‘Native American medicine is about story telling, it is through stories that one heals and finds oneself… everyone here has a story’ says Larah Davis. Here is her story:

She has a calm and relaxed demeanor, a soothing voice and an encouraging manner… all the attributes you would expect to find in a Life Coach. Larah has been visiting Ibiza on and off for thirteen years and has now, finally, made Ibiza her permanent home. Every ex-patriot here has an Ibiza story: how they came to live on the island, what inspired and motivated them to move… and Larah is no exception.

Katja Paschmann y Larah Davis

Having lived all over the world, in New York, Sydney and Mexico as well as London, Larah never quite found what she was looking for in those places. When she first set foot on the Island of Ibiza, she says, her life changed forever and every time she’s been on the Island since something pivotal has happened.

Photo: William Penn (www.365-productions.com)

For Larah Ibiza has the best elements of all the places she’s ever lived, the beauty of the Island and the people, the contrasting natures of Ibiza and the eclecticism that make this place so unique. She has always had a stronger sense of well-being when in Ibiza. For her ‘the Island is like a mother who accepts you for who you are’ and keeps asking you to be who you are. ‘Ibiza is an Island of enabling, of collaboration and co-operation, an incredible place for like-minded people to come together.’

When her relationship with her boyfriend and business partner in London ended, Larah felt a sense of liberty and finally the freedom to move to Ibiza. In 2007 she left behind the gloss and glamour of the city, preferring the rich vibrancy of Ibiza. The island has helped heal her own pain and offered opportunities for healing and enabling others. Larah sees Ibiza as offering a constant source of learning – and attributes her own growth to the many life teachers “everywhere”.

It is now in Ibiza that Larah feels totally connected with her true purpose of enabling people to unlock and realise their full potential, to tune into their life’s purpose and build practical tool-kits of self-mastery skills to realise goals and dreams. She works with individuals and groups to assist them in their everyday and working lives – specialising in visioning and uncovering life purpose.

She also runs private Life Coaching & NLP sessions and complimentary courses in NLP, Visioning, self-mastery and ‘detox your lifestyle’ amongst others.

In 2001 Larah launched a new venture – Ibiza Retreats – and swiftly came together with her working partner, long-time island resident Katja Paschmann (a Nia Flow Yoga teacher and classically trained physiotherapist). Their mission… ‘to connect individuals who live in and visit Ibiza with whichever “natural feel-good factor” helps them open their door to their mind-body-spirit, health, wealth & happiness. So that people can keep their batteries charged and their energy levels high – even at the heights of Ibiza’s crazy summertime.’

A ‘retreat’ is quite simply some time away from your usual life and whatever demands that may entail. People go on retreats for different, personal reasons. A retreat can be a time for reflection, for self-improvement or for healing or just time for rest. They can involve anything from yoga to chanting or maybe active meditation and reflexology or massage in a Day Retreat set in Ibiza’s natural beauty or delivered in the comfort and privacy of your holiday villa or private home.

Ibiza Retreats is a holistic resource, drawing together into one nexus point all the information about retreats on Ibiza that are being held by internal and external teachers alike. The website also has an A-Z of complimentary services on the Island from private teachers to singers, drummers and musicians. They work to bring together the rich resources throughout Ibiza and connecting those outside to within – within the retreats and through creating a centralised “calendar” of healing happenings & events.

Text: Ruth Osborn