Owner and founder of the Sangha Center for Wellness, Katie Hawks has dedicated her life to supporting others in healing and developing healthy habits. The Sangha Center for Wellness offers integrative healing therapies such as yoga therapy, massage therapy, cupping therapy, and reiki to the Northwest Indiana community.
“I feel grateful to be alive, so I've dedicated my life to serving others on their path to healing,” said Hawks. “This is my life's purpose. The human spirit perseveres, and that inspires me!”
Hawks was born in Maine but eventually moved out to Illinois. She met her husband and they moved to their first home in Valparaiso in 2018 along with their two dogs.
“We love the peace and quiet here, along with the proximity to the dunes and Michigan, all the restaurants downtown, and are grateful to be a part of this community that has welcomed us with open arms. We hope to grow our family here,” said Hawks.
Learning from her own personal healing process, Hawks has gained an understanding of the human body and how everything can affect it. She utilizes that knowledge to assist others in their own path.
“I have spent my career studying chronic illness, anxiety, stress and trauma and the impact they have on our nervous system, body and mind,” said Hawks. “Yoga, bodywork, nutrition, therapy, and energy medicine have been vital modalities in my own healing journey.”
Hawks developed a true passion for aiding others.
“I have spent the majority of my adult life walking my own healing path, and I know intimately what it means to go through a dark night of the soul and to be an active participant in recovering one's health and well-being,” said Hawks.
Opening up the Sangha Wellness Center seemed as if it was inevitably the path Hawks would take when progressing through her own journey.
“I've accessed an inner strength and resilience I didn't know was possible and a deep well of compassion and capacity to hold space for others to be exactly where and as they are,” said Hawks. “Everything in my life led to the opening of the Sangha Center."
On her days off work, Hawks says those days are for adventure. She enjoys hiking, biking, swimming, camping, and kayaking. She is also a coffee drinker and loves trying new food.
“Full belly and mama nature equals a happy heart for this girl,” said Hawks.
Another fun fact of Hawks is she and her husband turn anything into road trips and love traveling across the country.
“We took a road trip to Arizona so I could complete yoga therapy training,” said Hawks. “We drove through Colorado and stopped at an outdoor hot spring at the base of a mountain to soak in. That was probably our most memorable trip.”