Founder - Gina Louise

Welcome to the story 🩵

Maybe pop the kettle on, make yourself comfortable, and settle in while I share how this came to be

Chapter 1 — The Beginning

There was a time when I barely recognised the woman in the mirror

Years of caring for my father, living alongside emotional illness, chasing perfection in the hope of making him proud, and carrying unspoken family pain had led me to build a life that looked fine from the outside — yet never felt safe on the inside

Within a short space of time, my life changed in ways I could never have predicted or controlled

I lost my father to suicide and found myself in a physically and emotionally abusive relationship
As a result, I became separated from my two beautiful children and lost my reason for simply staying alive

Although the past was beyond my control, years later I was still carrying the weight of the memories, the what ifs, and the guilt

Slowly and quietly, I began to sink

My body felt overwhelmed, my mind was constantly busy, and I had no idea how to come back to myself or feel steady again

Chapter 2 — Breathe

As my system continued to tire, rest felt impossible
The thought of loving anyone again — especially myself — felt terrifying

Living constantly on edge, I moved through the world trying to fix what I believed was broken

I didn’t yet know that what I needed wasn’t fixing

It was a pause, a breath, a moment where my body could begin to feel safe again

Chapter 3 — Flow

I was holding onto everything

The memories
The pain
The past

Somewhere inside, I believed that if I held on tightly enough, I might one day be able to go back and change it all

But the weight became too heavy

And what I slowly began to understand is that we are not meant to carry everything forever — sometimes we need somewhere safe to place the weight down

Chapter 4 — Energy

Then one day, something unexpected happened

I began to move my body

At first gently — bodyweight exercises at home, flowing through yoga, experimenting with Pilates

As my confidence grew, I stepped into the gym and, step by step, breath by breath, I began to find myself again

Movement became more than exercise

It became my way back

Not punishment
Not pressure

But a way of rebuilding strength with kindness, and slowly learning to trust my body again

Chapter 5 — Pause

Life began to slow

I moved to Cornwall, living simply, quietly, close to nature

We lived under the stars instead of schedules
Cooked on a wood-fired stove
Woke to the ocean

And in that stillness, something shifted

I rested

Old memories surfaced
I wept
I softened

I stopped measuring my worth by how exhausted I felt

I stopped criticising myself for how hard some days were

And I allowed myself, for the first time in a long time… to simply pause

I began to understand something important

I had never been broken
I had simply become lost in my story

Chapter 6 — Coming Home to Myself

Over time, I laid down the weight I had been carrying

Not all at once…
but gently

And I realised what I had been longing for all along

Safety
Softness
Support

As I grew stronger, I began to wonder how many others were quietly feeling the same

Holding everything together on the outside…
while feeling overwhelmed within

So I created A State of Mind Studio

A modern-day sanctuary where you can return to yourself, soften your inner voice, rebuild strength in your body, and gently release the weight you have been carrying

A space where breath, movement, and stillness come together to support you

Today, I continue to walk the same path I share

Movement is still my medicine
Breath still brings me back
Strength still builds my confidence
And slowing down still reminds me who I am

Chapter 7 — Sharing and Supporting

I now support others to build strength in their body, soften their inner voice, and feel more steady and at home within themselves

No matter who I meet, I always share the same truth

You do not need to feel strong to begin again

You do not need the perfect body, the perfect plan, or a clear direction

All you need is a desire to feel good about yourself…
and a willingness to take one small step

One breath
One heartbeat
One gentle step at a time

With a promise from me

You will never be alone here

Together creating a ripple of wellness that travels across oceans 🩵 

Gina Louise xx