Somatics and Bodywork

Read on to learn more on what I mean when I say I’m a somatic practioner—and what kind of bodywork may be involved in a session.

In some circles, somatics has become a buzzword—and encompasses a W I D E variety of practices, lineages, and applications. For those new and familiar, I think the etymology is telling, as it comes from Greek for body:

  • Soma—from sōmatikos, the “alive” body
  • Nekros—from nekros, the “dead” body

I like this breakdown because it illustrates an awareness that our body exists with aliveness and without—and the body with life is our soma. Cultures all over the world and throughout time have awareness of and words for this “life energy”. Our soma consists of our mind, body, and spirit—our anatomy, emotions, feelings, sensations, breath, energy, matter, and consciousness. As such, somatics is an integrated, holistic “field” of practices informed by what we know of physiology, cognition, the nervous system, neuroscience, psychologies, metaphysics, and cross-cultural spiritual practices as they pertain to energies.

As I hold healing and coaching spaces, the crux of my somatics based approach is (a) accessing your inner wisdom via your soma to heal and guide you in making Self-informed and authentic decisions, (b) entering into physical practices that will change your “somatic shape” to allow for (c) openings where you can take new actions towards new possibilities—a regenerative process allowing for sustained transformation.

Healing and coaching session may include “bodywork“—and, unfortunately, in our Western culture, touch has become taboo. Folx may think bodywork=massage, so to learn more about the bodywork that may be included in a somatic intutiive healing or coaching session, check my FAQs.

“Power Posing” lends itself as a quick example of a physical practice: entering into a power pose (a physical shape) almost instantly impacts key hormone levels (including cortisol & testosterone) that lower stress and increase risk tolerance, providing space for love to drive vs fear and for options and choice vs entrapment.

Training Lineages

I completed two year-long trainings in 2023 and am completing related certifications Spring 2024.

  • Somatic Intuitive Healing (SIH) Certification Program, a 300-hour biodonynamic somatic therapy and craniosacral training and certification program from The Center of Somatic Intuitive Healing in Portland, Oregon
  • Strozzi Institute—Embodied Leadership (2005, 4-day immersion), Somatic Coach Training (2022-23, 150 in-person hours, 150 client hours for both Strozzi and International Coaching Federation certification). Petaluma, CA.

Everytime I receive a session, I learn. I’ve been grateful to work with a variety of practioners, including my SIH peers. See my resources & referrals page for a broader lineage including teachers, peers, and practitioners I’ve worked with.