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Laura Khoudari came by her profession as a trauma-informed personal trainer through a circuitous route. No gym rat, Laura avoided working out and weight training until the unresolved pain in her spine from a herniated disc while in college left her no choice. Today, she works exclusively with clients who identify as living with trauma and uses embodied strength training and other mindfulness practices to help them heal and transform. In Laura’s own words she describes her work as “turning strength training from just a movement practice into a healing practice”.
She does that by helping clients focus on how they feel rather than the more conventional benchmark of focusing on physical results alone. Many of Laura’s clients share her former belief of feeling that they don’t belong in a gym. While healing trauma is a multi-dimensional process, including talk therapy and other modalities, Laura cautions against defining ourselves as our illness or disability. Especially with regard to trauma and PTSD, this is so vitally important. As one dives into the work of self-exploration, it’s so easy to see oneself as hopelessly and irreparably damaged, losing sight of the other qualities that define us as wholesome, healthy human beings.
In our conversation, we cover topics elucidated in Laura’s groundbreaking book with the adroit title, Lifting Heavy Things. She defines trauma, how it manifests in the body and the mind, and how strength training can heal the physiological and psychological aspects of one’s being. More than strength training alone, Laura uses other modalities like journaling and even haiku writing to help clients “come to their senses”, and learn to view the body as a wellspring of wisdom and sensitivity. It is a scientific fact that unprocessed emotions, as exhibited with trauma, are stored in the body and embodiment work can help to access these repressed impressions.
Having coincidentally just added weight training to my own physical therapy regimen, I can attest that it adds a level of confidence and self-assurance into the mix not seen with simple resistance training exercises. However, it’s important to work with a professional fitness trainer or physical therapist at the beginning.
More on Laura here.
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