Meet Lapinlahti people: Essi Nousu
At the Source of Mental Well-Being
In this interview, we meet Essi Nousu, a physical therapist with the Visit Peace collective based in Lähde who leads therapeutic body-mind sessions. Essi’s career path has shifted from information work to entrepreneurship in the field of holistic wellbeing following a career change. Even in her earlier career Essi delved into workplace well-being. Since then, the focus has shifted from work communities, their structures, and working methods to individual people and interactions with them. Behind the Visit Peace collective lies a shared approach: a desire to help people in difficult life situations by holistically strengthening their capacity to function and their resources. The space serves as a safe haven for clients, a centre for recovery and peace of mind.
There are no shortcuts or precision strikes in seeking peace of mind and holistic well-being. Essi views the mind and body as one and in interaction with their environment. In addition to the physical and psychic sides, humans are above all, social animals. Always a part of a community, and a part of nature. Because of this, rather than treating individual symptoms, the goal is to identify the root causes of problems and consider the person as a whole. The body’s response to prolonged stress, burnout, and exhaustion are all too familiar and increasingly common problems. With the coronavirus, even more people need a sense of security, even in difficult situations. Calming down and finding a state of rest don’t necessarily come easily, especially in cases of chronic overdrive mode. Essi ultimately sees it as a matter of how a person is able to focus on the moment. To find peace within their body. This allows the body’s natural immune system to function optimally. You can try regulating your nervous system’s arousal level by calming your breathing or taking a short moment to meditate.
For Essi, strengthening the body-mind connection comes through yoga. Yoga also brought Essi to Lapinlahti, where she has guided park yoga sessions in the summer. In addition to voluntary work she did a work trial in Lapinlahden Lähde. Eventually, she found a working space in Lapinlahti as well. Her wishes to be close to the sea and the nature came true. “Lapinlahti is a unique place in Helsinki, open to everyone and permissive. The communal spirit and atmosphere welcome all visitors. It’s like lowering down to the middle of a fairy tale along the park road. Lapinlahti as a whole offers a tranquil place of rest, a harbour of peace,” Essi describes.
As far as Essi is concerned, she strives to be an active part of community, and would want more community of own-account workers. The coronavirus situation is challenging in itself for new entrepreneurs and forces them to find new ways of working. Digital materials are underway. However, virtual connections can’t fully replace work that is based on encounters and authentic presence. Amid the covid stress, interaction is especially needed. Essi is worried about loneliness increasing during the covid quarantine. Interactions with other people are an intrinsic part of a good and happy life.
Essi Nousu’s lecture Nervous System Wants a Break at Lapinlahden Lähde has been changed to a webinar because of the coronavirus. The lecture on 6.4. at 17:30 delves into stress and how we can help our bodies recover from the accumulated burden. Physical therapist and body-mind awareness guide Essi Nousu illuminates the core of psychophysical approach in stress management and therapeutic work with stress-induced symptoms. You can get to know these themes and Essi better at www.visitpeace.fi.