Plan to do something outside your comfort zone. For me, it was hiking to a vortex in Sedona even though it was hot and I didn’t think I could do it. I took lots of breaks, found the joy in the beauty along the way, and reminded myself how I would feel after. It remains a great accomplishment and provide sustenance in moments of fear even now.
The pandemic has shaped the way we travel and live, with a growing trend leaning towards health, wellness, and a holistic lifestyle. More than ever, individuals are seeking not just getaways, but immersive wellness retreats that help rejuvenate the body, mind, and soul. Destinations that provide a serene environment, unique wellness offerings, and an unparalleled experience are in great demand. In this interview series, we are talking to property owners and hospitality companies who are at the helm of these wellness havens. As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Laura Coburn.
Laura Coburn is the Spa Director and Programming Director at the Inns of Aurora Resort & Spa in Aurora, New York, where she leads with a focus on wellness, community, and holistic health. In addition to her roles at the resort, Coburn is a certified yoga teacher at Eka, and the president of Coburn Design, highlighting her wide-ranging interests and entrepreneurial spirit. Her career trajectory has been anything but linear, reflecting her diverse interests and talents that have brought her to a leadership role in wellness and hospitality.
Born and raised in the small town of Homer, New York, Coburn’s childhood memories are deeply rooted in the idyllic landscape of village life. She fondly recalls walking past the village green, with its bandstand and churches, a setting that would later be the backdrop to important moments in her life, including her first ice-skating adventure and even her wedding day. These early experiences shaped Coburn’s sense of community, tradition, and place, values that she would carry with her throughout her eclectic career.
Today, one of Coburn’s most significant projects is cultivating a positive culture at the spa, where staff members feel that their contributions are valued and that they are making a meaningful difference. She believes that fostering such an environment has a lasting impact, not only on the team but also on the guests who come to the spa seeking relaxation and rejuvenation. Coburn’s holistic approach to wellness, combined with her deep commitment to service and community, continues to shape her work at the Inns of Aurora and beyond.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Before we dive into the main focus of our interview, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?
Igrew up in Homer, New York. What stands out to me the most from my childhood is walking to school past the village green with a bandstand in the middle and four churches standing proud at the edges. This spot was witness to my first adventures in ice skating and a shower of birdseed on my head the day I was married.
What or who inspired you to pursue your career? We’d love to hear the story.
I have done so many things that led to this moment in my career and have been inspired and supported by some amazing individuals.
I’ve been an equestrian, a student activist, an actress, set designer, private chef, emergency medical tech, red cross blood recruiter, museum docent, graphic designer, marketing firm owner, consultant, Reiki Master, Yoga Teacher, Ayurveda Health Counselor, Activities Director, Rooms Director, and Spa Director.
There were the two art teachers in my small high school that conspired to encourage me to drop Chemistry to take cartooning my senior year of High school (1980/81). I had been on a Math/Science Regents Track and headed for a pre-veterinary program and made a seemingly sudden veer toward art. The daughter of a Librarian and Engineer, I did not consider art an option. Even so, I took voice lessons, acted in plays, designed costumes, built sets, volunteered myself as the arts and crafts director at the nursing home down the street at 13. In High School, I rode horses, participated in student government, was a private chef for a prominent couple in our community and managed to make it to play rehearsal after cooking, serving and cleaning up after their dinner every week night. I also planned regional student government conferences replete with speakers, accommodations, catering and entertainment. My parents welcomed visitors from all over the country made by connections they forged in the 33 places they lived before settling in Homer. I thrilled in preparing the bedrooms, folding the towels just so, placing fresh flowers and water on the bed side tables. I guess you could say that entertaining and serving was in my blood. My interest in wellness, yoga, reiki, mediation, Ayurveda Health came much later.
None of us can achieve success without some help along the way. Was there a particular person who you feel gave you the most help or encouragement to be who you are today? Can you share a story about that?
