About Us
We know what it’s like to be trapped by the pain of our past.
We know what it’s like to not embrace our present.
And we know what it feels like to fear the future.
For too many years, our founder, Tanya Paniagua, lived in the bondage of her past. Although she was a believer in Jesus Christ, her past hurt was the limiting factor that prevented her to be all that God had designed for her. She lived in fear, doubt, and insecurity from the pain that she experienced and the pain she caused and continuously positioned herself so that the enemy could “kill, steal, and destroy” her (John 10:10).
She had faith and knew how to pray, but was lacking the “action” to make her faith come alive. It wasn’t until she began to dig deep and invite the Holy Spirit into the crevices of her heart, that the true healing began.
She embraced her brokenness and allowed God to use her pain as a platform for God’s glory to shine. And it didn’t end there! Her hurt began to break for what breaks God’s heart and she had a yearning desire to journey with others in similar situations. She, quickly, understood that she could not do this alone and began to equip others to carry out God’s mission. In January 2020, Breath of Life Foundation was birthed to lead the hurting to hope in mind, heart, body, and spirit and equip others to do the same by marrying theology, psychology, and life stories.
Today, we are a team of nine counselors, coaches, a prayer team, an admin team, mentees, and interns. We are hope warriors ready to walk alongside you in your journey.
Our Founder
Dr. Tanya Paniagua
Breath of Life, Founder
Tanya’s heart is to encourage others to flourish into all that God has called them to be in their personal, spiritual, academic, and professional lives. She is dedicated to the mental, emotional, and spiritual health of individuals, wholeheartedly believing that we are called to live in the fullness of God and experience a piece of heaven on earth. She is committed to raising up the next generation to serve the future of the church and their communities.
Tanya is passionate about seeing individuals grow into who God has designed them to be by embracing their past, thriving in their present, and aspiring to be the world changers they were made to be. Her transparency in sharing her battles and victories allows her to connect with others, leading them to the hope of Jesus Christ. Her ability to integrate a biblical foundation with everyday life application and candidly communicate difficult issues makes her relatable and unique.
She earned her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of California, Irvine, and later obtained her Master’s in Pastoral Counseling and Doctor of Education in Counseling and Community Care (Ed.D.) from Liberty University. Tanya is an ordained minister with the Assemblies of God and the founder and CEO of Breath of Life Foundation, an organization that strives to lead hurting people to hope in heart, mind, body, and spirit, while equipping others to do the same.
Through Breath of Life, Tanya offers professional Christian counseling, coaching, mentoring, and speaking across the United States, Canada, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. She has journeyed with hundreds of couples of multiethnic backgrounds, as well as community and spiritual leaders worldwide.
Tanya is married to her life partner, Rudy Paniagua. They live in Irvine and have four incredible children and a beautiful daughter-in-love. They are overjoyed with their grandbabies, Julia Rose and Elijah Rey.