This anorexia sufferer once had days to live but aqua therapy saved her life – she now uses it to help others

HOPING TO HELP MORE PEOPLE WITH HER AQUA TULA METHOD

In Sydney, Sander recovered enough to live a normal life. As part of her passion for her recovery, she picked up several certifications in fitness and wellness.

Sander got her NASM personal training certification and used that as a foundation to attain other certifications such as pre- and post-natal fitness, Total Resistance System (TRX), functional training, movement training and Trigger Point therapy, and finally, her Aqua Instructor International Certification from the Federation of International Sports, Aerobics, and Fitness (FISAF).

Sanders spent almost three years in recovery and returned to university, graduating with a degree in art history from the University of Sydney.

She moved to Hong Kong in 2006 where she worked in several industries, trying her hand at an art gallery, and even a brief stint in real estate. She then met her husband, and had children while moving between Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok.

It was only when she suffered post-partum depression after her second pregnancy, that she turned to the water to heal herself again.

She had searched but couldn’t find a guide for women who needed pre- and post-natal support, especially in the post-partum stage, when building up one’s core and strength was critical.  

Using the techniques she learned all those years ago, Sander developed her Aqua Tula method when she returned to Singapore from Bangkok. This culminated in her starting her aqua therapy training company Aqua Tula, in 2019.

Tula means balance in Sanskrit and Sander found both resonance and relevance in using this word – especially after her experiences. “Coming from extreme coping mechanisms in my younger years, I believe in moderation for everything,” she said.

“After post-partum depression following an emergency C-section, it was the water and the methods that I use today in my classes that brought me back to life,” she said.