My sister Beth would top that list. She has been a sister, friend, mentor and sometimes mother to me through the years. She always tells me the truth and has the courage to challenge my stories and assumptions. Her words don’t always give me ease but they always light my way.
Sue Edinger, General Manager at Inns of Aurora, is credited with believing that I can do anything and reminds me of that fact every time she lays a new challenge at my feet. I have never been able to convince her otherwise and she does not take no for an answer. I credit her for not believing my self-effacing words.
It has been said that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Can you share the funniest or most interesting mistake that occurred to you in the course of your career? What lesson or takeaway did you learn from that?
My most infamous mistake was when I worked as a graphic designer at a newspaper. I stayed up very late to finish a special edition tabloid for a big festival in our community. I was so fixated on making sure that there was an advertisement inside to “save the date” for next year ,that I actually sent the whole guide to press in the middle of the night with the wrong date on the cover. The next day as the bundles were being loaded on the truck it was discovered the guide was dated a year in the future. I thought I was going to die. My lesson. BE PRESENT! Don’t stay up half the night on a deadline and expect perfection.
Can you share your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Why does that resonate with you so much?
Choose one of these:
Rickie Lee Jones: “You never know when you are making a memory” — this reminds me that in every moment and in every interaction, something is being created. I ask myself. What do I want to create?
John Lennon: “ Life is what happens when you are making other plans” — this remind me that if I am always broadcasting myself and my aspiration toward the future I may being missing the joy, blessings and recognition of what is right here and right now.
What are some of the most interesting or exciting projects you are working on now? How do you think that might help people?
My greatest project is to build a culture at The Spa that allows the people who contribute their time, talent, and hearts to feel proud of their contribution and know they make a difference. I believe when we feel seen, heard, appreciated, and needed we can truly release ourselves into a state of being that is nourishing for both ourselves and others. I believe this will have a lasting impact on all those who pass through the spa in whatever capacity that is.
Let’s now shift to the core focus of our interview about wellness destinations. Let’s dive deeper into this together. Based on your research or personal experience, why do you think travel can lead to better wellness? Can you share a story?
I remember saying yes to an impromptu invitation to visit a friend’s home in the South of France. I was three weeks away from traveling to the MacWorld Exposition in Boston, but felt the draw and off my dear Tom and I went with barely any foreign currency and international travel experience. I discovered napping alfresco under arbors of bougainvillea and real, I mean real, butter. I came to realize that a communal meal laid out on a farm table of assorted seemingly unrelated foods left over or gathered from the market that morning was true nourishment. It was not volume, it was not contrived or over fussed with. It was beautiful and a feast for the senses as much as the belly. I slowed down, I disconnected, I forgot technology and saw colors I would never replicate on my 21-inch color calibrated monitor. It was love and it was healing.
What are a few things that distinguish your property from thousands of wellness properties around the world?
I cannot pretend to know all that is out there but I do know we have an easy sense of luxury and warm hospitality nestled in a quiet countryside along a sparkling lake that’s surrounded by fields, farms, forests, hills, and meadows. At Inns of Aurora, we revel in the four seasons and embrace each one for its wonder, beauty, and occasional challenge.
What type of experience do you want your visitors to have when they visit?
My wish is for every visitor to feel welcome, coming as they are, and discovering a sense of peace and comfort inside themselves. What we offer feels magical, but it’s not magic — it’s intentional. Inns of Aurora is meant to guide all visitors toward rest and healing. Healing comes in so many ways, and I believe the most profound healing comes from recognizing ourselves fully. My hope is that the property creates so much grace, quietude, and comfort that we promote the journey within.
What makes your property a beautiful escape for a body and mind recharge?
The intentionality of the design of every space, and the care with which we treat each person, allows one to let their guard down. Perhaps they smile more easily, breath a bit more deeply, or walk more slowly. Ease allows us to drop into our Parasympathetic Nervous System — rest and digest.
