Laura Beth Wenger

I'm an intuitive, introverted, sensitive human being. I was never a coordinated or athletic kid. I loved to draw, dream, read and climb trees, but gym class and sports left me feeling confused and uncoordinated. What seemed to be natural and effortless for others just didn’t come easy for me at all. I figured movement just wasn’t something that I was made to do. ​

My sensitivity and tendency to live in my inner world often felt lonely and isolated, and I tended toward codependency, anxiety and depression. By the time I was 18, I’d been hospitalized for suicidal tendencies and was an expert on the pharmacopeia of anti-depressants. For the next 10 years, I tried all kinds of therapy and medication, but mostly, I was resigned to being the kind of person who would just always be unhappy.

It’s not exaggerating at all to tell you that movement changed my life.

​When I left my first yoga class, I was overwhelmed with well-being and hope. Learning to experience life inside my body after being so completely disconnected from it gave me a new way of feeling and dealing with my mental and emotional experience. I soon found meditation, which has given me the tools and capacity to handle the ups and downs of life, and then Tibetan Buddhism, whose spiritual tenets are the foundation of my sense of service with others. My most recent studies in working with the unconscious (through a post-Jungian lens) have opened countless doorways to deeper meaning and possibility. I continue to learn and study the human body, and the ways in which it intersects with our psyche.

​There was never anything wrong with me, and there's nothing wrong with you, either.

We all need the right support and the right practices to hold us so we can learn and grow at our own pace, in our own direction.​ The ways in which I felt isolated and lonely have been transformed into a unique gift that allows me to better understand, support, and guide others on their own journeys in their bodies.

Conventional movement training addresses the body, but leaves the psyche behind. My method of depth coaching brings these together to create real transformation. This is a cooperative experience and depends on what each individual needs on any given day. We might focus on strength and power to feel a greater sense of capacity and dignity; therapeutic exercises to address “stuck” patterns in the body and mind; or mindfulness techniques to address chronic pain or repetitive thought pathways. 

Regardless of past experiences, or current physical abilities, my clients learn to feel stronger and more confident from the inside out. Along the way, we'll train your nervous system to pendulate naturally between cycles of activation and recovery. You’ll learn how to recognize and shift out of patterns of freeze, fawn, and hypervigilance. We’ll work together to establish a greater sense of safety and ease in your body.

I incorporate a variety of modalities in my work. I use the methods of Postural Restoration (breathing and movement practices) to address common human patterns of asymmetry that can cause discomfort. I also incorporate non-traditional equipment such as indian clubs, kettlebells, maces, ropes, and Stick Mobility exercises. Many of my clients enjoy working with creative and active imagination techniques, which may include embodied drawing or intuitive movement; these are key in rekindling our inner spark. 

From 2013 to 2020, I ran, and then owned a yoga studio in Stuart, FL. Since then, I’ve shifted my teaching to online offerings and socially distanced private clients. I’m also fortunate to act as a personal and teaching assistant for Jane Clapp, which gives me the opportunity to continue to learn and grow as a trauma-informed practitioner.

Each trauma-informed, body-neutral session is tailored to the individual and is designed to support their wellness in a collaborative way. Our work together might include strength, mobility, meditation, or other modalities. I offer resources to handle life’s challenges, while recognizing that individual practices can only go so far within cultural systems that are inherently harmful for many. I’m committed to continuing education and critical thinking about the social justice issues inherent in contemporary wellness culture. Our self-care is incomplete if it comes at the expense of others.