About the Founder

Hey there,

My name is Joelle Nañawa. I am a certified personal trainer, mindfulness educator, martial arts practitioner, and founder of Warrior Healing Arts—an online and in-person platform where martial arts, inclusive fitness, and intentional practices come together to cultivate strength, balance, and wisdom.

I’ve spent my life navigating extremes—struggling with self-worth, body image, neurodivergence, and complex inner contradictions—while searching for balance. It was in experiencing these polarities that I sought to reconcile seemingly disparate parts of myself. Through observation, mindful movement, mentorship, ritual, and making space for nuance, I discovered the profound power of creating my own dynamic balance. Compassion and curiosity became my guiding stars, and they now shape how I help others find their own paths to resilience and well-being.

I’ve been in many worlds—wellness elitist and fitness spaces, spiritual temples, secular study halls, and martial arts lineages. I’ve had remarkable mentors as well as some who, though well-intentioned, pushed me further out of balance, into dysregulation, inflammation, and self-rejection. I’ve joined communities, some that uplifted me and others that took from me, and I’ve learned to spot charisma and influence that exploits rather than nourishes. I’ve searched for spaces that honor every body, respect science while leaving room for magic and mystery, and offer structure without hierarchy. When I couldn’t find them, I made my own.

I help people reconnect with their bodies’ wisdom, teaching them to listen to their cues and honor their innate intelligence while offering evidence-based tools, holistic rituals, and archetypal storytelling. I’m a guardian at heart, and helping others become protectors is central to my work. Through these practices, I teach people to embrace their archetype and navigate life’s challenges as their true nature.

If you’ve ever felt like an underdog, questioned the rules while craving structure, needed a guide to remind you of your innate power, or longed for a space that honors your complexity while cultivating clarity, welcome. You belong here.

Training Lineage and Specializations

My path is rooted in diverse lineages and disciplines that continue to shape my work. I honor my teachers, communities, and the places where I’ve trained, knowing that Warrior Healing Arts is part of a much larger living tradition.

Foundational Training

• 2012–2013 — Arnis and Wing Chun
  Teacher: Roberto Gell

• 2013–2014 — Capoeira
  Group: Grupo Capoeira Brasil
  Teacher: Professora Pavão

• 2015–2023 — Shaolin Chang Quan Kung Fu, T’ai Chi Chuan, Xin Yi, Bagua
  Influences: Pencak Silat and Arnis
  School: Shaolin Martial Arts Center
  Teacher: Mark Wright
  Rank: Black Belt

Ongoing Training

• 2021–Present — Karaho Kempo
  Teacher: Ka’imipono Kuoha
  Rank: Blue Belt