By Ali Naafiz and Mariyam Saliya Mohamed
Josephine Njenga’s career path reflects both a personal calling and a professional evolution in the field of holistic wellbeing. Today, as a Wellbeing Trainer at JOALI BEING in the Maldives, she plays a central role in shaping the island’s approach to integrated healing and transformative guest experiences.
Her journey began in modern medicine, where she studied for five years before making the decision to take a different direction. “I studied medicine for six years and then I left the industry because I wanted something different,” she recalls. “I did not join the one year for housemanship. On the verge of Joining, I decided I would rather help people to heal naturally through their own body healing itself.” This decision led her to a six-month retreat at the Osho Academy in Pune, India, where she explored alternative healing approaches and rediscovered a family lineage of natural medicine. “My grandfather, who graduated in medicine in Scotland UK, also left the field to follow natural remedies. I felt I was returning to that path.”
Her pursuit of knowledge then took her to South Africa and beyond, building on her foundation in human anatomy to expand her skills in holistic practices. Her career has since spanned Kenya, Seychelles, the UAE, Zanzibar, Monaco, the Caribbean, and the Maldives. She is also a sitting member of the African Wellness Initiative, founded by the Global Wellness Institute. Where she will be a speaker in the upcoming African Wellness Summit in October.
At JOALI BEING, Josephine brings together two distinct roles: Holistic Wellbeing Specialist and Wellness Programme Architect. “We don’t just offer spa treatments — we create transformative journeys,” she explains. “As a Holistic Wellbeing Specialist, I attune to each guest’s emotional, spiritual, and energetic needs. As a Programme Architect, I translate those insights into personalised experiences rooted in our Four Pillars: Mind, Microbiome, Skin, and Energy. Every element — from movement and nutrition to sound, heat, and water — is layered with purpose. We’re not aiming for a quick fix; we guide guests toward lasting shifts in how they live and feel.”
Her approach blends traditional healing arts such as Reiki and Shamanic Rituals with modern practices like medical intuition. “Every guest brings a unique story. Through in-depth consultation and intuitive reading of the body, I sense where energy may be blocked or misaligned. Ancient practices help access the subconscious and ancestral layers, while medical intuition provides a grounded map. I may pair Watsu for emotional release with gut treatments like Chi Nei Tsang or combine somatic breathwork with movement.” For her, the objective is not simply to treat symptoms but to address root imbalances.
Central to this philosophy are JOALI BEING’s Four Pillars, which Josephine and her team use to structure personalised programmes. She gives an example of a guest arriving for a 14-day stay. “We begin with a pre-arrival call to understand how they’re feeling and the main focus of their visit. On arrival, they have an Integrative Lifestyle Assessment within the first few hours. This becomes our compass, guiding us to identify which of the Four Pillars requires the most focus.” For a guest experiencing chronic stress, digestive issues, and skin flare-ups, the programme might include sound therapy and yoga to clear the mind, abdominal massage and microbiome treatments for gut health, Turkish Hammam rituals for the skin, and Reiki or Thai massage for energy realignment.
Josephine sees no conflict between the spiritual aspects of her work and the commercial goals of the property. “True healing generates value — emotionally for the guest, and financially for the brand. When a guest feels seen, held, and transformed, they return. They extend their stay, they bring others, they recommend us. For me, spirituality is not separate from prosperity; it’s part of it. By designing high-impact, high-retention programmes and mentoring therapists to deliver excellence, we naturally create a ripple effect that benefits the business.”
Mentorship, in fact, is a recurring theme in Josephine’s career. Having progressed from practitioner to trainer over her four years at JOALI BEING, she now places strong emphasis on guiding and empowering others. “Mentorship is my way of paying forward the wisdom of women who came before me and believed in me when I doubted myself. I create safe spaces for women to be seen — not just for their skills, but for their stories, intuition, and resilience. I empower by reminding them they are already enough, and by giving them tools to amplify their light, both technically and spiritually.”
Her international career has not been without challenges. Moving between countries meant adapting to new cultures, proving herself in unfamiliar spaces, and at times feeling far from home. She credits her Kenyan roots for keeping her grounded. “My journey in wellness began in Kenya, surrounded by a culture that values community, connection to the land, and the healing wisdom of our ancestors. What kept me going was staying rooted in who I am, carrying my values like a compass.” Her advice to women pursuing international careers is to embrace their uniqueness. “Your roots, your stories — they are not something to hide. They’re your superpower.”
Josephine has been recognised with awards such as ‘Most Requested Therapist’ and ‘Employee of the Month’, and nominated as Wellness Personality of the Year in Maldives in earlier roles – achievements she attributes to presence and authenticity. “When a guest is with me, they are the only person in my world. I listen beyond words — to their body, their silence, their energy. I offer authenticity, not performance. I don’t treat guests; I journey with them. I hold space for them and allow them to feel safe, seen, and heard.”
With nearly two decades of experience, Josephine has observed significant changes in the expectations of wellness travellers. “Guests today are no longer looking for pampering — they’re seeking something deeper and more authentic, a true search for meaning. The trend has shifted from temporary relief to deep reconnection. People want answers, not just solutions. They want to cry, breathe, detox, and release, they want purpose. They’re more open to ancestral healing, spiritual practices, and somatic work than ever before.”
Her wide range of certifications — from The Taiwanese Reflexology, Master Integrative Somatic Practitioner Certification, Chi Nei Tsang Practitioner to Watsu, Mediation and Mindfulness Teacher and Ancient Egyptian Reiki — supports her practice, but she notes that qualifications are only part of the journey. “Two stand out as most transformative: Master integrative Somatic Practitioner and Watsu. They taught me how to hold without words, and how the weightlessness of water can invite someone into complete surrender. But my deepest capacity to heal hasn’t come from any qualification. It comes from the path I’ve walked, the pain I’ve endured, the silences I’ve honoured, and the ancestral wisdom that lives within me.”
She also holds a core belief that every person has innate healing potential. “I never force healing. I invite it. Whether they believe in energy or not, I let their experience be the teacher. When they feel safe, they open. And when they open, they remember that healing was always inside them. I’m just a mirror.”
For those aspiring to a career in wellness, her advice emphasises inner work over credentials. “The most sustainable and fulfilling career in wellness isn’t built on collecting certificates — it’s built on cultivating presence. Learn the tools, yes, but also do the inner work. Walk through your own shadows, sit in your own silences, and learn to hold space for yourself before you try to hold it for others.”
Josephine sees JOALI BEING positioned as more than a destination. “My vision is to live and breathe JOALI BEING’s core concept every day — deepening our reputation as a sanctuary of vibrancy and transformation. Not just a place of escape, but a true return to self. I envision us becoming a global reference point for integrated, conscious healing where modern science meets ancient wisdom. For me, evolution is a collective journey — when we grow, we grow together. We elevate the whole.”
