This week in The Soul Sessions, we catch up with pilates teacher and reiki healer, Vanessa Naish. We talk about healing, spiritual growth and Vanessa’s personal transformation since changing career and becoming a mother.
Tell us about you, and what you do.
As I’ve become older I’ve realised I am so many things it’s almost hard to say. Mainly, I am a mother, a wife, and I was a fashion designer for the last 15 years. Now I’ve stepped into some roles that have been calling me for a long time, but being on the corporate treadmill, I didn’t stop to pursue them. I am now a Reiki healer and a mat and reformer Pilates teacher, with a side hustle of aromatherapy, meditation and breathwork. I’m someone who loves to laugh and not take life too seriously. I feel most alive spending time in nature, listening to music, traveling, and being with family and friends. I love glamour. I also enjoy creating inviting, thoughtfully designed spaces and creating a vibe. At the same time, I value solitude, whether it’s sitting with my plants or soaking in the bath, where I can reflect deeply on anything and everything. I’m very Libra, very Yin and Yang.
How did you first get into Pilates and Reiki healing?
After I had my baby, I really struggled both physically and mentally. I had postnatal anxiety, I was suffering from delusions and I developed a severe autoimmune reaction, psoriasis covered my body from head to toe. I felt broken and lost, I didn't know who I was anymore. Once the person who went to every new restaurant, every club, and planned my outfits for Friday night, I now lived in a constant state of stress and burnout with a colicy baby, terrified of her mortality and struggling majorly with my hormones. I felt unhealthy, and different entirely. It was a dark time looking back, and after a c-section, even basic movement was difficult. A good friend of mine and trainer suggested I try Pilates since it was low impact. I had done it quite a bit before and loved it but never consistently. So I subscribed to an online platform and began practicing at home. I didn't feel confident enough to go out into the world so I took myself to my room and started. That first 30 minutes alone, moving my body and releasing endorphins, switching off was almost meditative and felt like a lifeline. I felt endorphins for the first time in a long time and somehow very maturely for once in my life I told myself that if I was kind, and consistent with myself I'd get back to feeling strong and healthy again. No mad diets, no berating myself. Just kindness and consistency.
I made a promise to myself that in six months, I would be stronger and more confident in those classes and maybe even venture out to one. Over time, my body began to heal, and changed in ways other forms of exercise hadn't so Pilates became a huge part of my recovery, physically, emotionally, and mentally.
Three months postpartum, and feeling quite low I wrote down everything I wanted for my new self as a mother, and in my life, and I was brutally honest with myself. When I read my list it was actually nothing like the old me. I wanted to help people, be healthier, happier, drink less, be outdoors more, slow down and use my design and aromatherapy skills, no mention of outfits or restaurants. Pilates felt like the path to start to fulfil that day. The idea slipped into my mind on a walk with my daughter, like a subconscious notification pop up, it just dawned on me. I trained to become an instructor during maternity leave and qualified before returning to work. Two months later, I was made redundant, and it felt like a huge sign to pursue Pilates and wellness full time. It was tough at first, hustling for work and starting postnatal classes to make ends meet, busying myself when I had no work, but slowly it grew, and I'm so glad I stuck at it.
Reiki entered my life later, I had more headspace to explore what truly called to me. As a Pilates instructor, it's physically demanding and at times quite challenging holding space for so many people, however it's not the kind of stress I felt in an office environment and my creative side and imagination came flooding back in my down time between classes or walks to the studio. I was introduced to a wonderful Reiki master by a friend I met in the wellness space, and once I was attuned, something majorly shifted. I stopped caring about judgment or being conventional, I no longer felt unworthy, I felt connected and at peace with myself. Reiki helped me feel more grounded, authentic, and aligned, not perfect, but more the real me.
Have you changed as a person since you began your journey into wellness and healing?
Absolutely. This journey has changed me in ways I never expected. A lot of the time I had a sense of feeling unworthy or not good enough, it's been a general thread through most things in my life. I couldn't stand it if my daughter felt that way, or any other person for that matter so my new purpose, through my teaching, was to help others feel uplifted, happier, empowered and like they were in a safe and non judgmental place to exercise. No pretension and a lot of warmth, feeling encouraged to move in a way that feels joyful rather than a punishment.
I’ve become more grounded, healthier, and happier, not all the time, but consistently more in tune with who I really am. I feel like a better mother and partner, and although I still have moments of stress and chaos, I’m much more at peace with myself. Stepping into wellness and healing has been less about changing who I am, and more about finally becoming who I was meant to be.
What role do you think the body has in influencing emotional wellbeing, and how does this apply to Pilates?
