Aqua therapy saved this anorexia sufferer who once had a 30% chance to live - now she helps others with it

At 19, Malissa Sander was diagnosed with anorexia and severe depression. While in university in the United States, she had exercised until she tore her ankle tendon and then, in the absence of exercise, restricted her diet to the point that her body fell apart.

She was hospitalised after she collapsed. With her health in dire condition and only days to live, she saw a counsellor, who said, “Don’t waste your life away – you only have one life to live.”

That made her decide to drop out of university and return home to Singapore to begin her healing journey.

HER EATING DISORDER WAS UNDIAGNOSED FOR YEARS

Growing up in Singapore with her expat family since her teens, Sander said she had a dysfunctional childhood. Despite a seemingly privileged environment, her home life was “unstable, with physical, emotional and verbal abuse from an alcoholic parent”.  

At United World College where she studied, she found the only two things she could control were food and her grades. “I didn’t know at the time but I was weighing myself up to 20 times a day, restricting my meals.

“I even drew lines on my stomach with a marker of how I wanted my body to be. Simultaneously, I was studying all the time and anything less than an A would send me into bouts of distress.”

Her eating disorder went undiagnosed and after graduation in 1998, Sander was so ill she had to take a year off from her studies. “I was so weak, I barely made it out of bed and was always tired. My depression and social anxiety were in full swing.”

In spite of that, she enrolled in university in the US and started the next year. At first, it seemed to suit her. Then, her old habits kicked in and she started over-exercising again, leading to the torn ankle tendon and her anorexia diagnosis.

Sander told CNA Women: “That counsellor changed my life. When she told me I had only one life to live – I decided I wanted to live it to the fullest.”

GETTING HELP FOR HER ANOREXIA

After cutting short her studies and returning to Singapore, Sander found herself still weak. Even walking 20 metres was challenging, and painful.

A relative stepped in and found a recovery hospital for eating disorders in Sydney, Australia. In 2001, Sander moved there.

The initial programme which the hospital prescribed was intense: Sander had to be monitored 24/7. The hospital tracked all her meals and she also had to work with a physical therapist and a psychologist. Because she was determined to reclaim her life, Sander made progress.

After two intense weeks in the hospital programme, seeing her desire to recover, the hospital assessed that she was stable enough to continue her therapy at home. She was required her to see her assigned psychologist twice-weekly, submit a food diary and start a physical regime of strength training and aqua rehabilitation.

AQUA THERAPY SAVED HER LIFE

The physical recovery took two years but according to Sander, her healing is a work in progress. “It took me two years to get back on my feet – literally. I woke up every morning, anxious and scared but I kept telling myself, ‘Just get through one more day. One more day.’”

She had to re-learn how to eat, walk and to trust her body to move and her own instincts.

What helped her greatly was aqua therapy. “Aqua therapy is not just an exercise medium for senior citizens. It can be the most effective and safe form of exercise for athletes, children, or even people in recovery – like me.”

She added that for people suffering from a physical injury, moving in the water helps with flexibility and mobility, plus it also provides the benefits of cardiovascular and strength training without heavy impact on joints.

Exercising in the water helps with bearing one’s weight. The buoyancy of the water increases flexibility without the impact on joints and allows one to perform exercises which may be difficult to do when on land.

“The mind-body connection when exercising in the water is powerful. When performed correctly and efficiently, you feel the power of movement in the water.

“One can leave the session feeling like they have activated their muscles, or like they have lengthened their bodies (improved posture), feel invigorated and even mentally stronger,” added the 44-year-old. “That’s exactly what I felt after each session.”

HOPING TO HELP MORE PEOPLE WITH HER AQUA TULA METHOD

In Sydney, Sander recovered enough to live a normal life. As part of her passion for her recovery, she picked up several certifications in fitness and wellness.

Sander got her NASM personal training certification and used that as a foundation to attain other certifications such as pre- and post-natal fitness, Total Resistance System (TRX), functional training, movement training and Trigger Point therapy, and finally, her Aqua Instructor International Certification from the Federation of International Sports, Aerobics, and Fitness (FISAF).

Sanders spent almost three years in recovery and returned to university, graduating with a degree in art history from the University of Sydney.

She moved to Hong Kong in 2006 where she worked in several industries, trying her hand at an art gallery, and even a brief stint in real estate. She then met her husband, and had children while moving between Hong Kong, Singapore and Bangkok.

It was only when she suffered post-partum depression after her second pregnancy, that she turned to the water to heal herself again.

She had searched but couldn’t find a guide for women who needed pre- and post-natal support, especially in the post-partum stage, when building up one’s core and strength was critical.  

Using the techniques she learned all those years ago, Sander developed her Aqua Tula method when she returned to Singapore from Bangkok. This culminated in her starting her aqua therapy training company Aqua Tula, in 2019.

Tula means balance in Sanskrit and Sander found both resonance and relevance in using this word – especially after her experiences. “Coming from extreme coping mechanisms in my younger years, I believe in moderation for everything,” she said.

“After post-partum depression following an emergency C-section, it was the water and the methods that I use today in my classes that brought me back to life,” she said.

Her Aqua Tula method incorporates countless sequences and routines, and uses nine types of equipment in the pool to engage different muscles in the body. Classes can be customised for different ages and conditions. She has even conducted classes for children with learning disabilities to help them connect with their neural pathways and encourage movement.

Today, the mother of two has trained over 250 clients of all ages in Singapore. “When I started five years ago, I was not sure if this new way of fitness or such techniques would be accepted. But my classes and clients show me otherwise.”

She shares a story of a client who had brain cancer. The left side of his brain was removed and as a result, he was unable to move the left side of his body properly. 

“By training him in the water, using my Aqua Tula methodology, and creating safety in the water, he was unafraid to exercise in the pool. Without the fear of falling or getting injured, the man was able to exercise freely.

“Today, more than four months later, he is starting to use the left side of his body in a reconnected way – doing things he was not able to before.”  

Another client has had two spinal surgeries and a knee replacement surgery. “This was not just a case of strengthening and rebuilding her ability to move, it was also a case for her mental health,” said Sander.

“Some sessions, she would show up demotivated and depressed. The transformation during that hour-long class is nothing short of magical. She leaves with smiles and laughter and is ready to take on that day,” said Sander proudly.

“I am reminded every single day of the power of movement and exercise – in particular, the benefits of exercising in the water. I am alive because of it and I hope to share this with more people.”

FULL CIRCLE – WHAT SHE HAS LEARNED

Last year, Sander celebrated 20 years since she got her health back after anorexia. She is determined to never allow herself to go back to that dark place again. “I won’t allow that darkness to rob me of the joy from things that I love: Dancing, sports and just living my life.”

She added that working on her physical strength and mental clarity has brought a sense of calm, which helps her overcome her past and any potential triggers.

Her biggest takeaway: “You have to live in the now because you only have today.”

What would she tell her younger self? “I would tell her to less hard on herself because she did the best she could, given the cards she was dealt with. Also, not to worry so much when she couldn’t find her path in those years post-recovery. Because one day it would all make sense.

“I never imagined my life to come full circle after taking my first aqua therapy session 20 years ago. Today I get to share my story and use what healed me to help others in their journey of healing and rebuilding strength.”