Life has a way of bringing us exactly where we need to be, even when—especially when—the path seems unclear. My journey from trauma therapist to spiritual healer & artist emerged from the crucible of the COVID pandemic, where we witnessed firsthand how broken systems perpetuate harm. Like many healthcare workers, I found myself burning out, trying to patch the wounds of violent and unsustainable structures.

Then came the whispers of my ancestors, calling me to slow down, to listen deeper. In choosing to leave my position at a major university, I wasn't just stepping away—I was stepping into a profound dialogue with those who came before me. Through their wisdom, I discovered how to craft an abundant life that honors both my purpose and my need for rest and radical recovery.

I am LaVoya, a Black, Genderqueer, neuro-expansive healer from Queens, NY, now rooted in Durham, NC. My practice weaves together modern social work, ancestral knowledge, and ecological wisdom. With over 17,000 hours of transforming trauma, I co-create spaces where healing can unfold naturally. My work is both digital and earth-bound, mixing critical dialogue and psycho-spiritual practices with eco-therapy and art to help others disrupt the inherited patterns of systemic and generational trauma.

Spirituality, to me, is a reclamation of what was lost or distorted—a journey back to the sacred self, to the soul. It is the practice of opening portals to what's ancient, while integrating the wisdom of the present. It's about clearing the inherited barriers to divine connection, to power, and to self-sovereignty that colonial forces placed in the way of our wholeness. Modern spirituality for me is the act of remembering—remembering the joy, the rituals, the prayers, and the embodiment of our true, sacred nature.

This healing practice flows through my bloodline—I come from a long line of Black women who have spoken truth to power and served their communities with unwavering authenticity. Each day, I work to remove the thorns of dominant culture from my own being, knowing that personal liberation is inseparable from collective freedom.

I stand in a constellation of resistance, my light joining with Black, Brown, Native, Queer & Disabled communities. Together, we're writing a new story of healing, one that honors our whole selves and our interconnected liberation.

V Woods (ve/ver)