Laura Shofroth

So nice to meet you! First off, what’s your name? Tell our readers a bit about yourself—where you’re from originally and where you live now.

Hi, my name is Laura Shofroth and I am originally from Arlington, Virginia. I currently reside in sunny Hilton Head Island, SC, where my business is based.

Tell us one thing you love about where you live now?

I love Hilton Head Island because, having been raised and spending most of my life in the hustle and bustle of the city, it is truly a breath of fresh air to live in the atmosphere of "island life". Slow-paced, tropical days, and the ocean and sand within 5 minutes is a bonus.

Tell us a little bit more about what your company does and how it started? How does it help your customers?

My story began two decades ago when I found myself with more than a few of the most common chronic illnesses that we see here in the U.S.: hypothyroidism, fatigue, digestive issues, gallbladder imbalances... and chronic stress (which I didn't realize at the time, because hey... we get up and get through it, right?!) Interestingly, I was under a lot of stress at the time; my ex-husband was sick with Lyme disease, and ultimately he had become a victim of the opioid epidemic, and at the same time I had been the caregiver for my dad, who was transitioning from lung and brain cancer. So, I had a lot going on. In the middle of this very turbulent time I was then also diagnosed with an 'incurable' illness, for which the doctors said I needed radical surgery and a lifetime of medication management... but they also said none of that would be the cure because there wasn't one. During the diagnostic surgery, the doctor made a cut that caused internal bleeding for about a week, leading to a drain being put into my abdomen, which was pretty inconvenient, to say the least.

But, somehow, during all of this doctor stress, my inner warrior surfaced. Despite what the doctors were saying, I was still convinced that someone, somewhere, in some small village in some third-world country, had a cure! And I was going to find it. I was inspired by a book that I read from an author who said she cured herself also of an incurable illness, so I embarked on my own self-healing journey. I began with diet changes, and those changes in and of themselves were the catalyst for the biggest change in my health, and pretty quickly. From there, I decided to become an Herbalist so I could teach others the powerful truth that food is medicine.

I did that for many years, just helping people who would naturally be drawn to my work. Several years later, I found myself going through several life-changing and traumatic events that left me devastated. I had to relearn who I was, my truest identity, and start my life all over again. Because of these life-altering changes, I went headfirst into the world of trauma release, emotional processing, and nervous system regulation, things that we just aren't taught normally. As I healed myself, once again I stepped into a new healing modality, using the tools and techniques I learned to help others heal from trauma, chronic stress, and nervous system imbalances. I became a Certified Life Coach so I could address lifestyle as well as physical healing. Today, I help clients reverse chronic pain and illness using foods as medicine, juicing, body awareness for stress reversal, epigenetics (yes, your body is listening to your thoughts, words, and beliefs!), and emotional and trauma healing. I believe a body/mind practitioner must wear many hats, and ultimately this is a brilliant model of what I do because the human experience is complex. We must be able to adjust to each person and address each piece of the puzzle. I've found that when we address the major 5 points of why illness appears within the physiology and apply The Miracle of You teachings, then we see incredible and often miraculous results in a wide variety of cases ranging from weight loss all the way to stage 4 cancer. The body knows how to heal; we just need to listen and come alongside it. Some of the extra modalities that I use in my practice are not limited to consulting; I am also a Medical Intuitive, and I work with the energy of the person, feeling deeply into what is happening at the root. This is my primary way of working with people because root cause medicine is the only true medicine!

If someone wants to start a business, what advice would you give them?

I believe that we should find our gifts, the gifts that we were born with, and work within that or those. We all have gifts, and when we are helping others with our gifts, on the one hand it doesn't feel like work, and on the other hand... it helps others as well as helping ourselves. Find what you do best and go!

What was one feedback from a happy customer/client that you won't forget about?

I think the most extraordinary feedback I received was from a client who was healed from non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Barrett's esophagus. I'll never forget him meeting me at my office one morning with his MRI results waving in his hand. He was so very happy and he couldn't stop hugging me and showing me his results. I'll never forget that moment!

Where do you see your company in the future?

I see my company expanding into doing retreats so that people who need extra time learning and applying healing foundations with me can plan around a few days to a week to really absorb their new healing journeys.

What is the biggest misconception about your industry?

The biggest misconception is that holistic medicine isn't as reliable or trustworthy as mainstream medicine. In fact, I had a lady tell me once that it "takes a lot of faith to believe herbs can heal". I can understand this thought process because here in the U.S., it's what we've grown up in... get sick, you go to the doctors. But, in truth, synthetic medications cover symptoms and holistic medicine asks why the symptoms are there and then discovers how to align with the body to heal it. I am a walking testimony to that as I have healed myself solely with herbs, food, and mindset techniques.

What has been one of your biggest struggle building your business and how did you deal with it?

My biggest struggle was going public on social media. I call myself an introverted extrovert, so while I love people, and I am a speaker and speak in front of crowds regularly, I can be shy. My passion to help empower people to find their own inner healer pretty much forced me to put myself 'out there' on social media, and that has actually been great for my reputation here in my community, especially early on.

Who was your favorite music artist and athlete growing up?

I didn't have just one favorite musical talent growing up, I loved most music except for opera. But I did listen to a whole lot of Harry Belafonte, Neil Diamond, Led Zeppelin, and Pink Floyd, as diverse as that sounds. I didn't really have an athlete that I followed or looked up to.

Any shoutouts you want to make?

I'd love to give a shout out to all the holistic practitioners that are out there. Our time is now!

Where can our readers learn more about you and your company?

You can read more about my work and download resources to help you on your own healing journey at www.TheMiracleOfYou.Info, or follow me on Facebook at The Miracle of You Holistic Health Group (private group). You can also email me at LauraFamilyHerbalist@gmail.com