Meet Lilly Roche of KALAMAZOO, MI

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lilly Roche

Hi Lilly, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I knew that I wanted to become an occupational therapist as a young girl, I saw my grandmother’s occupational therapist working with her. She was calm, present, engaged with my grandmother in a way that I had not seen other health professionals with her.

When it was time for me to go off to college. I found WMU’s OT program and started my journey. Post graduation I worked in traditional settlings doing home health and skilled nursing care. As I learned more about various avenues of healing, I wanted to have more freedom in how I could work with individuals.

Thus, I started my private practice called Soul Embodied. In my private practice I focus on the interrelated dynamic of mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual health on healing. My practices are grounded in the framework of occupational therapy using modalities such as classical yoga, Ayurveda, and Internal Family Systems.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Ya know, honestly once I started my private practice clients just came. It has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life to work with people in this way. There are absolutely bouts when things get slower. So I’ve learned to ride the gentle ups and down. The Kalamazoo community of practitioners have been a great resource! I am incredibly thankful to be part of this community.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Meet Lilly, an occupational therapist with a passion for holistic healing. Through her venture, Soul Embodied, she merges her diverse training in Pelvic Wellness, Internal Family Systems Theory, Yoga & Meditation, and sound healing. Lilly’s approach is all about connecting with each person’s mind, body, and spirit to unlock their innate healing abilities. She truly believes that within each individual lies the wisdom needed for healing; sometimes, it’s just a matter of finding the right key!

Lilly’s journey began with a Master’s in Occupational Therapy and a minor in Psychology back in 2013. Initially focusing on older adults and end-of-life care, she soon realized that traditional education didn’t fully equip her for the depth of human suffering she encountered. This realization sparked her quest for further knowledge and led her to explore yoga, meditation, and end-of-life care.

Over the years, Lilly dove into various yoga teacher training programs and even pursued a chaplaincy certification. She’s continuously adding new tools to her kit, including trauma-sensitive approaches and Internal Family Systems Theory, blending them seamlessly with her yoga and meditation practices.

What drives Lilly is her genuine desire to help people heal in a way that honors their whole being. She’s dedicated to staying at the forefront of her field, constantly learning alongside pioneers in Pelvic Health Occupational Therapy, Internal Family System, and Classical Yoga. For Lilly, it’s not just about treating symptoms; it’s about empowering individuals to embark on their healing journeys with compassion and understanding.

What were you like growing up?
Growing up everyone always said I was “wise beyond my years”, I was quiet, gentle, shy, and inquisitive. My playful parts would dress up in leopard onesies and play the air guitar. I have two sister whom I have always been very close to. We spent a lot of time playing outside and being goofy together.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://soul-embodied.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lilly.roche.s/