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Dr. Emotions was founded in 2020 with a mission to empower individuals with emotional intelligence skills. This journey began when my daughter was diagnosed with ADHD. As I underwent extensive training to help her express her emotions, I realised a critical gap: throughout my own education and upbringing, I had never been taught how to understand or manage emotions. Furthermore, my PhD studies on how emotional intelligence impacts organisational performance solidified my belief in the importance of emotional literacy. These experiences drove me to create a life school that balances emotional and intellectual growth.
The equation is simple: EQ + IQ = A Balanced Life.
Recognising the growing need to equip children with life skills beyond academics, Dr. Emotions expanded its program to integrate yoga, mindfulness, and emotional literacy benefits. We focus on nurturing academic success and emotional resilience, helping students develop a toolkit for life that promotes well-being in every aspect.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the urgency of this mission became even clearer. The isolation and stress experienced by so many highlighted the necessity of holistic support systems. This led me to join the ELMA group, where we further enhanced our curriculum with yoga and trauma-informed practices, addressing the emotional and psychological needs of our community.
As a survivor of family violence, I understand the profound importance of healing and reconnecting with oneself. Yoga and dance became my refuge during my darkest times, helping me rebuild my emotional resilience and regain a sense of safety. I was fortunate to have a compassionate teacher who, seeing the financial barriers that often limit access to these healing practices, offered me classes for free and provided an internship in trauma-informed yoga.
This personal journey fuels my commitment to making these transformative practices accessible to all. At Dr. Emotions, we’re not just teaching; we’re nurturing generations. By offering tools like yoga, mindfulness, social-emotional learning, dancing and professional training, we empower individuals to truly know themselves, heal, and thrive.
Dr Rowa Barashi, a Melbourne, Australia-based facilitator, holds an RYT 300 certification and is trained in yoga, meditation, and trauma-informed yoga. She completed her 200-hour training with the Australian Yoga Academy (AYA) in 2021 and her 100-hour trauma-informed yoga certification with Yoga for Humankind and Access Consciousness® Bars Facilitator.
Drawing from her journey of healing from trauma, Rowa is passionate about creating safe and supportive environments for individuals, particularly women and kids, to connect with their bodies, tap into their inner wisdom, and find comfort and refuge in their physical being. Her expertise includes mental health, trauma recovery, and social and emotional literacy.
Additionally, with a PhD in Customer Experience and Emotional Intelligence, Rowa incorporates her knowledge into her teachings, helping her students become more self-aware of their thoughts, feelings, physical sensations, and emotions through yoga. She is a dynamic teacher, offering energetic and restful classes that balance yang and yin elements.
Rowa has worked in a variety of settings, including schools, universities, refugee centres, not-for-profit organisations, and corporations, and is dedicated to meeting people where they are through compassionate inquiry and embodied practices. She is pursuing Compassionate Inquiry certifications, a psychotherapeutic approach, and emotional intelligence.
When she is not teaching, Rowa loves belly dancing, art, and riding her bike. She values community and finds joy in helping others.
The emotional literacy gap refers to the lack of awareness and skills necessary to manage and regulate our emotions and understand and empathise with the emotions of others. This gap often stems from insufficient emotional education, support, and resources within families, schools, and communities.
Individuals who lack emotional literacy may face challenges in building meaningful relationships, fostering self-awareness, and managing their emotions. This can lead to personal and professional communication difficulties, resulting in conflicts, misunderstandings, and missed opportunities.
The emotional literacy gap has far-reaching consequences for mental health, overall well-being, and success in many life areas— academic achievement, career growth, or personal fulfilment. Addressing this gap through education and support empowers individuals to develop the critical skills they need to thrive emotionally and socially.
Today, where academic excellence is often the benchmark for success, it is alarming that emotional literacy remains a largely overlooked aspect of education. Despite the high academic achievements of students—often with honours, master’s degrees, and prestigious qualifications—many individuals, particularly in Australia, still lack the fundamental emotional intelligence essential for well-rounded success. This disconnect is concerning, especially considering the number of talented, skilled, and successful people who excel in their fields but struggle to navigate emotional and interpersonal dynamics effectively.
It is time to recognise that emotional intelligence is not just an optional skill but essential for the well-being and success of individuals, organisations, and society.
Dr emotions acknowledges the people of the Kulin Nation, and their enduring stewardship of the lands, waters and skies. We recognise that sovereignty has never been ceded and commit to ongoing practices of right relationship that honour the leadership and self-determination of First Nations people.
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