Who’s Here at The Space introduces you to current and past tenants who have brought their services here! JOY Doula offers Chakradance™ sessions that help women reconnect with themselves through gentle movement, mindfulness, and also creative expression. Jo-Anne creates a safe and supportive space for healing, self-discovery, and personal growth.
Let’s start at the beginning — what’s the story behind your business? What moment or experience made you think, “I need to create this”?
I’ve always been someone who cares deeply about people’s well-being, which led me into a career as a social worker and eventually an executive director. But in my mid-thirties, the weight of constantly supporting others caught up with me. I experienced severe overwhelm, anxiety, and depression and had to step away from my role to focus on my own healing. Traditional therapy helped in some ways, but it wasn’t the full answer for me. That difficult period opened me to my connection with the divine, with spirit, and with my ancestors—especially my grandmother, whose presence guided me through the darkest moments. That experience led me to explore non-traditional healing: energy work, embodiment, and learning how to live again from the inside out. A few years later, I felt another shift—a calling to support others in a different, more soulful way. I explored coaching and energy healing, searching for something that felt true to who I am. That’s when The JOY Doula was born. JOY stands for “Just Be Open to Yourself,” which reflects my belief that healing begins when we stop abandoning ourselves and start listening inward. Then I discovered Chakradance™, a movement therapy that works with the chakra system, Jungian psychology, intuitive movement, and mandala art. It helped me heal layers I didn’t even know I was carrying—gently, deeply, and in a way that felt natural and embodied rather than clinical. Chakradance™ allowed me to reconnect with myself in a way nothing else had. Now, it’s the heart of my work. I help women move through life transitions, release old emotional patterns, and feel safe in their bodies again through this powerful, intuitive modality.
If someone has never heard of what you do, how would you describe it in a way that feels true to you?
Chakradance™ is a gentle movement therapy that combines guided visualization, chakra-resonant music, intuitive dance, and mandala art to help you reconnect with your inner world. It’s based on Jungian psychology and works with the body’s energy centers to release old patterns and create space for healing. There’s no choreography and no performance—your eyes are closed, and you move in the way your body naturally wants to. The “dance” and the mandala you create afterward become the pathways for insight, rather than something you analyze or judge. Each session focuses on a specific chakra, using music and imagery designed to speak directly to your deeper self. The experience is held in a safe, sacred container where you can soften, explore, and allow healing to unfold in a way that feels organic and deeply supportive.
You’re wonderful! What’s the feeling you’re trying to create for people who walk into your event?
I want people to feel like they are being held in a sacred space. I do this by dimming the lights and having crystals and meditation pillows and candlelight. We dance with our eyes closed or gaze lowered, so it is important for participants to feel like they are safe and secure in the sacred space.
Is there a story or moment with participants that really stayed with you?
This particular client I have been working with for a few months and partway into the 9-week Freedom session came to me and said that she can’t believe how her body has held onto the trauma in her life. She truly believes her symptoms of fibromyalgia have decreased since starting Chakradance™ and is committed to clearing all the energy in her body; she has said that for her, she has a longer-lasting impact through Chakradance™ than she does with traditional therapies.
Tell us a story about a time you overcame a challenge in your business…
One of the biggest challenges in my business has been allowing myself to truly see the value of what I offer. I’ve always been someone who naturally holds space for others—meeting them exactly where they are, without judgment, and trusting that they are in control of their own healing. For a long time, I assumed this was something everyone could do. But as I began working more deeply with clients, I realized that the breakthroughs they were experiencing weren’t accidental. People consistently told me they felt safe, seen, and able to go further in their healing than they expected. My challenge was accepting that this wasn’t “ordinary”—that my way of holding space is part of my gift. Stepping into that truth, and allowing myself to be seen as someone who brings something unique to this work, has been a powerful turning point. It’s helped me trust my path, trust my intuition, and trust that the work I offer is real, meaningful, and deeply needed.
What’s next for you? What are you dreaming into right now?
Right now, I’m preparing to offer the 9‑week Chakradance™ Freedom journey here in London, alongside the Chakradance™ To Heal Your Life online course. Both feel like natural next steps in supporting women who are ready to reconnect with themselves in a deeper way. But the dream I’m really holding is to create a retreat space—a sacred weekend where we move through the chakras from root to crown, immersed in movement, reflection, and healing. I envision a beautiful, nurturing environment where women can step away from their everyday lives and fully drop into this work. A place where the entire journey becomes an embodied experience, held with intention, spaciousness, and care. That’s the future I’m dreaming of: a retreat that feels like a true homecoming.
If someone’s on the fence about attending your event, what would you want them to know?
If you’re unsure about attending, I want you to know that you don’t have to arrive with confidence, clarity, or even certainty. Many of the women who come to my sessions are in a tender place—navigating change, feeling disconnected from themselves, or simply exhausted from holding everything together. You don’t need to know “how to do it,” and you don’t need any experience with movement or spirituality. Chakradance™ is a gentle, private, eyes-closed practice where you move in the way your body naturally wants to. There’s no performance, no pressure, and no expectation to share anything you’re not ready to. You’re held in a safe, supportive space where you can soften, breathe, and reconnect with yourself at your own pace. If something in you is curious, even quietly, that’s enough. You’re welcome to come exactly as you are.
How do you take care of yourself as a facilitator/creator while running events for others?
For me, taking care of myself as a facilitator begins long before anyone arrives. I spend time grounding, calling in my guides, and setting the intention that each participant receives exactly what they need. When I enter the space, I clear it energetically and prepare it to hold the group safely. During the session, I stay attuned to my own body and boundaries so I can hold space without absorbing what isn’t mine. After everyone leaves, I close the energetic container, release anything that doesn’t belong to me, and call my own energy back in. This helps me stay centered, clear, and able to show up fully for the next group. A big part of my self-care has also been learning to honor my own gifts, recognizing that not everyone can hold space in this way, and allowing myself to be seen as someone who does this work with depth, intuition, and integrity. Caring for myself means trusting that my energy matters too.
Is there something else you’d like included in this post…
I’m truly honoured to be offering Chakradance™ sessions at The Space London. It feels like the right home for this work, and I’m excited to see how this journey unfolds for the women who feel called to join. If you’re curious about Chakradance™ or wondering whether it might support your own healing, there’s an option on my website to book a time to chat. It’s simply a gentle conversation—a chance to explore what you’re moving through and whether this modality might be a supportive next step for you.
Where can people find you or follow your work?
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