The Clear Space

06/11/2025

Here I am, doing the obligatory reintroduction to say hi to recent followers, to say hi again to anyone who's been here a while, and to share my face now that I have some lovely new photos from the magical . I'm a Laura. I'm a counsellor and somatic therapist, an eco therapist, a meditation teacher and I also hold spaces for people to explore Earth based spirituality: I am hugely passionate about nature; trees, large bodies of water, open horizons, windy hills and walking on stoney beaches while exclusively looking at the floor because ROCKS ARE COOL. I live on a boat but don't ask me about that because my water pump broke this morning and, sigh, boat life. I'm AuDHD and a lot of my 121 work is with people who are exploring late realised or diagnosed neurodivergence, along with other aspects of identity including working with lots of lovely LGBTQ+ folk. My work integrates psychology, neuroscience and embodiment, and is rooted in the belief that things shift when we can cultivate a compassionate relationship with all parts of ourselves; mind, body and spirit. You'll see my work/personal special interests show up a lot in this space: the nervous system, archetypes and mythology, connection to cycles, seasons and nature. I could probably talk about my love of ROCKS more than I do. I'll have a think about what that looks like. Thanks for being here. If you're interested in working with me check out my offerings via the link in my bio. And if you have any questions, you're very welcome to ask me anything, especially if it's related to the kinds of rocks that I like. Final note that I picked a song for this post that I have regularly been bellowing in the car for the last few months. "You know what, I might try today. I might f@cking try today. Try today." Because what else can we do?

04/11/2025

Sacred Somatic Journeys: an invitation to presence and reconnection
This offering, like many of mine, began as a practice I needed for myself. A way to remember how easily I can drift out of my body and out of rhythm with the seasons. A way to remember that presence and meaning aren’t things we chase, but qualities we tend to.

In a world that urges us to keep doing, how can we surrender into a state of being.

Sacred Somatic Journeys are audio-guided practices that weave together embodiment, ritual and nature connection.

They offer a way to come home to yourself; no travel, gatherings or screens required.

Each journey blends myth, seasonal awareness, and somatic exploration to rekindle your sense of belonging to yourself and the Earth.

Connection lives in the breath, in the soil beneath your feet and in the shifting light of each new season.

With every turn of the Wheel of the Year, I’ll release a new ceremonial journey, accompanied by two shorter monthly practices.

There’s no membership or structured programme. Simply choose the journeys that resonate with where you are.

You’re welcome to explore the full collection, or join my newsletter to receive a free sample journey to explore.

02/11/2025

The nights are drawing in and the darkness feels more present.

This is the time of year when we can begin to lean into the dark. Not as something to fear or resist, but as a place of rest, renewal and listening.

In the dark, we can meet ourselves.
And we can also become our own light.

November’s Rooted Self Session is an invitation to explore this balance of opposites; light and dark, seen and unseen. 

We’ll explore:

- Nature and eco-therapy practices that reconnect us with the living world
- Somatic and mindfulness work to bring us back into the body
- Ritual and archetypes that root us into the season
- Reflection and community connection to remind us that we don’t move through darkness alone

We’ll listen to the land, and to the inner landscape that mirrors it exploring what it feels like to soften, to surrender and to trust that the light always returns.

20th November, 6:45pm
Birmingham Settlement, Edgbaston Reservoir
Link in bio

01/11/2025

Sacred Somatic Journeys for presence & reconnection

This offering was born, as a lot of mine are, from something I needed to remember myself.

To remember how easily I can drift, away from my body, away from the seasons and away from the slower rhythms that sustain me.

To remember that presence, ritual, and meaning are not things to chase, but to cultivate, with intention, and care.

To remember that so much of this world asks us to keep doing, which takes us away from being. 

I’ve created Sacred Somatic Journeys, audio-guided practices that weave together embodiment, ritual, and nature connection, as an invitation to return home to yourself, without needing to travel, gather in person, or stare at a screen.

Each journey explores myth, somatic awareness, and the turning of the seasons a remembering of your place in the living story of the world.

Connection doesn’t have to be abstract or something for the mind to understand. It can live in the breath, the soil and the turning of each new season. 

With each new season, I’ll share an extended ceremonial journey, along with two shorter practices each month.

There’s no programme or membership to commit to, you choose the journeys that call to you. 

You can explore the full collection, or join my newsletter to receive a free sample journey to support you on your path. 

30/10/2025

I'm exploring how we lean into the darkness. How can we explore the darkness as a landscape in its own right, while stepping away from the conditioning that has us believing that monsters live here. I'll share more reflections as this exploration of darkness unfolds. I'm starting small by leaning into dusk.

16/10/2025

I’ve been thinking about what happens when we lose moral clarity. I saw a post by that tapped into this, and how therapists can (and absolutely should!) name global injustice and oppression in sessions with their clients. 

