What is Yoga Therapy?
Laura defines her work as, ‘the exploration of somatic practices which are grounded in yogic philosophy, to assist in supporting emotional, energetic, physical, and mental health.’ Laura is particularly interested in the way our traumatic experiences and subsequent emotional wounds can play out in our physical and mental wellbeing, and how yogic and somatic tools can support their integration. She works with exploring themes and patterns through discussion and directed conversations and then works to re-wire and embody new ‘ways of being’ through somatic and yogic practice. Her work can vary hugely person to person and session to session.
Laura works with a concept she calls ‘optimal openness’ which seeks to support everyone to find their own version of somatic safety moment to moment and eventually as default. When we can be ‘optimally open’ we are in the driver’s seat of our own nervous system and our internal landscape is congruent to the environment around us. Our system is responsive and flexible – we can open and close, move away and towards, relax and excite at will, and in response to whatever is happening around us.
The Path to Personal Growth
All too often, for people who have experienced developmental adversity, the protective mechanisms which originally came online to keep us safe, can become the root of our suffering in the present. We can become stuck in our defended states and unable to experience the full spectrum of experiences of what it means to be human. We can become small.
Making changes to habits and ways of being that may be many decades old, can be messy and challenging. Laura will always go at your pace. She recognises that before safety comes power, and always prioritises an equal therapeutic relationship through the promotion of your agency and choice making. While you may well explore practices which take you out of your comfort zone as an exercise towards change or growth, everything Laura offers is a suggestion which can be refused at any time.
Laura can support you to
Laura offers a grounded, supportive container for exploring complex and sensitive topics. Each session is thoughtfully co-created in collaboration with the client. With a mindful, compassionate presence, she provides space for co-regulation and works alongside you to guide the process at your pace and on your terms.
How is Yoga Therapy used?
Laura works closely with each individual client to find practices that will help support and enhance wellbeing. Sessions may include breathing techniques, chanting, sounding, physical movement and postures, meditation, mindfulness, visualisation, emotional release techniques, and deep relaxation. Yoga therapy should not be used to replace any medications and you are free to continue with other forms of therapy alongside the work.
What is unique about minded yoga therapy?
The Minded yoga therapy approach combines the worlds of yoga, science, and psychology. It integrates yoga therapies with mindfulness, translate neuro-scientific findings into practices, and offer the support of psychotherapeutic holding.