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Meet Laurie

By starting with ourselves and bringing our own greater wholeness to the necessary work of change, we each hold the power to help heal the world.

“So, Who the heck am I? Why do I have a website? And what could I possibly have to offer you?”

WHO

In short, I am a woman transformed. Back in 2017, having come through a period of crisis a complete mess, I enrolled in a course I desperately hoped would help me learn to cope better with life’s challenges. That act jump-started a yearslong process of so much more than mere stress management, propelling me into the world of somatic trauma healing. There I learned that persistent mental health issues, mounting physical problems, and a chronic sense of dissatisfaction were not my genetic destiny, or the natural results of aging, or what I had to settle for, as I’d variously believed. The realizations from this journey surprised me: first that trauma even applied to me, then that its energy was stuck in my body creating havoc there, and finally that I could release and integrate that energy to heal myself. I’m so grateful to the people and programs that helped me come to these new understandings and then supported me in doing the work of transformation. It was painful and hard at times, but so worth it, because now instead of simply surviving, I’m thriving. Six plus decades after my birth—well beyond the point most people assume it’s possible to make radical change—I’ve discovered that it’s never too late to get well, find peace, make meaning, experience joy, flourish sexually, take up a new vocation, connect deeply, create art, champion justice, live with zest, be a force for healing… to embody Post-Traumatic Growth.


WHY

I created this website because I’m moved to share my good news, to sound the horn of hope, to get other folks—maybe you?—thinking “If she could do this, why not me?” I know the need is great. Having opened my eyes to the somatics of trauma, I see it everywhere, in individuals as well as institutions. Plus, as my metamorphosis progressed, I noticed the positive ripple effect my changes were having on those around me, and I got excited about the potential for collective shift. I wondered how I could pay forward the life-altering gifts I was receiving from my healers, mentors, and guides. At one point, I toyed with pursuing teacher training in a therapeutic dance modality I’d benefited from. But in the end, it became clear to me that my path to aid in transformation for individuals and the world was not as a practitioner of a specific tool but as a catalyzer. Trusting the inevitable positive social impact of more and more consciously healing people, I felt called to use my presence, curiosity, and words to help others find their own path towards everything that a fully embodied life has to offer, for the good of all. Hence this website, my writing, and my speaking.


WHAT

Basically, I have my story to offer, my truth. Yes, since my journey began in 2017, I’ve spent countless hours learning about the science and spirit of both trauma and somatic healing, pretty much making it my full-time job to delve in and keep current as our collective understandings evolve. And through this disciplined study, I’ve acquired some important knowledge. But I’m not an expert. I possess only one key “credential”: the actual lived experience of profound transformation that is ongoing. So, I doggedly mine it for wisdom and share what I find there, as well as what I find through my continuing education, to keep the learning going for myself and others. By telling compelling stories, disseminating critical information, posing provocative questions, and inviting deep listening, I hope to open wider the door to personal and collective healing. I hope you walk through.

Before you do, I’ve got to warn you that I’m a bit of an outlier and like to challenge the status quo. That’s because one of the greatest learnings of my transformation has been that I’m not inherently broken, and neither are you. Our individual and social struggles can be viewed in part as symptoms of the dis-ease of our traumatized and disembodied culture. Thankfully, by starting with ourselves and bringing our own greater wholeness to the necessary work of social change, we each hold the power to help heal the world. One life at a time.

“Will you join me in releasing the past, transforming the present, and building a brighter future—for yourself and for everyone?”