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2024 Women to Watch

This year we showcase over 80 South Australian women to watch throughout the year. From business, to careers, arts to science. This year’s selected women highlight the depth and diversity of the women in our state and also the vast array of opportunities to develop a business or career in South Australia. Find our more about our inaugural Women to Watch initiative here.


Ciara Savage is a distinguished psychotherapist and the founder of Lumah, one of South Australia’s leading wellness centres. With her degree in developmental trauma, certifications in family therapy, and a decade of experience, Ciara ensures that no one navigates their struggles alone. She guides individuals through the depths of suffering toward profound healing and self-realisation.

Grounded in her extensive background in mental health social work, alternative medicine, and mindfulness, Ciara leads her clients on a journey of transformation, embracing the interconnectedness of mind, body, and spirit. She crafts personalised therapeutic interventions that honour this holistic perspective, fostering deep healing and inner growth.

Having a decade of experience working with family early intervention, youth mental health, and consultation with the Australian Childhood Foundation, Ciara possesses a rich understanding of human experiences at all life stages. Her human-centred approach prioritises compassion, congruency, and authenticity in client relationships, fostering a safe and nurturing environment where healing can flourish through genuine connection.

Today, Ciara is the proud owner and practitioner at Lumah – The WellBEING Place for stress and trauma recovery, a sanctuary for South Australians, interstate, and international clients devoted to their holistic wellness, both physically and psychologically. Lumah’s ethos is simple: wellness is a place and Lumah helps you find, renew or rediscover it at their soul-filled haven in Willunga, a charming town on the Fleurieu Peninsula.

Ciara recently pursued certifications in Kirya yoga and EMDR therapy, further enriching her toolkit of therapeutic modalities. Krya yoga, known for its emphasis on mindfulness, breathwork, and gentle movement, complements Ciara’s holistic approach to healing, promoting harmony and balance in both mind and body. Ciara has been certified in EMDR therapy for four years and is continuing her education with the therapeutic approach. EDMR therapy is an evidenced based therapy offering a specialised technique for processing trauma and fostering emotional resilience, aligning seamlessly with Ciara’s dedication to guiding individuals through their healing journeys.

Through her unique approach, dedication and expertise, Ciara has empowered hundreds of clients to embrace their journeys towards a more balanced and fulfilling life.

// Favourite inspirational quote
Everything can be taken from a (wo)man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way. When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.

// Let’s get to know you
As a young woman, I started my career in community work, working alongside people to improve their community space. This role exposed me to a great deal of society’s woes and problems. The impact of these problems on families, particularly children was very present for me throughout this time. After 5 years of developing a deep understanding of community functioning, I wished to go deeper, contribute more to the solution rather than the problems and so I commenced my Degree in Counselling & Psychotherapy. This life-changing education sparked my passion for walking alongside my fellow humans as they discover, grow, and heal. Along the way, I moved from my native country Ireland to Adelaide. I wished to understand Australian society on a deeper level so I completed a Master’s Degree of Social Work at Flinders University. This led me to a very enjoyable career in various roles. Looking back, one of the stand-out roles for me was working as a Senior Training Consultant for the Australian Childhood Foundation. This role accelerated my growth in understanding the impacts of childhood trauma, and more importantly, practical ways to offer healing and promote post-trauma growth.

From here, I have gone from strength to strength in my career, completing post-grad qualifications in developmental trauma and in Family & Systems therapy. I have also successfully set up a private counseling and psychotherapy practice. It is in that practice that I find myself completely in flow. I feel so blessed that my work is that of supporting others to overcome pain.

As a survivor of trauma who has learned to thrive, I am driven to show others that full recovery is very possible. Nowadays I have decided to take on another challenge – that is to purchase an existing Wellness Center and convert it into what I believe is becoming a high-quality offering in the community. Lumah is a representation of all that I have learned on my many journeys with many clients. The stand-out lesson has been that healing does not happen just in the head, or the heart, or even the gut, or the soul. True healing happens when, as humans, we embrace our holism and address all of these areas – that’s where the magic is. Lumah is being built on this foundation. Here we offer a good mix of complementary and allied health services – all aimed at supporting our wonderful clients to recover from stress and trauma and of course ‘live their best possible lives’. Our magic team currently offer:

Trauma-informed yoga

Rejuvenating facials, massage, and a small selection of complimentary beautyservices – spa services

Remedial Massage

Dietician service

Body movement techniques for stress & trauma relief – tremor remedy

Psychotherapy for children and adults

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing – a powerful body-based psychotherapy for reliving trauma)

Sauna for detox and stress relief.

Our systems have been built so that we can ensure Lumah is accessible to all. We accept Medicare and NDIS funding, along with private health rebates.

// What makes you a Woman to Watch for 2024?
I believe my unique plans are watch-worthy. I am excited to continue to create this space and invite as many people as possible to come and feel great. I am an expert in holistic well-being. I believe I hold great potential to show up as a leader to support my peers to take more care of themselves. Stress is a dream killer – My desire is to support my community to live as stress-free as possible to allow for creativity, spark, and productivity – to live happy fulfilled lives.

Lumah is also working on registering as a social enterprise – Lumah Youth. This initiative will be aimed at teaching 12-25 about all things well-being: How to look after themselves in a practical meaningful way as they grow into adulthood. It’s an early intervention approach whereby teaching kids about themselves is often a great way to prevent a lot of pain and heartache. A percentage of Lumah profits will be re-invested to make this free or extremely affordable for young people to access.

// What are you most looking forward to in 2024?
I am looking forward to moving, dancing, breathing – BEING WELL in my mind and body. I love what I do and get such a kick out of seeing others heal and grow.

I am looking forward to meeting many people who will benefit from the Lumah approach – to see transformations in people’s lives and in our community.

// What would being a Woman to Watch mean to you?
As a would-be contributor to our communities, winning this award will push me forward, expose me to more people so that I can bang my wellbeing drum even louder. I am on a mission to encourage solid self-care for everyone. Life does not need to be full-on stressful and hard to succeed. I want as many people as possible to understand this, and embrace it.

// What would you like to see for the future of South Australian women and girls?
I would like to see equality for all girls and women in the health space. To see all women and girls embrace positive embodiment – that is to fully appreciate their bodies as the wonderful vehicles that the are. To embrace movement, be free, know that to treat the body well is to give yourself the gift of lifelong vitality.

For every woman to be head over heels in love with their bodies – Thanks Taryn Brumfitt.


Get in touch with Ciara:

LinkedIn: Ciara Savage
Website: www.lumahwellness.com.au

Check out all of the incredible Women to Watch for 2024 here as their profiles are uploaded throughout the year.

To become an SA Woman Member, check out our Membership Options here.

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