenges, unlocked their potential, and found clarity, confidence, and purpose through life coaching.

I had always struggled to change unhealthy behaviours, feeling trapped in a cycle I couldn’t escape. Working with Vincenzia was transformative. She helped me uncover the deeper reasons behind my choices, showing me they were coping mechanisms for unmet emotional needs.
Her compassionate guidance allowed me to approach change with clarity and self-compassion. Instead of just stopping the behaviours, I addressed their root causes and developed healthier alternatives.
This process empowered me to make lasting changes and understand myself better. Vincenzia’s support provided the tools to break old patterns and create a more fulfilling life.
– Lila Rowan
Before working with Vincenzia, I felt trapped by my past. Growing up with complex trauma, I developed coping mechanisms that kept me in survival mode, unable to envision a life beyond pain.
Vincenzia created a safe space where I could explore my story and understand that my behaviours, while unhealthy now, were once acts of protection. This realisation replaced shame with compassion, allowing me to approach healing with greater understanding.
With her guidance, I learned practical tools to nurture myself and replace old patterns. I reconnected with parts of myself I thought were lost and began seeing my story as a source of strength.
Thanks to Vincenzia, I now navigate life with self-awareness and compassion, creating a future where I can thrive.
– Elena Harper
I felt like my story was written for me—one filled with pain, failure, and shame. Working with Vincenzia through narrative therapy changed that. She helped me reframe my experiences and see myself as more than just my mistakes. For the first time, I feel like the author of my own life, empowered to write a story of growth, resilience, and purpose.
– James Cole
Working with Vincenzia opened my eyes to how much my childhood experiences were shaping my behaviours and reactions as an adult. I often felt stuck, repeating the same patterns without understanding why.
Through her guidance, I began to see the connections between my past and my present. She helped me understand that many of my behaviours were protective mechanisms I developed as a child to survive. Recognising this allowed me to approach myself with compassion instead of frustration.
With her support, I’ve learned practical tools to break those old patterns and create healthier ways of responding to life’s challenges. For the first time, I feel in control of my choices and capable of building relationships and a life that reflect who I want to be, not who my past dictated I had to be.
– Michael Reed
My need for perfection became so overwhelming that I stopped trying anything new. My world grew smaller, and I struggled with depression and anxiety. Medication helped take the edge off but didn’t address the root of the problem.
Vincenzia introduced me to DBT and mindfulness, and it transformed my life. These tools opened a path to healing, and I haven’t looked back since.
– Estelle Greef
Vincenzia Marais

Vincenzia Marais

About the Author

Explore my coaching services, access valuable resources, and join a transformative movement that celebrates the power of compassion to inspire growth and healing.

Stay tuned for the official launch dates of From Pain to Purpose and The 12 Stepping Stones. Together, let’s embrace the journey of healing and transformation.
Your path to wholeness begins here.

More about the author Upcoming books

Articles & Resources

Whether you’re seeking to overcome addiction, heal emotional wounds, or reconnect with your authentic self, explore valuable resources and articles that will inspire growth and healing.

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