Adel Houten: From Trauma to Triumph

How one woman’s journey through pain sparked a global mission to heal others.

For over two decades, Adel Houten has been quietly revolutionising the way we understand emotional healing. A former IT sales executive turned Master Trainer in EFT and Clinical Hypnotherapy, her story is one of courage, intuition, and deep transformation. After walking through her shadows — from domestic violence to profound personal loss — Adel emerged not just healed, but awakened to a greater calling: to help others release the emotional weight of their past and step into their most empowered, authentic selves.

Today, through one-to-one work, corporate wellness programs, and her groundbreaking app Tapaway®, Adel blends neuroscience with spirituality to create real, lasting change. Her work isn’t just therapy — it’s alchemy. And in a world where emotional wellbeing has never been more needed, she’s showing us that healing isn’t just possible — it’s powerful.

Your journey in emotional healing spans over two decades. What personal experiences inspired you to dedicate your life to helping others transform trauma into triumph?

My journey into emotional healing began with my own. Over two decades ago, I was working in IT sales — and I hated it. I remember sitting at my desk after closing a big deal and thinking, “So what? I’ve just sold a server… I haven’t helped anyone.” It felt so empty.

And then, right at that moment, an email landed in my inbox for a hypnotherapy course at City University in London. I genuinely believe it was fate. I signed up — and that was the first step on a completely different path, one that’s felt like my true calling ever since.

I’ve also lived through a lot of trauma myself — from domestic violence to losing everything I owned. But none of it defines me anymore. I’ve done the inner work, I’ve healed the emotional charge, and I now carry those experiences as wisdom, not wounds. That’s what I want others to know too.

One of the most powerful truths I’ve learnt — and now live by — is this: trauma minus the emotion equals wisdom. When we release the emotion that’s attached to our pain, what’s left is strength, clarity, and insight.

That’s what drives everything I do — whether it’s working one-to-one with clients, supporting businesses through Health Perks Ltd, or developing Tapaway®. It never feels like work — it feels like purpose. I want to help others transform their trauma, reconnect with who they really are, and realise just how powerful they’ve always been.

As a Master Trainer in EFT and Clinical Hypnotherapy, how do you integrate both neuroscience and intuition in your healing approach?

I really see healing as this beautiful blend of science and intuition. Neuroscience gives us the structure—it helps us understand how the brain and nervous system respond to trauma, stress, and emotional release. With techniques like EFT and hypnotherapy, we can literally rewire old patterns, calm the fight-or-flight response, and create real, lasting change in the body and mind.

But then there’s the intuitive side—that deep inner knowing that guides how I connect with each person. No two people are the same, and sometimes it’s not just about what’s being said, but what’s being felt. Intuition helps me tune into those unspoken layers and hold space in a really grounded, compassionate way.

What’s so exciting now is that science is finally catching up to what many of us have always sensed—those more subtle, spiritual aspects of healing are starting to be measurable.  Before the microscope was invented, the idea that there could be microscopic matter naked to the visible eye would have seemed ridiculous, but this was only because we didn’t have the technology to measure it.  As science progresses, we are more and more able to prove what is unseen and it’s exciting to see where this will take us in the future! I love the work of Gregg Braden for this reason. He bridges that gap so beautifully, showing how ancient wisdom and spiritual principles actually align with modern science. It’s not either/or anymore. We can now back up what we once couldn’t see, and that’s incredibly empowering—for both practitioners and clients.

As a trainer and mentor to fellow therapists, how do you cultivate leadership and emotional resilience in the next generation of healing professionals?

For me, it is really about helping them connect deeply to who they are—not just what they know. Leadership in this field isn’t about having it all figured out. It’s about showing up with authenticity, emotional presence, and the courage to keep evolving.

One of the biggest things I emphasize is the importance of doing your own inner work. We can only take someone as far as we’ve gone ourselves. So if we want to hold space for deep transformation in others, we have to be willing to keep learning, healing, and growing too. It’s not optional—it’s part of the job.

That’s how we build real emotional resilience. Not by pushing through or pretending we’re unaffected, but by having the tools, the self-awareness, and the support to move through our own stuff with grace. I teach my students to use EFT, self-hypnosis, and nervous system regulation for themselves—not just their clients. Because when we’re grounded and aligned, we lead from a place of empathy, not ego.

Ultimately, I want to see them become practitioners who walk the talk. Who can hold space for others because they’ve learned how to hold space for themselves. That’s the kind of leadership that really creates impact—and lasting change.

Your work blends science with spirituality. How do you help clients, especially those from high-performance or corporate environments, embrace the spiritual side of healing?

That’s such a great question, because a lot of my clients come from high-performance, corporate environments where everything is driven by logic, results, and strategy. So when we start talking about things like energy, intuition, or spirituality, it can be unfamiliar terrain for them.

Luckily, I’ve always had a strong sense of people—I’m very intuitive and I usually get it right. I can quickly sense where someone’s at emotionally and energetically, and that helps me tailor how I introduce the more spiritual side of healing. I don’t push—it’s all about timing, trust, and meeting people where they are.

I often explain it using my pistachio nut metaphor. In any group—whether it’s a corporate office or a room full of clients—you’ll find three kinds of people. First, there are the nuts that are already open—those people are spiritually curious or already doing the inner work. They’re easy to connect with on that level, no convincing needed. Then you’ve got the half-open ones—they’re intrigued, maybe a little skeptical, but something in them is curious. Those are my favourite to work with. I love gently prising them open with science-backed tools, deep listening, and a bit of soul. And then, of course, there are the fully closed nuts—the ones with shells fused shut. I’ve learned not to waste energy trying to crack those open. It’s like trying to open one of those tough pistachios with your teeth—painful and not worth it when the rest of the bag is full of open or nearly-open ones!

