Somatic breathwork facilitator, retreat leader, and neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) coach Doris Au-Yeung (@doris.ay) has lived several lifetimes in one.
After almost two decades in high finance, the former Wall Street and Hong Kong finance executive traded busy boardrooms for Bali — a move she describes as coming home. Now based on the island full-time, Doris runs transformative retreats, works one-on-one with clients, and builds wellness communities through breathwork, somatic healing, and a healthy dose of business acumen.
Earlier this year, she also checked into Intuition Niseko, trading Bali’s tropical scene for the powder slopes of Niseko, for a long-overdue snowboarding reunion with the mountain she first fell in love with almost two decades ago.
We caught up with Doris to talk about the leap from Wall Street to wellness, her love affair with Niseko, and what it takes to stop performing your life and finally start living it.
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You spent 18 years in finance in New York and Hong Kong before moving to Bali. What was the turning point, and what made you decide to settle in Bali?
Ah, this is such a long story and I’ll try to keep it brief. I moved to Hong Kong in 2009, and I finally got a chance to step into the island’s magic that year, and I knew right then and there that I had this deep, deep connection to the island that is simply unexplainable. I couldn’t pinpoint what it was — just a specific energy that I was drawn to. It instantly felt like home, and from that trip onwards I would make trips to Bali for months at a time, to teach, to be, and to immerse myself. It’s been a love affair for years. I knew I wanted to move here and always thought it would be a dream.
In 2022, after mustering up the courage to leave finance and a very comfortable five-year relationship, I made the leap. The turning point? Loss of a few loved ones, and almost the cost of my own life, made me realize life is short and that it was time. I didn’t have to live small, or afraid. I could build something I actually wanted, and feel whole doing it. It’s now or never. So at 42, I packed my bags and made yet another life transition, starting new on an island and since then, it’s been home.
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What does your own daily wellness practice actually look like?
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My ideal day and my actual day aren’t always the same — I’m human! I try my best, but we slip from time to time, and that’s okay! On a good day, I wake up without the alarm, stay in bed a little longer to feel what I’m grateful for and feel into what I want the day to be like.
Meditating with Joe Dispenza. Warm lemon water, oil pulling, daily vitamins. A physical or breath practice (if not with Joe), ending the day with a skincare routine — anti-aging at its finest, especially at 45! And journaling for reflection, if I didn’t do it in the morning.
I love to add morning sunrise walks too. I’m 10 minutes from the beach so I have no excuse! And maybe surfing… I’ve been saying that for years. I have friends here who will call me out.
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Your work spans yoga, somatic breathwork, NLP coaching, retreats, and wellness consulting and community building. How do you figure out what someone needs?
People ask me how I get all of this done and always say I do so much! I love it all, and not one thing covers everything. In life, we have to not only be physically healthy but also emotionally, mentally, and even spiritually well, especially if you have a life to run: a business, kids, a partner, aging parents. So, in order to really be well, we need to look at all the facets of what makes us well.
For my clients and retreats, I usually start with the breath to release, then I use NLP for the rewriting and rewiring at the subconscious level. What do you do after? Integrate, and then take the learnings and do something with it. But the real work is the parts of yourself you’ve learned to suppress: the voice you swallow, the wants you talk yourself out of, the truth you perform around. When that releases, you don’t just get unstuck — you come home to who you actually are. That’s what my retreats are for, really. It’s the same work, but immersive, away from your routine and your roles, where the shifts go deeper and actually stick.
As for the business consulting part: 18 years in finance, an MBA from Chicago Booth, and a track record of helping wellness businesses grow real community — not just numbers. That became more of a word-of-mouth business, and I’m grateful for it all. I love business, I love combining all my passions. And really, one piece of advice I can give is that no experience ever gets wasted.
Bali has become a global wellness capital. What does the island offer that keeps drawing people seeking healing?
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Energy. So woo, I know. Bali offers connection, beauty, lush landscapes, the kindest people you’d ever meet, and a huge — I mean huge — range of practices: fitness, recovery, wellness, more than any island I know. The island is healing. You heal just by being here, especially if you’ve been running on empty for a while. But also, if your energy doesn’t belong here, Mama Bali will let you know. Not joking. As much as you choose Bali, Bali chooses you too.
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Where are your go-to spots in Bali for when you need to reset?
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Sunset on the cliffs of Uluwatu. Nusa Penida to swim with the manta rays. And of course, on my mat, moving and breathing.
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You also stayed at Intuition Niseko this January for a snowboarding holiday — a big change from Bali. What drew you to Niseko in winter?
Photo Credits | Doris Au-Yeung
Niseko is another love affair. I started snowboarding in Niseko in 2010 and went every year until Covid. January was my first trip since 2019. It brought back all the memories — namely my last trip before then, some memorable times with a bestie who is no longer here with us. So, to answer the question: I’d been working so, so much in Bali that I forgot my version of fun. I just wanted to have fun and Niseko was exactly that. I was a big child amongst the powder snow and the trees, playing like a kid again.
And Intuition made it effortless. It sits right at the bottom of one of the most popular slopes, so getting in and out was a breeze. The service was next level: a private car to shuttle me to whichever gondola I wanted or to dinner, plus help booking the best restaurants. The breakfasts were beautiful, and after a long day in the snow, sinking into the onsen was everything. Ski-in, ski-out, fully taken care of — it supported my whole fun mission.
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Any standout spots in Niseko — restaurants, ski runs, or hidden corners — that stayed with you?
Unfortunately, some of the OG spots closed, which I was pretty bummed about, but I was happy to hear that Bang Bang was still open. We got really lucky that first night — it usually takes months to book, but with a little luck and help from the team at Intuition, we scored a spot at the bar for the evening. For ski spots: Hanazono and Strawberry Fields for the win. Stay away from the Holiday run, especially if you struggle like I do on flat runs!
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Niseko and Bali attract very different travellers, but both have a distinctly magnetic pull. Do you see any connection between the two from a wellness perspective?
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Wellness is such a broad category. Having fun, tapping into joy, and enjoying the finest pleasures of life is also wellness. My dream is to spend winter in Niseko and the rest of the year in Bali — it’ll make my wellness routine quite holistic, don’t you think? People forget that joy is medicine, too. Bali is my exhale; Niseko is my play. And honestly, a life that holds both is the most “well” I’ve ever been.
Do you find that travel accelerates or disrupts the process of healing and transformation?
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It disrupts a routine, for sure, but it absolutely accelerates healing and learning too. Don’t get me wrong: an MBA is incredible, and healing in Bali is magical. Those things shaped me. But honestly? Travel is the ultimate teacher. Nothing gives you knowledge, real experience, and a deeper immersion into culture quite like putting yourself somewhere new and actually living it.
I was in Mexico recently for Dr Joe Dispenza — life-changing, by the way — then integrated in Oaxaca, where I immersed myself in the culture and indigenous healing practices. Every single time I travel, my world opens up in profound ways: mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
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Finally, what destinations are on your radar for your next retreat or personal reset?
I have some really unique spots I want to take my community to in 2027 that have been a dream for many, many years. Logistically, it’s been a little challenging, especially with the world right now, so I’m hoping 2027 is the time.
But you don’t have to wait for 2027, or a far-flung destination, to do this work with me. It happens quietly, all year, wherever I am. So, if you’re feeling stuck, or like you’re not quite living as yourself, that’s exactly the work I love most. The retreats are just the big, beautiful exclamation points.
Life is too short to not do things that excite you and be with people who inspire you. Let’s go!
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