Laurece West, Founder of AHA

Like many of us, I grew up in a family with many gifts and challenges. 

We had talented scientists, teachers, sports coaches, musicians and artists - with alcoholism, addictions, rage, violence, mental illness, and suicide. 

Thus we have multigenerational trauma.

My journey into traditional and alternative healing modalities, neurocience, body therapies, energy work, 12 step recovery and spirituality was fueled by my zeal to heal my own trauma.

My entire adult life I have been getting professional support in more than one area, in committed sequences, but often for years when I find a practitioner or coach with whom I resonate. 

I discovered that when I trained in a method I learned the system plus received a great deal of work during and afterwards from co-students.

In the 90's I trained with channel Marilyn Picard for 4 years in the Results System, Magnified Healing, Merkabah Travel, and an early forms of Conscious Core Transformation (that was a reading telling you what your issues were.) With Marilyn's permission I changed it - to be questions and added energy work. Thus we co-created CCT. I took it to Kripalu and trained other theralists. CCT  served clients at Kripalu for 9 years. Clients often said they had  profound transformations. 

Also in the 90's I trained in Healing Touch with Barbara Latham.

I became a Results practitioner and life coach.

Dr. Mehmet Oz’s Holistic Healing Research Planning Group New York, NY Spring 1996.  I was invited, along with other practitioners, to meet with Dr. Oz and his team at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical  Center to develop research on Holistic healing methods for use with his Cardiac surgery patients.  

I've never rush to practice something new on others.  I integrate it myself, then the universe says I am ready when  magically someone appears asking me for help in that area. When it was time for me to work at Kripalu, a friend told me to go apply. I worked for 12 years, alongside 60 healers in the Healing Arts Department. I brought in Conscious Core Transformation and trained Kripalu therapists to be CCT practitioners.

In the 2000's I studied massage therapy, ayurvedic massages, aromatherapy, stone massage, Kripalu Body Dialogue, and aromatheray at Kripalu, positional therapy with Lee Albert, Yoga and Shamanism with Ray Crist, and Shamanism of the Andes with Alberto Viloldo and the Four Winds School. I practiced these modalities professionally at Kripalu.

I married my husband in 2009 and moved to NC.  Here I taught a Healing Arts sampler at the Carborro Arts Center, and had a Shamanic Energy Work training class for 3 months at my home. I've been a part of the Health Touch, NC community of healers and therapists for 12 years.

I have seen clients over the years in the curriculum offerings

in the Academy for Healing Arts, NC.

It is a treat to receive sessions monthly from master practitioners in acupuncture, network chiropractic, ayurvedic massage, EFT Tapping, keynote creation, and life coaching. 

I use methods for processing triggers and clearing energy. I pray and meditate. Yoga pranayama and asana. exercise, clean diet and supplements strengthen my body. I regularly practice other techniques to keep my energy positive and flowing well. 

Creativity is a large part of what keeps me happy. I write songs, record and produce music and music videos, and write poetry and essays. I am currently working on my next book. 

There are many areas that I've needed support to do daily care 

to envision goals, and then to achieve. 

Forty years ago I was 50 pounds heavier and overindulging in many things.

 I've had many accountability buddies for diet, sleep, exercise, money, time, and business. If I can't do it easily by myself I need help. Plus the journey with others is more fun. I always have several paid coaches and free support from several partners on the same path.

I am always learning, studying something I love from an expert in that field.

Currently my mentor is Cheryl Chaffee of Body Mind Heart Yoga. She was the co-teacher in my training with Todd Norian, the founder of Ashaya Yoga "The Abode of the Heart."

Self-care is key to thriving. 

The last couple of years, I have been working with my time schedule to optimize my mental clarity, energy, creativity and connection to God. Joy flows when things are working well. 

Spending time in nature renews me. I love walking barefoot whenever possible to receive earth energy. I've walked alongside others on the red road of Native American spirituality and ceremony for 29 years.

I also love Jesus, Archangel Michael, Meher Baba and God.

Quality time with my husband is essential for our health together - laughing, dancing, doing InterPlay (improv) with our community, sharing our spirituality and generally having a great time together and with our extended family. We lead a Friday Night InterPlay Jam.

I am in several communities locally, and long distance. I have friends in a number of countries that I speak to weekly over Whatsapp. I love to travel and have been to France and India each six times.

I love our two cats.

Tithing is important to me. 

Most important is my spiritual path.