Proactive mental health
for leaders
We operate at the intersection of neuroscience, behavioral science, and clinical mental health protocols.
Pausa
A science-based ecosystem for leaders, designed to improve their "healthspan"
A combination of structured 3-day nervous system resets (every 3 months) in nature with an ongoing cadence of integration support, designed to restore mental clarity, reduce stress, improve focus, and prevent performance fatigue.
Pausa is for leaders who are always on — juggling between partners, teams, investors, clients, and family — while silently carrying the weight of pressure, digital overload, and decision fatigue.
We want to leave a measurable positive impact on people and the planet.
We believe one of the highest-leverage ways is to support impact-driven leaders who carry long-term responsibility for teams, capital, and outcomes.
Pausa exists to prevent founder breakage under sustained pressure.
We build a science-based ecosystem that protects clarity, focus, and energy through a root-cause approach to mental health: the mind is not separate from the body, and mental performance is shaped by sleep, stress physiology, inflammation, metabolic health, and the gut-brain axis.
We do not provide medical treatment.
Pausa is preventive and educational support, delivered with expert facilitation and clear boundaries.
Why Pausa exists
3-day nervous system reset in nature (digital detox)
Return every 3 months
Between resets — monthly offline gatherings to support accountability and tiny-habit integration
How Pausa works
Both the resets and the ongoing cadence are facilitated and supported by local specialists across sleep and recovery, nervous system regulation, movement, nutrition, gut health, and mental performance.
Expert support
Decision quality & focus
Mental health is tightly linked to attention, memory, and decision-making under pressure.
Mental health matters
Emotional stability
It affects emotional regulation and the ability to stay grounded in complex situations.
Healthspan & longevity
Chronic strain correlates with shorter healthy years and worse long-term outcomes.
Physical health
Mental health interacts with systemic stress biology and overall disease risk.
Relationships & leadership
Communication, trust, and conflict behavior depend on psychological resilience.
Work performance
It directly impacts productivity, consistency, and sustainability at work.
"Resilience is a muscle that anyone can strengthen." — Sheryl Sandberg (Author, Option B)
World’s top leaders
Insights from CEOs, Olympians, and Founders who lead under pressure
"It’s OK to not be OK. We need to normalize asking for help." — Michael Phelps (23x Olympic Gold Medalist)
"You cannot access empathy if you're not willing to be vulnerable." — Brené Brown (Research Professor & Author)
"Mindfulness has been the most transformative tool to help me become a better CEO." — Marc Benioff (CEO and Co-Founder of Salesforce)
"Sleep is not a luxury; it's a biological necessity for productivity, creativity, and decision-making." — Arianna Huffington (Founder, Thrive Global)
"Inspiration doesn’t come from constant pushing. It comes from slowing down and letting silence do its work. That's when I experienced a sense of clarity I hadn’t felt in a long time." — Felix Haas (Entrepreneur & Investor, Lovable)
Take a moment.
For real.
Stop now, and take a few deep breaths.
Decision quality & focus
Mental health is tightly linked to attention, memory, and decision-making under pressure.Emotional stability
It affects emotional regulation and the ability to stay grounded in complex situations.Healthspan & longevity
Chronic strain correlates with shorter healthy years and worse long-term outcomes.Physical health
Mental health interacts with systemic stress biology and overall disease risk.Relationships & leadership
Communication, trust, and conflict behavior depend on psychological resilience.Work performance
It directly impacts productivity, consistency, and sustainability at work.
Why mental health
Pausa is built on a root-cause view of mental health — and a cadence that makes improvement sustainable in real leadership life.
Pausa follows a two-phase, evidence-based structure designed for measurable improvement and long-term impact.
Phase 1 — The 3-Day Offline Reset
A digital detox combined with nature immersion and guided workshops. The goal is rapid physiological recalibration and restoration of cognitive clarity.
Phase 2 — The Pausa Circle
After the Reset, participants join a year-long cohort of founders and executives. The Pausa Circle provides structure, accountability and community support.
The Pausa Method:
Reset. Rewire. Sustain
"Health is not valued 'till sickness comes." - Thomas Fuller
Intimate by design:
"We host a maximum of 6 leaders at a time. This isn't a crowded conference. It's a private, focused environment for deep work."
The Pausa Location:
1.5h from Lisbon, six private cabins immersed in nature
Designed for rest:
"Each cabin is free of digital distractions. No TVs, no Wi-Fi. Just a comfortable bed, a journal, and the sound of nature."
Space to connect:
"Our communal space is where we gather for workshops, share meals, and engage in guided conversations."
After 72 hours in nature, participants showed a 70% drop in stress, lower blood pressure, reduced anxiety and higher well-being.
[Source]
50%
boost in cognitive function
4:1
Return on Investment
The 3-day nature immersion combined with a screen-break is linked to a 50% boost in cognitive function, creativity, and problem-solving skills by restoring the brain's attentional capacity.
[Source]
Investment in proactive mental health yields a proven minimum return of US$4 for every US$1 invested, driven by increased productivity and better health outcomes.
[Source]
Proven Benefits
70%
decrease of stress
"All graduates of the Pausa Reset are invited to join The Circle — an active, private community of like-minded founders and leaders."
The Pausa Circle
A high-trust circle of founders and top talent committed to clarity, consistency, and long-term performance.
🗓️ Feb 18 (Wednesday) – Feb 20 (Friday), 2026
📍 Just 1.5 hour from Lisbon
🏡 6 private cabins – 4 still available
💶 €1.260,- per participant (introductory rate)
Includes full program, private cabin, all meals, post-retreat integration plan, annual membership in Pausa Circle
Upcoming Soft Launch:
Join a curated group of founders and leaders for 3-day guided reset
Next Pausa Resets:
🗓️ March 2026
🗓️ April 2026
🗓️ May 2026
"I grew up in an environment where burnout wasn’t something people talked about. In a military family, admitting stress or vulnerability wasn’t encouraged. Later, as a corporate professional and then a solo founder across four companies, I experienced firsthand what happens when pressure is constant and recovery is never prioritised. You keep going because others depend on you, but the stress builds quietly until it is impossible to ignore.
Over the years, I learned how to rebuild clarity, regulate stress and maintain performance without sacrificing my health. Pausa is the result of that journey -> a way to offer other leaders the tools, the space I wish I had much earlier. Today, the demands on founders and executives are higher than ever, and mental resilience directly shapes decision quality, team stability and long-term outcomes.
Pausa is built on evidence-based methods grounded in neuroscience, behavioural science and internationally recognized health guidelines. Our aim is simple: to help leaders stay clear-minded, steady and effective before stress turns into burnout."
Pausa Founder
My mission. My passion. My cause
Yaroslav Derevianko
Co-founder of Pausa
healthhub by Unicorn Factory Lisboa
Praça Dom Pedro IV 74,
1100-203 Lisbon
Portugal
© Pausa 2026
