"I am a mum of four children - three girls, one boy - who have all recently joined the Goulburn school community," says Shandara Newman from Purple Dawn Healing.

Originally from the Central Coast, Shandara tells us that they've recently moved to Goulburn after living and working in Crookwell for the past 10 years.

"I was, and still am, very well supported by the lovely Crookwell community during our transition to Goulburn," she said.

"Hubby is a paramedic, [and] was in Crookwell for 10 years, but regularly worked in and around Goulburn." He is now based in Goulburn as a paramedic.

Ever the busy parent, Shandara says she's been a "netball mum for the past four years (at GDNA)" and a "dancing mum for the past 12 months (Liz Barling School of Dance)".

To stay fit herself, "I recently joined the Parkrun community in Goulburn," who host a free 5km event out of Marsden Weir Park every Saturday morning at 8am. It's timed, but not to be a competition, it's just so you can compare times against yourself.

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In terms of Shandara's business, "I started my holistic career as a remedial massage therapist 18 years ago," and ran her own clinic in Crookwell for 10 years.

Furthering her skill set, "In 2016 I completed my qualifications in guiding and teaching meditation and began running regular meditation classes in Crookwell. After which I studied and completed my Holistic Counselling diploma," she says.

"As a child I was always fascinated and understood the connection between physical health and emotional health. Western medicine refer to it loosely as 'psycho somatic' illness. First noticing for myself and other family members the physiological effects occurring in the body after or during times of high stress, this was being scientifically researched at the time unbeknownst to me. In the past 20 years there has been more targeted research to prove this connection. Ancient understanding has explained and understood it on a much deeper level for thousands of years. I offer not only the traditional treatments of remedial massage and deep tissue to address physiological issues, I also look deeper at the potential emotional connections to an individual's unexplained or 'psycho somatic' chronic pain or illness. I understand the importance of Western and complimentary medicine working together for the individual's benefit. True holistic care uses both when it is in the best interest of the individual, to achieve the optimum outcome."

As for her meditation services, "I offer one-on-one sessions as well as running two meditation classes per week."

Shandara explains her approach further by saying "Holistic therapies draw on ancient wisdom to see and address each person's individual needs; looking at that person as a whole rather than a specific illness. We are not separate experiences residing within one body but a complete and complex being made up of emotional, physiological and spiritual experiences all interconnected. My focus and aim is to provide a safe space and support for the client to first learn about themselves and eventually move forward with healing as a whole being. The clinic and I are just a support for the individual, as they have the power and responsibility to engage and progress at their own pace and desire. We take it one step at a time with all healing sessions. You are in control at all times."