Our story.
Our roots
Our story really begins with both a deep dissatisfaction and a seed of hope. Throughout founder Rachel Colla’s career there has been a constant thread of asking the question ‘how can we create the conditions for thriving?’ When this was asked during her career as a psychologist in the early 2000s, too often the answer was more around how we treat symptoms. When this was asked during her career as a senior leader in organisations, too often the answer was focused on ‘the business needs must come first’. And yet that seed of hope continued to grow, fuelled now by a significant body of scientific evidence that has demonstrated that creating the conditions for thriving serves not just individuals and organisations, but also the communities they serve. This seed of hope continues to flourish as we celebrate the work that so many of our clients have brought to life in building a thriving culture that enables both/and - wellbeing, healing and performance. As Victor Hugo, one of the worlds’ greatest storytellers, famously noted ”there’s nothing so powerful as an idea whose time has come.”
What’s in a word?
So when it came to naming our purpose driven business, it was imperative that this represented the essence of what we are about. After much searching (ie. our kids searching cool words in other languages in Tumblr…..ah remember Tumblr?!), we struck upon Merakai – from the Greek word meaning to pour your creativity, your love, your soul into your work so that it becomes an expression of you. This spoke to the heart of the meaning and purpose that sits behind our work. We not only strive to ensure that the work we do with our community is a true expression of our highest creativity and love but we seek ways to help others connect to that source in the work they do, knowing that this leads to a meaningful contribution to the world around us.
Founder
Rachel Colla
Rachel Colla (MPsych, MAPP, PhD Candidate) has been consulting and delivering educational programs that draw on the science of wellbeing and leadership in business, education, health and sporting contexts for over two decades to assist both individuals and organisations thrive.
Prior to her work in organisational settings, Rachel worked as a psychologist in the education sector, promoting flourishing for individuals managing psychological distress and mental illness. Her work in schools is now focussed on consulting at an organisational level to create the conditions for the whole community to thrive. She is also the designer of the innovative Hope Labs approach, a curriculum that fuses systems science, wellbeing, and neuroscience of learning.
Rachel is also a Teaching Specialist, co-ordinating and teaching wellbeing and leadership programs at the University of Melbourne at both an undergraduate and postgraduate level for the Centre for Positive Psychology.
She was recently awarded a Melbourne Graduate School of Education award for outstanding achievement in teaching, skill and imagination in the design and evaluation of teaching programs.