PranaRehab
PranaRehab
Institute for Rehabilitation
and Integrative Health
Our Story
PranaRehab was conceived in 2024, following my first visit to Kyiv in over a decade where I was warmly welcomed and invited to introduce the foundational principles of Ayurveda. The sessions were met with strong interest and enthusiasm from the local community which made me realise that there was huge potential for its uptake across the whole country.
In early 2025, this work continued in Lviv, where I delivered an introductory talk on Ayurveda, Yoga, and Pranayama to a group of rehabilitation medical professionals. This led to a series of five structured sessions exploring natural and holistic healing approaches, using Ayurveda, Yoga, and therapeutic breathing techniques to support improved recovery outcomes for wounded military personnel. These sessions equipped practitioners with additional tools to enhance patient care within rehabilitation settings.
While in Lviv, I also worked with senior social workers from across Ukraine. As a result of these initiatives, I was invited to extend the programme to Odesa, working with both military rehabilitation medical professionals and social workers. In Odesa, the introductory training was followed by more specialised methods focusing on PTSD recovery, alongside an essential emphasis on the health and wellbeing of doctors, therapists, and practitioners themselves—recognising that sustainable care begins with those who provide it.
The PranaRehab programme continues to develop, with the introduction of a manual therapies course planned for pilot implementation in Odesa in early 2026. Our mission is to spread this knowledge across Ukraine by educating and empowering local teachers and practitioners, and we continue to seek new partnerships and opportunities to expand our work. - Nigel Hubbers
Meet The Team
Nigel Hubbers: Founder & Principal, PranaRehab Institute For over 20 years, I’ve dedicated my life to supporting people on their journey to recovery and wellness. As a yoga therapist, pranayama specialist, and Ayurvedic practitioner, I founded PranaRehab Institute to create a space where science, tradition, and compassion come together to help those recovering from PTSD, concussions, surgery, and chronic pain. My passion lies in empowering others—training teachers who go on to train more teachers, spreading practical, evidence-informed methods across Ukraine. I’ve had the privilege of working with medical professionals, welfare workers, and the Border Guards of Ukraine, helping bring holistic care to those who serve others. I’m always looking to connect with like-minded professionals and supporters who share the vision of making rehabilitation and integrative health accessible to all.
Dr. Maxim Riabenko: Since childhood, watching my parents, doctors, I saw no other path for myself than treating people. After graduating from medical university and military medical academy, I began to treat using "classical" medical knowledge. But later I realized that "classical" medicine does not help the way I would like to help. When I discovered non-traditional medicine, I saw new opportunities for the complete recovery of people, with minimal use of pharmacological drugs.
Dr Olexander Bilyi: I was born into a four-generation family of doctors, which shaped my interests from an early age. As a child, I was drawn to books on Eastern culture, medicine, and martial arts rather than traditional stories. Although I struggled with reading speed and frequent headaches, my curiosity prevailed, and I discovered an exceptional ability to retain what I read. At school, I developed a strong interest in mathematics, physics, and chemistry and initially planned a technical career. However, I ultimately chose medicine, where my focus expanded to broader philosophical questions about humanity and the interconnected nature of the world. My early research on universal principles was recognized at medical student conferences. During my studies, I became aware of the limitations of purely classical medical approaches, which led me to explore Eastern philosophy and medicine more deeply. I later qualified as an instructor in the kung fu style “White Dragon.” After graduating, I completed an internship in pediatric neurosurgery, won first place in the Ukrainian National Olympiad in Immunology, and participated in the European Congress of Immunologists. In 2020, prolonged stress led me to leave surgical practice. Following the full-scale invasion in 2022, I returned to medicine with a focus on rehabilitation, combining conventional medical methods with evidence-based techniques rooted in Chinese and Indian medical traditions to support effective recovery.