Episode 13: My Journey to Becoming a Holistic Therapist

A NOTE FROM LENAYA 

Before we get into today’s episode, I want to take a moment to say thank you.

I’m recording this before our second annual Holistic Therapist Conference, but by the time you’re listening, the conference will have already happened. And even saying that feels a little surreal.

In 2024, my husband and I visited the Art of Living Retreat Center during a season of grief and traumatic loss. We needed space to breathe, reconnect, and begin finding ourselves again. While we were there, I remember looking around and thinking, one day I would love to host the Holistic Therapist Conference here.

At the time, it was simply a vision.

And now, in 2026, we’ve celebrated the second annual conference at that very same place—and this time, we were there with our daughter. It is truly a full-circle moment.

I’m deeply grateful to everyone who helped bring this vision to life—our therapists and healers, speakers, sponsors, vendors, community partners, my team, my parents, my husband, and my daughter. Thank you for believing in this work and being part of the journey.

As I thought about what I wanted to share after the conference, it felt like the perfect time to return to the beginning.

So this month, we’re revisiting the first episode of The Holistic Therapist Podcast, where I share my journey to becoming a Holistic Therapist.

Because before there was an academy, before there was a conference, and before this community became what it is today, there was my own journey of realizing that healing had to include more—more than the mind, more than talking, and more than the body.

Whether you’re listening for the first time or you’ve been here since the beginning, I invite you to listen again through the lens of where we are now.

This is my journey to becoming a Holistic Therapist. Let’s get into it.

EPISODE SUMMARY

In this debut episode LeNaya Smith Crawford gets personal, sharing the journey that led her to become a holistic therapist and why she believes true healing requires more than what traditional therapy alone can offer. From her roots as a pastor's daughter to her clinical training, yoga teacher certification, and her own healing journey through depression, burnout, and grief, LeNaya shares how all of it shaped the way she works, heals, and leads today.

She introduces The Holistic Therapist Framework, a five layer approach to healing that honors the fullness of who we are, and makes the case that becoming a holistic therapist starts not with your clients, but with yourself.

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KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • True healing requires addressing all five layers of who we are: physical, energetic, mental and emotional, spiritual, and communal. Talk therapy alone is not enough.
  • The Holistic Therapist Framework is a science and soul approach to healing that honors the whole person, not just the mind.
  • Becoming a holistic therapist starts with your own healing journey. You cannot lead others where you have not been willing to go yourself.
  • Therapy, body based practices, spirituality, and ancient healing modalities do not compete. They work together. You do not have to choose between science and soul.
  • Healing does not only happen inside the therapy room. It expands into our communities, our relationships, and the way we live our lives every single day.

 

PRACTICES AND MODALITIES MENTIONED

  • Yoga and movement
  • Breathwork
  • Meditation and mindfulness
  • Sound healing
  • Trauma informed therapy
  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
  • Journaling and affirmations
  • Chakra awareness and energetic practices
  • Community based healing

 

STAY CONNECTED

If today's episode resonated here are a few ways to stay connected and go deeper:

Join the Newsletter
Get weekly reflections, tips, journal prompts, affirmations, and activities on taking a holistic approach to the way we work, live, and expand as women who help, heal, and lead. When you join you will also get instant access to the Holistic Healer Starter Kit including:

  • Introduction to Holistic Mental Health Workshop
  • Drink As You Pour: A Virtual Holistic Healing Retreat for women who help, heal, and lead
  • The Power of Holistic Mental Health PDF

Sign up here: https://lenaya-crawford.mykajabi.com/newsletter

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JOIN THE HOLISTIC THERAPIST ACADEMY:

https://lenaya-crawford.mykajabi.com/holistictherapistacademyenroll

 

WORK AND HEAL WITH LENAYA

Ready to go deeper? Here is how we can work together:

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FOLLOW LENAYA

  • Instagram: @lenayasmithcrawford
  • Threads: @lenayasmithcrawford
  • TikTok: @lenayasmithcrawford
  • Website: lenayasmithcrawford.com
  • Get in touch: hello@lenayasmithcrawford.com

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ABOUT LENAYA

LeNaya Smith Crawford is a licensed holistic therapist, trauma informed facilitator, yoga and breathwork teacher, sound healer, and entrepreneur. She is the founder of The Holistic Therapist Academy and creator of The Holistic Therapist Framework, a five layer approach to integrative healing for therapists, healers, and wellness professionals ready to expand beyond the therapy room.

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DISCLAIMER

The content shared on The Holistic Therapist Podcast is for educational and informational purposes only. LeNaya Smith Crawford is a licensed therapist but is not your therapist. Nothing shared in this podcast should be taken as personal mental health advice or used as a substitute for working with a licensed mental health professional. If you are in crisis or need immediate support please reach out to a licensed professional in your area.