Can you share any transformative stories or testimonials from guests who visited your property?
Inns of Aurora offers a guided Sound Mediation, at the Spa, led by a gift healer who brings signing bowls, gongs, bamboo chimes, and deep inhalation of Frankincense, while inviting participants to lie down supported by pillows and blankets. Following the journey, every guest I’ve ever spoken to states that they felt profound healing and are changed.
Why do you think the experience you offer is so needed nowadays?
Before the pandemic, most westerners were already living in an overstimulated state. Post-pandemic, we are now overstimulated with a healthy dose of fear and isolation to boot. Inns of Aurora is offering safety, connection, and a chance to feel one’s own heartbeat and breath flow and know that all is well, even for that moment.
Do you think travel enhances our mindfulness, optimism, or sense of gratitude? How? Can you please explain with an example or story?
Travel absolutely asks one to be present and requires a fresh perspective while demanding our focus and attention. It opens our minds to new possibilities and paradigms. It calls on our inner resources and wisdom. In short, it’s fulfilling if not sometimes scary and challenging. We lift our gaze and therefore our hearts.
What are your “5 Habits You Should Develop In Order Make Travel Into An Opportunity For Wellness & Personal Growth?”
1 . Set a goal for a physical adventure in your travel plan and train for it. For example: I wanted to go horseback riding on my sixtieth birthday and I knew I needed to use my yoga practice to open my hips and a nutritional plan to get inside the weight limit.
2 . Plan to do something outside your comfort zone. For me, it was hiking to a vortex in Sedona even though it was hot and I didn’t think I could do it. I took lots of breaks, found the joy in the beauty along the way, and reminded myself how I would feel after. It remains a great accomplishment and provide sustenance in moments of fear even now.
3 . Gift a gift. Find a way to be of service to someone during your travels. Help someone lift a case. Pay for someone’s water or toll. You will be amazed the balm it will be on your heart.
4 . Set a vision but stay flexible with the plan. I remember a song from the 80’s hang on loosely or you’re going to lose control. If our travel plans become so precious that we have a melt down when they don’t materialize exactly as planned, we are the ones who suffer.
5 . When traveling with a companion (or anywhere) adopt the tenants of right speech. Before commenting, ask yourself “is what I am about to say . .truthful, timely, helpful, kind and gentle?” This one took me a while to master, and I still don’t always get it right.
Based on your experience, where do you see the future of wellness travel heading in the next 5–10 years?
I believe people will come to crave and further understand how to level the roller coaster of work and rest into a plan for balance before and after travel. This means not racing to the trip with no self-care and then returning immediately to the same pace and without incorporating or holding on to wellness gained. I believe more onboarding before the travel in the way of preparation and planning and takeaways to incorporate into one’s lifestyle upon return.
We are very blessed that some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US, whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why?
Abby Wombach. On my way from being the Director of Serenity to Director of Spa, I did a year as Rooms Director at our resort. I inherited a broken team that was infighting, backstabbing, and just generally dragging each other down. One day I was searching for inspiration and came across a Podcast featuring Aby. I immediately bought her book Wolfpack. It was inspiring and actionable. It was a game changer. Thanks Abby!
How can our readers further follow your work online?
Thant is great question. I suppose LinkedIn would be the best.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauracoburn/
Intragram: @innsofauroraspa
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent on this. We wish you only continued success.
About the Interviewer: Wanda Malhotra is a wellness entrepreneur, lifestyle journalist, and the CEO of Crunchy Mama Box, a mission-driven platform promoting conscious living. CMB empowers individuals with educational resources and vetted products to help them make informed choices. Passionate about social causes like environmental preservation and animal welfare, Wanda writes about clean beauty, wellness, nutrition, social impact and sustainability, simplifying wellness with curated resources. Join Wanda and the Crunchy Mama Box community in embracing a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle at CrunchyMamaBox.com .