Sometimes, in moments of deep stress or trauma, people find themselves doing, witnessing, or being unable to prevent things that go against their most deeply held beliefs. This is known as moral injury.

There are clear, documented cases of moral injury when it comes to things like medics having to make impossible decisions in conflict zones - which life do you choose to save and how do you reconcile that decision. 

I’m also thinking about the way that a loss of moral clarity might lead to moral injury for those of us who are not in conflict zones, but who are watching the rise of the f@cisim and in our communities, while we watch global events unfold online.

When we see injustice, oppression or violence on a large scale, but our values and beliefs are rooted in the idea that ‘goodness’ will always prevail,  it can fracture our sense of moral clarity. 

Moral injury can happen when we feel betrayed by ourselves, by people in positions of power, leaders, systems, or even peers whose actions cause harm. It’s what happens in the heart and psyche when we come into contact with something that violates our sense of what’s right and how the world *should* be. 

Read more on the carousel.

09/10/2025

02/10/2025

If you haven’t already, check out part 1 of this series. This post is an overview of my recent blog and you’ll find the full, more nuanced piece on my site.

Many of us ask ourselves “how can I feel better?” There isn’t one answer, but there are pillars of resilience that support us: optimism, acceptance, regulation, self-responsibility, relationships, and connection to something bigger.

This post is 2/3 and explores compassion and regulation.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy and Somatic Trauma Therapy, two approaches I use in my work, both emphasise mindfulness and acceptance. They teach us to make space for difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, while also staying connected to our values and moving toward a meaningful life.

Self compassion can play a huge part in this. According to Dr Kristin Neff, it rests on three pillars: self-kindness instead of harsh judgment, connection rather than isolation, and mindfulness instead of overthinking.

Notice your inner voice. Would you speak to someone you love the way you speak to yourself? If not, try reframing your words with more gentleness.

Practices like meditation and somatic movement or breath work support regulation. Neuroscience shows these approaches reduce stress, regulate the nervous system, and strengthen brain regions linked to resilience.

Connection also matters. Community doesn’t have to be large, it can start with one meaningful relationship. For those who are neurodivergent or marginalised, finding people who truly “get it” can be really validating. Belonging builds resilience.

You’ll find resources to explore these reflections more deeply on my site. And don’t forget to check out part 1. For a somatic practice to support nervous system stability, see my recent ‘feel your feet’ practice on my feed.

02/10/2025

OCTOBER’S ROOTED SELF
CONNECTION SESSION - link in bio

We are a part of nature, not separate from it but busy lives can leave us disconnected from the more-than-human world.

October’s journey includes nature and eco-therapy practices, meditation and somatics, exploring seasonal energies, reflection and community connection.
We’ll explore the external landscape and our inner ecosystem, connecting with gratitude for the ancestors of the land who came before us.

Join us and take a small step toward living seasonally with intention.

16th Oct at 6:45pm.
Birmingham Settlement, Edgbaston Reservoir

FIND YOUR BREATH
EXPLORE THE RHYTHMS OF AUTUMN
LET THE EARTH HOLD YOU

04/07/2025

Today I want to reflect on the role of ritual, ceremony and rites of passage and how we can anchoring into intention to support our daily lives. There’s no getting away from the fact that the world seems to move increasingly quickly and I always used to be someone who could very easily find myself feeling ungrounded and unmoored. This still crops up from time to time, even as someone who’s done a lot of work to work out what factors contribute to this. For any of us, it can be easy to become disconnected from the present moment. 

One of the things I come back to over and over again, though, is ritual and ceremony as a way of cultivating balance and mindfulness. Rituals have been used across cultures for centuries, providing us with a sense of purpose, grounding, and a meaningful way to mark transitions in life.
Rituals don’t have to be complicated or elaborate; you can definitely find meaning by integrate simple rituals into your everyday life. Keep reading and I’ll share some gentle ideas for integrating more ritual and ceremony into your life, as a way of feeling more grounded, centred, and connected.

Rituals, however simple, can offer a deeper connection to ourselves, our values, and the world around us. In an ever changing world there is something beautifully supportive in returning to practices that help us to slow down and intentionally engage in the present. In moments of stillness we have an opportunity to reflect, reset, and realign. I’ve shared more reflections about this, along with suggestions for simple rituals and ceremonies over on my blog. Head to the link in my bio.

24/06/2025

July’s sound bath with be an invitation to connect with self-compassion from within. According to Dr Kristin Neff, a self compassion researcher, there are three main elements to self compassion; mindfulness, common humanity, and kindness. When we access and explore these elements, we can choose to honour ourselves and our experience, intentionally offering self compassion to ourselves in the way that we would offer it to a friend. After a guided meditation to explore self compassion and some seasonal reflections, we’ll transition to our sound bath. As the soothing tones of crystal singing bowls and koshi chimes wash over your body you’ll find a space to soften self-judgment, release tension and rest. Book via the events link in my bio.