What often helps the “half-open” ones shift is starting with science. I explain how EFT calms the amygdala, how hypnotherapy rewires the subconscious, how stress literally imprints on the body. That creates trust and safety. Then, as they start to feel something shift—something they can’t quite explain but know is real—that’s when their shell starts to loosen. That’s when I gently bring in the deeper layers: the intuition, the energy, the inner wisdom.

I also love sharing the work of people like Gregg Braden and Dr Joe Dispenza because they bridge the gap beautifully between science and spirituality. It gives people permission to believe in something bigger than themselves—and feel like they’re still standing on solid ground.

In the end, it’s not about forcing belief—it’s about creating an experience that’s undeniable. And once they feel that shift, they’re not just curious—they’re ready.

You work closely with high-performing women. What are some common emotional challenges they face, and how does your work help them overcome these silently carried burdens?

So many high-performing women I work with are carrying emotional burdens that no one sees. On the outside, they’re doing amazing — juggling careers, family, responsibilities — but under the surface, there’s often a build-up of pressure, perfectionism, and past experiences that haven’t been dealt with.

A lot of them have buried trauma, sometimes from years ago, sometimes more recent — and because they’ve never really had the space or support to process it, it starts showing up in other ways. Emotional overwhelm, sudden outbursts, struggles in their relationships with their partner or kids, a sense of not feeling in control of their reactions. They’ll often say, “This isn’t me,” but they don’t know how to shift it.

That’s where I come in. Through gentle but powerful approaches like EFT, hypnotherapy, and deeper emotional inner child work, I help them uncover and release what they’ve been holding onto — sometimes for decades. When that trauma is finally acknowledged and released, they often feel lighter, calmer, and more connected to themselves and the people around them.

The benefits are huge — more emotional freedom, deeper relationships, better sleep, improved focus, and a real sense of inner peace. They go from just coping to truly thriving.

Mental wellbeing in the workplace is more important than ever. What are the biggest mindset shifts companies must make to truly support their teams?

Mental wellbeing in the workplace has never been more important, but truly supporting it means shifting the mindset around what that actually looks like.

Yes, most companies are aware of their legal obligation to protect mental health. But there’s also a moral one. We spend nearly half our lives at work — that’s over 40,000 hours across a typical career — yet for so many people, work is the place they feel least comfortable being honest about how they’re really doing.

And that silence comes at a cost. Companies lose brilliant people to burnout, prolonged stress, or emotional struggles that could have been prevented with the right support in place. 

Employees end up suffering in silence, sometimes even losing their jobs — not because they’re not capable, but because they didn’t feel safe enough to speak up.

Through my company Health Perks I am on a mission to change that. We help businesses go beyond tick-box policies and create cultures that are genuinely trauma-informed, emotionally intelligent, and — where appropriate — spiritually aware.

This means meeting people where they are. Sometimes that looks like one-to-one therapy or EFT sessions for employees in crisis. Other times it’s leadership training that helps managers spot the signs of emotional dysregulation before it turns into burnout. And sometimes it’s something a little different — like a sound bath in the boardroom — giving teams the space to pause, reset, and reconnect with themselves on a deeper level.

Mental wellbeing isn’t just about preventing problems — it’s about helping people thrive. When employees feel safe, supported, and seen as whole people (not just job titles), the ripple effects are powerful: better communication, more creativity, stronger teams, and less attrition.

Tapaway is such an innovative concept. What was the spark behind creating this app, and how do you envision it transforming the emotional health landscape globally?

Tapaway® really is a heart-led project, and while it’s still a work in progress, it’s something I’m incredibly passionate about. The idea came from years of working with people who were doing all the right things — therapy, coaching, personal development — but still feeling emotionally stuck.

So many people talk about manifestation and creating the life they want, but what often blocks that process is unresolved trauma. You can visualise and affirm all day long, but if your nervous system is dysregulated or your subconscious is still holding onto pain, it’s like trying to run with the handbrake on.

That’s why Tapaway® was born — to offer a practical, accessible way to support emotional healing and personal growth. The app has a two-tier approach: Tapaway Blocks help release trapped emotions and trauma, and Tappermations™ (tapping with affirmations) help rewire the mind for what you do want — confidence, clarity, peace, success.

I’m currently developing Tapaway® in collaboration with a UK university, who will also be conducting clinical research to support the app’s efficacy. Long term, I’d love to see it become part of the NHS mental health offering — giving people across the UK access to effective, empowering tools that help them feel better fast.

This is about making emotional wellbeing simple, accessible, and truly transformative — one tap at a time.

Looking ahead, what legacy do you hope to leave through your healing work, your app, and the lives you touch? 

Looking ahead, I hope the legacy I leave is one of real healing. Not just symptom management, but deep, lasting change — the kind that shifts how people see themselves, their lives, and what’s possible for them.

Through my one-to-one work, my training, and Tapaway®, I want to help people realise that they don’t have to stay stuck in their pain, their past, or their patterns. That healing is possible — and not just for the few, but for everyone.

I hope to change the conversation around mental and emotional health — making it more trauma-informed, more spiritually aware, and much more compassionate. And I want to make tools like EFT and tapping as mainstream as meditation and yoga — not just something people do when they’re in crisis, but part of everyday emotional hygiene.

With Tapaway®, my vision is global. I want to see it in people’s pockets, in workplaces, in schools, and eventually in the NHS — giving people the tools to feel better fast, wherever they are, without waiting lists or stigma.

Ultimately, I want to be remembered for helping people come home to themselves — lighter, freer, and more connected. If I can leave behind a world with a little more emotional safety, self-awareness, and self-love, I’ll know I’ve done my job.