Before memory, before language, before culture—we floated in the womb. Water was our first home. This is the current that unites us all.
Water has profound abilities to heal, renew and transform. Just as the rain washes dust from the air and debris from our homes, water can cleanse and restore our bodies, minds and souls. To enter the water with intention is to allow yourself to be washed anew: lightened, purified and reset. And yet, in our fast-paced culture, our connection to water—and to ourselves—often fades.
Stress, grief, PTSD and uncertainty collect in the body like sediment. Muscles tighten, the nervous system frays, the mind loops in worry. Many of us carry unseen burdens—trauma, anxiety or the heaviness of transition—while others simply long for rest.
Enter Water Healing, a therapeutic modality that allows the body, mind and spirit to be held, reset and renewed. Doug Akin is a facilitator of this transformational work, guiding Water Healing Group Experiences and Water Rebirthing Ceremonies.
Prior to this spiritual focus, Akin grew up in New York City and helped build one of the first social media agencies in the U.S., pioneering how brands communicated in the digital age. After years of guiding companies online, he now guides people inward—toward healing, renewal and connection to self. He studied with Indigenous teachers across Bali, Peru, Jamaica, Mexico, Africa and the U.S., exploring spiritual practices, shamanic lineages and healing modalities.
“In my travels, I’ve encountered holistic practices that support body, mind and spirit. Yet when people are sick, they often don’t know these remedies exist,” says Akin. “I feel called to bring them forward, because so much wisdom remains overlooked.”
It was during these travels, in the lagoon waters of Tulum, Mexico, that Akin experienced his first Water Rebirthing Ceremony. Guided through the session, he felt truly held—cradled, supported, embraced. A wave of calm moved through him, an unmistakable sense of coming home.
In Water Rebirthing Ceremonies, participants are held in a womb-like state: weightless, safe, deeply supported. Yet the experience is also dynamic and freeing, moving the body into flow states that allow deep release. Akin works with entrepreneurs, high-profile performers, those grieving or in transition, expectant mothers, and people healing from PTSD, near-death drowning and fear of water.
“At six months pregnant, my session with Doug was incredibly soothing—like being back in the womb,” wrote Jade, an artist and expectant mother.
Observe a river or the ocean—it never holds on. Water is always shifting, moving, transforming. Yet humans often cling to stories, traumas or identities that weigh them down. Doug invites his clients to release what no longer serves them, to let their bodies somatically experience the truth that they too can flow, renew and move freely.
Science supports this ancient knowing. Clinical studies on Watsu—the most recognized aquatic therapy—show significant reductions in cortisol and relief from anxiety, depression, PTSD, and even conditions like Parkinson’s.
Akin’s Water Healing builds on this lineage while adding ceremony, earth connection and guided surrender. Psychiatrist and author Anna Yusim, M.D. calls Akin “truly gifted in his craft,” adding, “His healings helped to rewire my mind, body and spirit.”
Today, Akin offers Water Rebirthing Ceremonies in New York, Los Angeles and the Hamptons, with seasonal residencies in Mexico and Jamaica. He has also guided ceremonies in Miami and Costa Rica, and brings his work into corporate wellness programs, and conferences such as Summit at Sea and luxury boutique resorts that include GoldenEye in Jamaica.
“As adults, we’re rarely given the chance to float as we once did in the womb,” notes Akin. “That simple act of surrender inspires me, and makes me wonder what else lies waiting to be remembered.” @iamdougakin on Instagram; awakin.life