Molly MacLaren believes art is the intention and process of creation not just the end product, and anyone’s greatest work of art is their life and the way that is lived and expressed. Her journey to becoming an Integrative Practitioner at Arts in Medicine has been long and winding, and anything but conventional—shaped by a background in construction, inspired by a long-standing yoga practice, and clarified during my experience navigating and recovering from Large B-Cell Lymphoma. Together, these different chapters of life gave her a deep appreciation for the body’s resilience and the role of intentional, therapeutic touch in healing.
Molly graduated from the University of Florida in 2008 with a Bachelor’s of Science in Construction Management. She worked for a large, national contractor for over a decade. In 2010 she took her first Yoga Teacher training to get a deeper understanding of the mind, body, soul, and heart connection while tending to some old injuries. She guided meditations for several years as part of the in-house trainings offered at her company and at local studios and galleries in Atlanta, GA.
In 2017, Molly was diagnosed with Large B-Cell Lymphoma. Most of her treatment was in-patient, and it was her first real introduction to the hospital environment and the medical community. During treatment one of her friends gifted her a massage that offered emotional and physical relief beyond anything she had experienced. That experience taught her how touch could be beneficial on so many levels.
In 2019, Molly completed her 500 hr – Yoga Teacher Training at Nirvana Yoga and began teaching yoga in Gainesville, FL in 2022 at Flow Space. She was introduced to the art of Thai Massage and fell in love with the practice of therapeutic touch. She graduated from the Florida School of Massage in 2024.
Why Arts in Medicine?
My time in construction taught me the importance of strong foundations and systems—principles I see mirrored in the interconnected nature of the body, mind, and spirit. Yoga helped me explore that connection more deeply, and massage therapy ignited a lifelong passion. It was during my cancer treatment, when I received massage as part of my care, that I truly felt the emotional and physical relief it could bring. That experience clarified my desire to offer the same to others, especially those facing serious illnesses.