Erica LaShawn views healing as a journey rooted in reconnecting with the body. Through In Raw Form Wellness, she has created a space where psychotherapy, movement, and mindfulness intersect, offering individuals, couples, and families a way to reconnect with themselves and one another. Her work reflects a belief that healing unfolds gradually and can become more accessible when people learn to listen to what their bodies communicate.
That belief traces back to her earliest experiences. Raised by her grandmother in circumstances shaped by economic hardship, LaShawn learned resilience alongside the importance of perspective. Her grandmother often spoke about the power of the mind, planting ideas that would later shape LaShawn’s philosophy. One phrase stayed with her: “As a man thinketh, so is he.” At the time, it was simply inherited wisdom; over the years, it became a lens for understanding how people interpret their lives.
As she grew older, those childhood lessons resurfaced during her study of psychology. Concepts she encountered academically echoed ideas she had absorbed long before she had the language for them. “I realized that what I learned early in life aligns with what we now describe as reframing,” she explains. “It’s the process of looking at an experience from a different angle so new meaning can emerge.” This connection helped her see how personal history and professional insight could inform one another.
Her awareness of the body’s responses to stress also began early. Growing up with uncertainty made her attuned to the physical sensations that accompany emotional strain, even before she understood them clinically. Later, this sensitivity would become foundational to her therapeutic approach.
Before entering the mental health field, LaShawn spent several years in corporate environments. That chapter broadened her understanding of how emotional well-being influences communication, leadership, and workplace culture. She noticed how often people carried unaddressed stress into their professional lives, and these observations eventually shaped the organizational wellness services she now offers. “In hindsight, my corporate experience became another form of preparation that showed me how healing and self-awareness extend far beyond the therapy room,” she shares.
LaShawn’s professional direction sharpened during a personal transition. After having been a dance instructor for over a decade, during and after her divorce, dance took on a new meaning for her: healing. Movement had always been part of her world, but during that period, it became more than an artistic outlet; it became a language for processing grief and transformation. “My body was speaking long before my mind could organize the words,” she recalls. “Movement allowed feelings to move through me.” This realization became a core principle of In Raw Form Wellness: healing deepens when people trust the wisdom of their bodies as much as the narratives in their minds.
Industry insights support this understanding. According to Psychology Today, trauma influences biological processes throughout the nervous system, shaping how people experience emotions and physical tension. LaShawn integrates this knowledge into her work, helping clients recognize how their bodies respond to stress and how regulation practices can restore a sense of safety.
These insights eventually inspired the creation of In Raw Form Wellness. The name reflects a philosophy that resonated with her during her own period of reflection: authenticity, even in its most vulnerable form, can be a powerful entry point for healing. “I wanted a place where people could show up exactly as they are and just be,” she says.
The practice first opened as a wellness space offering breathwork, meditation, and somatic movement sessions. These experiences introduced participants to ways of reconnecting with their bodies and cultivating emotional awareness through movement and mindful breathing. LaShawn found that these approaches resonated deeply, especially for individuals and couples who struggled to express complex feelings verbally.
Couples sessions, in particular, highlight the power of nonverbal connection. Through guided breathing and mindful movement, partners explore new ways of experiencing closeness. “Intimacy grows through presence,” LaShawn explains. “Communication usually improves when two people learn to breathe together and become aware of each other’s energy.”
As her practice grew, so did her academic journey. While building the business, LaShawn pursued graduate studies in marriage and family therapy. After completing her degree and clinical training and obtaining her full licensure, she expanded In Raw Form Wellness to include psychotherapy services for Missouri residents. The practice now integrates clinical therapy with mind-body wellness sessions, offering a flexible model that aims to support people at different stages of their growth.
Her work also extends into educational programs for organizations and community groups. With workplace stress becoming a widespread concern, her workshops introduce movement, breath awareness, and emotional intelligence as tools for healthier professional environments.
A commitment to inclusivity shapes every part of her practice. As a Black woman, LaShawn understands the importance of cultural context, history, and collective resilience. She hopes her presence in the field encourages broader conversations about accessibility and representation in wellness and mental health spaces. “My story began with a little girl raised by her grandmother,” she remarks. “Today, that story continues through the people I serve. Each person brings their own journey, and it becomes part of a shared space for growth.”
Ultimately, the philosophy behind In Raw Form Wellness continues to evolve as LaShawn deepens her research and clinical practice. Through therapy, movement, mindfulness, and education, she invites people to explore healing through multiple pathways, returning to the idea that people deserve spaces where they can reconnect with themselves and rediscover their capacity for growth. These reflections are finding their way into her upcoming book, where she explores the intersections of personal history, embodied healing, and the cultural narratives that influence how people understand wellness.
