From Stuck to Lumenara: Co Founder's Journey
Before Lumenara was born, Dan had to walk his own path through collapse, healing, and transformation. Here's how his journey unfolded—and why he believes Lumenara can help all of us.
Everything looked fine—until it wasn’t.
The Illusion of Success
I looked like I had it all: PhD, career wins, a perfect family. But inside, I was crumbling. Every achievement moved the goalpost. Happiness was always just out of reach.
Behind the smile was a storm I couldn’t stop.
The Inner Collapse
Anxiety. Workplace Bullying. Addiction. Treatment-resistant depression. I smiled for others and suffered in silence. I was hollowing myself out to sustain an image.
It didn’t begin with a breakthrough. It began with a choice.
The Turning Point
On October 12, 2023, everything changed. I made a quiet commitment: I would put well-being first—no matter what. Not someday. Now.
Breath by breath, step by step—I rebuilt from within.
The Rebuild
I devoured the research, experimented with tools, and reconnected with my breath. Slowly, the fog lifted—and I found not just clarity, but purpose.
What I Discovered
Want the full story?
Dan's personal journey from burnout to breakthrough sparked the creation of Lumenara. Read the real story behind the movement—and discover what inspired our mission to help others reset, reconnect, and begin again.
What Is Lumenara?
Lumenara (n.): A space for insight, growth, and emotional renewal—where awareness meets action, and people reconnect with what matters most.
Lumenara is more than a name—it’s a philosophy. Rooted in the word lumen (light) and ara (a sacred space or altar), Lumenara represents a sanctuary for growth, reflection, and transformation—designed to help people care for themselves, so they can more fully care for others, both at work and in life.
We built lumenara to help people take care of themselves, so they can take care of others—at work, and in life.
Journals & Reflections
It began with scribbled notes and quiet questions—a search for healing, truth, and a better way to live.
SPARK, Aria & ShiftX
From insight came tools: a wellbeing assessment, an AI-powered coach, and a platform for real-time support.
The Platform
Built for individuals and teams, Lumenara delivers microlearning, coaching, and a system for sustainable growth.
A Team Rooted in Experience, Purpose & Practice
Lumenara is built by people who’ve lived what they teach—and who bring together decades of experience across product design, psychology, philosophy, coaching, software development, and behavioural science.
Our team includes psychologists, technologists, human-centred designers, educators, and coaches. We draw from both Eastern and Western traditions, combining clinical insight with contemplative wisdom, behavioural science with real-world empathy. Rooted in science, made for real-world application.
We’re headquartered in Melbourne, first prototyped in Echuca, and connected to collaborators across the globe—from California to Norway, from Asia to the Middle East. Our work spans enterprise platforms, grassroots coaching, and transformative digital tools. We’ve delivered experiences that serve people across industries, backgrounds, and belief systems—including inside the institutions that need change the most.
We’ve supported people inside some of the world’s most recognised organisations—across health, finance, tech, government, and human services:
- Global brands like Microsoft, Heineken, Citi, Tiffany & Co., Moët Hennessy, Estée Lauder, and Standard Chartered
- Tech & innovation leaders like Accenture, Dell, IPG Mediabrands, RingCentral, Discovery Communications, Hitachi, VF Corporation, and McCann Worldgroup
- Healthcare systems including Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Advocate Aurora Health, Ohio Health, Medibank, and the Department of Health (VIC & QLD)
- Financial institutions such as National Australia Bank (NAB), Bendigo & Adelaide Bank, and Kaplan
- Transport & infrastructure including Queensland Rail, Goodyear, John Holland, and the Australian Tourism Office
- Retail & food groups like 7-Eleven, Ahold Delhaize, Food Lion, George Weston Foods, and Lion
- Education & research including IQVIA, Kaplan, and Microsoft education partnerships
At Lumenara, we believe in using technology for good—to support self-awareness, self-kindness, and systems that work better for real humans. Our work is born from lived experience and driven by one goal: helping people reconnect with what matters, so they can help and support others along the way.
Contact Us
We're building something special. Lumenara brings emotional intelligence, science-backed tools, and compassionate technology together to support the moments that matter most.
