Palm Beach Post Staff Writer
Laura’s treatment room is intimate and welcoming – as one would expect a place of healing and relaxation to be.
The pure, sweet scent of aromatherapy complements the hypnotic, meditative music playing in the background. Asian influences are evident in the décor, as well as in the serene, centered demeanor of its proprietress.
In this peaceful dojo (Japanese for “place of the way”), Laura Norman wages a righteous battle against pain, stress, toxins and negativity. Her method of choice: a unique version of the healing art of reflexology.
Unintentional guru
Norman, a child of the 1960s, says, “When I was in college at Boston University, I embraced many of the alternative mind/body disciplines that were becoming popular, such as yoga and meditation.”
The holder of three master’s degrees in education, Norman was introduced to reflexology by a friend and took to it immediately. “It encompassed everything I was looking for – the mind, body and spirit,” she recalls.
After graduating from BU in the early 1970s, Norman, a Long Island, N.Y., native, spent the next decade as an educator in a New York City institute for special-needs children. Concurrently, she furthered her reflexology knowledge, becoming certified in the practice (as well as several others in the healing arts).
“I found that when I practiced reflexology on the children, many of whom were emotionally disturbed and/or physically handicapped, they responded immediately. They became calmer, happier, and much easier to reach and educate,” Norman says.
Gradually, she began introducing reflexology to friends, family and other associates in her life. For instance, “When my dentist complained that his neck was stiff, I explained how reflexology could help him and asked if he’d let me try it on him,” Norman recalls.
Pretty soon, word spread. Before she knew it, Norman’s part-time avocation “was keeping me as busy as my full-time job. I had to train other people how to perform reflexology to keep up with the demand.”
Eventually, she transitioned into reflexology full time – and the media took notice. She was featured in New York magazine, local newspapers and soon began appearing on morning talk shows.
‘The body has its own intelligence’
Owing to the interconnectedness of a person’s physical, emotional and spiritual well-being, Norman believes, “The body has its own intelligence.” In other words, the physical manifestations of minor aches, pains and illnesses originate in a body part connected to a specific issue.
“For instance, if your back hurts for no discernible reason, it might be because you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders. Or it might be because you let people walk all over you,” Norman explains.
Regardless – for these and myriad other mind/body/spirit issues, Norman turns to the healing power of reflexology.
“The feet are the most neglected part of the body,” Norman says. “They support our entire body and contain more than 15,000 nerve endings, yet are kept restricted by shoes all day. Reflexology helps get positive, life-affirming energy flowing back through the entire body.”
Spreading the word
Norman believes so strongly in the healing power of reflexology that she spreads the gospel anywhere – and everywhere – she can: “People fly in from all over the country to take our certification courses. We’ve trained thousands of people over the years.”
Local student Toni Will can certainly attest to reflexology’s powerful effects. “After Laura worked on me, I felt grounded, focused, and just so positive and upbeat,” notes Will, who has been training for several months to earn her reflexology certification.
“And the people I’ve practiced on have experienced similar results. One person who was suffering from migraine headaches got immediate relief that lasted for days,” Will adds.
Norman moved to South Florida about a decade ago in order to be close to her healthy nonagenarian mother (who receives daily reflexology). But she also maintains practices in New York City and Stockbridge, Mass., so she rarely has a free day.
However, Norman never seems the least bit stressed or harried. She believes this is the byproduct of being immersed in what she does for a living: “Reflexology…is as beneficial for the giver as it is for the receiver.”
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