Some stories are stitched together across countries, cultures, and seasons of life and Ruth Cleminson’s is one of them. Before she became a yoga teacher, Pilates instructor, somatic therapist, and co‑founder of Flourish Community Solutions and Flourish Academy, Ruth was a young woman moving around the world, raising her children in different countries while supporting her husband’s military career. Those years shaped her, not just through the challenges of constant change, but through the deep resilience, adaptability, and compassion that come from building a home wherever you land.
Ruth often says her family gave her foundation. Her mother, in particular, showed her what it meant to be a strong woman - steady, capable, and anchored in care. That strength became the thread that carried Ruth through decades of community work, social services, and wellbeing education. With more than 20 years in the social work and community sector, and eight years building Flourish Community Solutions, Ruth has walked alongside families, educators, carers, and children navigating stress, trauma, emotional overwhelm, and the complexities of modern parenting.
Her training in yoga, somatic therapy, movement, and body‑based healing didn’t just enrich her professional toolkit, it transformed her understanding of what people truly need. She saw, again and again, that healing isn’t only cognitive. It’s relational. It’s nervous‑system deep. It’s found in safety, connection, and the gentle practices that help people feel understood rather than judged.
That insight is what led to the creation of Flourish Community Solutions and Flourish Academy - spaces built on compassion, evidence‑informed education, trauma‑aware practice, and the belief that families and communities thrive when adults feel supported, capable, and connected. Today, Ruth’s work spans parenting programs, professional training, wellbeing workshops, and child‑centred emotional development, all designed to help people flourish emotionally, physically, and relationally.
In this conversation, Ruth opens up about her early life, her global journey as a military spouse, the evolution of her career, and the heart behind Flourish. She shares how movement, mindfulness, and somatic awareness shaped her approach to community care and why she believes every child, parent, and practitioner deserves access to support that feels human, hopeful, and practical.
The community is grateful for people like Ruth, people who turn lived experience into service, who build safer futures for families, and who remind us that flourishing is not a destination, but a deeply relational process.
Settle in. This is a story of strength, compassion, and the quiet leadership that changes lives.
Home - Flourish Community Solutions
Home - Flourish Academy
On behalf of the Hair Therapist we acknowledge the Turrbal and Jagera people, the traditional custodians of the land on which this podcast is produced.
The topics in this podcast are of general nature, we are not licensed professionals, so if any of the content brings up anything for you, please turn it off and reach out for support:
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CREDITS:
Host: Melissa Alsemgeest
Guest: Ruth Cleminson
Editor: Robert Alsemgeest
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