Hania Taduran 

Founder 

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Hania Taduran is the founder of Breaking Barriers, a nonprofit organization dedicated to redefining the narrative around mental health in athletics. A former Division I beach volleyball player and current graduate student in Marriage and Family Therapy, Hania’s mission is rooted in personal experience and the belief that no athlete should feel alone in their struggle.

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At just six years old, Hania lost her father to suicide. Years later, during high school, she faced another devastating loss when her therapist, a trusted mentor, also died by suicide. Navigating grief while balancing the intense demands of competitive athletics, she struggled with performance anxiety, depression, and a deep loss of identity. But in her early college years, she made a powerful decision: to heal her mental health with the same commitment she gave to her physical training.

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Through journaling, self-reflection, and education, Hania began to rebuild from within, learning to honor her past without being defined by it. In 2020, she founded a campus mental health club at the University of the Pacific, which became the foundation for Breaking Barriers. The organization has since grown into a national movement advocating for athlete mental health, awareness, and empowerment. Hania is not just the founder of Breaking Barriers: she is an advocate, speaker, and passionate mission-driven leader committed to making mental health a priority in the athletic world. Her work is about more than just creating awareness, it’s about sparking transformation and opening doors for others to speak up. She has spoken at numerous events, sharing her story and empowering athletes to confront their mental health challenges with strength and vulnerability.

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Hania created Breaking Barriers to be the safe space she once needed, a place where athletes can speak openly, be vulnerable, and feel understood. Every story shared, every stigma challenged, is a step toward change. For her, if Breaking Barriers helps even one person feel seen, it’s all worth it.