Whether you've seen Laura around our Rose Bay and Newport studios, or had the joy of experiencing her treatments - you'll understand when we say she is the epitome of CALMM. A true grounding presence, and a magic touch when it comes to nourishing the physical form.

We sat down with Laura to chat her career background, what makes her love what she does as well as Somatic Therapy - a new offering to her ever growing range of skills. With 8 years of massage an body work under her belt, Laura is fully devoted to holistic health and incorporates old techniques with a modern approach. Her belief that no one bodily system works alone, and that the mind and the energetics are constantly informing the body and vice versa, Laura creates a safe space to work with the body to guide her clients to create powerful change on many levels.

Tell us about your career background…

I have been practising bodywork for almost 8 years. Being hands on with people and their pain has given me a very deep understanding and love for root causes and our role to play in our own health. 

I began in Byron Bay, learning a lot from osteopaths and many other alternative therapies. The mind body connection is what drew me in but I think I’ve always understood people through their body language, energy and posture from such a young age. I have followed a very holistic path, continuing my studies by fulfilling one rabbit hole to the next. 

I used to worry about ‘how I would become the practitioner I always wanted to be’, and I feel very close now. Studying and experiencing yoga, psychology, trauma-informed somatic therapy, my own thyroid autoimmune disease and plant medicine has taken me further than I could of ever imagined, but I’m still not finished and am excited for what’s to come. 

What makes you love what you do?

How I feel when I connect with people and how people feel when they connect with me. 

You've recently added a new offering for your clients, Somatic Therapy, can you tell us about this and what clients can expect in a session?

Somatic therapy is an integrative approach to talk therapy that aims to unstick our body and mind by tuning into sensation instead of getting caught up in thoughts. In a typical session, I will guide people through somatic exercises including breathwork, movement, self- release and self inquiry, which encourages nervous system regulation through self- connection. Ultimately, this helps us feel free. It’s in this feeling state that we think clearly, make sound decisions and allow root causes to physical and mental health issues to arise. 

The most rewarding part of your job is…

Helping people come home to themselves. Helping people feel mentally elated through physical touch. Helping people feel at peace or pain free especially when these aren’t familiar feeling states. Holding space for people that experience trauma release and allowing that to safely move through them (and feeling confident in that process). Mostly I love meeting and learning from such diverse people. Sometimes I have such incredible conversations during treatments I think I should be paying them. 

What is the best advice you have been given?

Life’s not all about feeling comfortable, it’s about feeling alive. I like to practice what I preach so my whole thing is about feeling everything, and helping people do that too. 

Of all the treatments at The CALMM, which is your favourite?

I love the abdominal scar release. Working on the abdomen is my favourite. It’s the body’s energetic centre and is the most revealing. I’m fascinated by the psoas, the diaphragm, the abdominal aorta (pulse) and the womb. I can access all of these from the abdomen and believe working this area of the body helps us open up the most.

Somatic therapy is an integrative approach to talk therapy, taking into account the whole human being (not just the mind). Somatic therapy considers the person's thoughts, feelings, sensations, attitude and belief systems, as they all impact the physical well-being of that person.

Limiting beliefs, narratives and stuck emotions can shift simply by allowing feelings to flow through the body again, as this is their natural default, to be moving. When they get stuck, we feel stuck,  mentally and physically.

The goal of somatic therapy: investigate posture, gesture, muscular patterns, emotional patterns and physiological arousals that are used for one to express themselves, which helps to facilitate a self regulation process. The outcome of mind-body balance, harmony and homeostasis.

A typical session will include body scanning, breath work, positive self talk, trigger point therapy and subtle movement within a dynamic conversation.

Laura practices out of our Rose Bay and Newport studios, offering remedial massage, reiki and somatic therapy.