Redefining Strength and Trauma Recovery Through Embodied Movement and Narrative With Laura Khoudari

Laura Khoudari is a trauma-informed wellness practitioner, author, and speaker who empowers individuals through personal strength training and embodied healing. She is the author of the memoir Lifting Heavy Things: Healing Trauma One Rep at a Time, which reimagines strength training as a path to resilience, and her innovative approaches have impacted hundreds of clients and readers. Laura's work draws deeply from her lived experience as a queer woman and her dedication to inclusive, feminist, and body-positive spaces, weaving together narrative, movement, and clinical insight to foster holistic healing.

In this episode…

What does it really mean to be strong? For many, strength evokes images of muscle, grit, and pushing through pain. But what if strength is something quieter — something that invites us to listen, rest, and rebuild trust with ourselves? What if healing from trauma begins not in the mind, but in the body?

For Laura Khoudari, a trauma-informed wellness author and speaker, true strength is born from awareness and gentleness rather than force. Drawing from her experience as a personal trainer and author, she explains that strength isn't about how much weight you lift but how you show up for yourself. It's the act of recognizing your limits and honoring them, even as you work to expand them. Laura's approach bridges movement and narrative, helping people reconnect with their bodies after trauma and rediscover agency in the process. Her work reminds us that healing and empowerment often happen in small, deliberate acts of self-love.

In this episode of With Intention, Liz Frost is joined by Laura Khoudari to discuss how embodied movement and storytelling can transform trauma recovery. They explore how redefining strength allows us to meet our bodies with compassion, why writing can be a powerful somatic practice, and how honoring boundaries supports true empowerment. Laura also shares insights on integrating feminist and queer perspectives into healing work and movement.