I believe the body and mind are deeply connected. When we feel stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed, it often shows up in our bodies as tension, fatigue, or even pain. Likewise, when we move our bodies mindfully and build strength, it can shift how we feel emotionally.
Pilates is such a powerful tool for this because it focuses on breath, posture, and controlled movement, which really helps calm the nervous system and bring a sense of balance. For me, Pilates was a way to reconnect with my body after a difficult time. As I got stronger physically, I also felt more confident, grounded, and emotionally resilient. It’s not just exercise, it’s a whole-body and mind practice that supports emotional wellbeing too.
I recently came across something by neuroscientist Dr. Tara Swart, who explained that somatic movement is a powerful way of releasing stored trauma in the body. But just as the body holds trauma, it also carries ancient wisdom and intuition. By moving, we can bring that wisdom forward into our awareness.
That’s how I’ve come to see Pilates, as a form of therapy. Through its mindful, controlled movements, I not only strengthen my body but also access insights and inner knowledge. Lately, this practice has left me feeling more creative, intuitive, and deeply connected to myself.
Take us through the process of Reiki healing. How do you prepare for a session, and what takes place in the session itself?
Reiki healing is a gentle and deeply relaxing practice that helps to balance energy in the body. It’s based on the idea that we all have vital life force energy flowing through us, and when that energy is low or blocked, it can lead to stress or illness. Reiki helps to clear those blocks and restore flow, supporting both emotional and physical healing. As the healer, I act as a channel for this universal energy, guiding it to where it’s needed most.
To prepare for a session, I always wash my hands and wear clean clothes, almost like a sign of respect for the process. I love to drink herbal tea and get my aromatherapy going, as I feel like plant scents communicate with the non-verbal part of the brain, where the soul ‘thinks’ in imagery and associations. That is why a whiff of fragrance can instantly transport us a million miles away. The sense of smell forms the gateway to the subconscious mind and even taps into what Carl Jung termed the collective unconscious, I feel more "in tune" this way. I also make sure my Reiki room is beautiful, with fresh flowers, calming objects, clean linens, and gentle music. The designer in me really enjoys creating a space that soothes all the senses.
Before I begin, I say a quiet prayer and ask the universe to help me support my client. I open up my crown almost like a lotus flower to receive the universal energy through my body. Then I get to work. I place my hands gently on my client or hover them just above the body, depending on what feels right. Often, my eyes are closed and I’m working with my mind’s eye, sensing energy, heat, or imagery that guides me. I might see colours or symbols that help me know where to move energy or where to clear blockages. I also use sacred symbols during the session to help with healing or emotional release, which are part of the training you receive when attuned to Reiki.
Recently, I’ve begun to notice that when I work closely with my clients’ energy, I sometimes receive insights that feel intuitive, almost like subtle impressions. Images, scenarios, or words will surface in my mind unconsciously, giving me a deeper understanding of what may be happening, not only on a physical level, but also emotionally and mentally.
Through this process, I can often “join the dots” of their story and gently suggest ways they might support themselves, such as grounding practices or releasing tension linked to a certain life circumstance. It’s a fascinating experience, and I’ve found that the more I practice tuning in, the stronger and clearer these insights become. For example if a lion pops into my mind i know now it’s linked to pride and the solar plexus chakra. It's like I'm building my own beautiful spiritual language.
When the session is coming to an end, I change the aromatherapy to something more uplifting, to awaken the senses. I place my hands on the client one final time, then use a beautiful Koshi aqua chime to gently signal the session is complete. Often, there is emotional release, so I always have tissues ready, and we’ll have a short debrief over a custom herbal tea blend I make just for them to help comfort and ground the session over a chat.
What advice would you give to anyone who wants to start working within the world of wellness?
Do what genuinely makes you happy, what truly lights you up on the inside in your soul, not just what looks good from the outside. Start by making a list of the things you truly love doing and begin there. I realised that many of the things I thought I enjoyed were actually rooted in wanting to appear a certain way to others. It took time to untangle from that, but learning to choose what feels authentic, real, and joyful has been a real shift. Since I stepped into my true self, more opportunities have found me and nothing feels forced. I suppose this is what people mean when they say "in your flow".
Starting a new career is no small thing, but here’s what I’ve learned along the way:
- Trust the process, stay present, and enjoy the journey, not just the destination
- Keep your head up and keep going, great things require hard work and resilience
- There will always be critics, just make sure you’re not one of them
- Know your worth and never waver
- Good days are plentiful, but when bad days come, let them wash over you like a wave
- Keep your “why” close, when in doubt, return to it and try again
- Doing what you love is the greatest reward
- Surround yourself with the best people, and you can’t lose
- Celebrate the little wins, be proud of how far you’ve come
- Who you are is your unique selling point, so lean into it
