COVID-19: Feeling Regulated and Finding Action in Despair
I have been thinking a lot about how our country and many of our lives feel so discordant or just strangely different. The covid lock down was so sudden and unexpected. We lost the steadiness of predictability and access to many of the usual ways we stay relaxed. That is certainly what some of this intensity about reopening is; people...
Somatic Movement and Embodied Inner Ecology
What is Somatic Movement and Inner Embodied Ecology? Embodied Inner Ecology is an outcome Somatic Movement. Just as we live in an ecological community made up of the unity and diversity of trees, plants, stones, bodies of water, animals etc..our bodies are a kind of unified ecological community. Actually, there is a "me" but there are also the parts of...
Why I use Somatic Movement as a Yoga Therapist
I use somatic movement for yoga therapy. I use somatic movement as a yoga therapist because it is so effective.Most Yoga therapists I know face all types of challenges from clients. Chronic pain, incomplete recovery from surgery, problems due to disease and high levels of stress keep rising. Many clients can’t even do the most basic yoga without exacerbating symptoms....
Image and Change- How conscious anatomy changes you.
As a teacher and coach, I use metaphor and imagery to stimulate where I think a therapeutic experience could be had. But, I ask it it to arise from the natural wisdom of my clients body. This healing movement is very typically underneath their conscious knowledge and often it takes time for their understanding to catch up to an embodied...
Fascia Based Yoga and Movement for Parkinson’s Disease
Yesterday I had the honor of teaching a movement and yoga class for people with PD at a conference sponsored by Dartmouth- Hitchcock Medical Center. I had a room of about 150 PD patients and caregivers. I won't ever see most of these people again so I felt a lot of urgency about giving them something that could really benefit...
Build Strength and relieve Pain with Natural Rhythm and Ease
We all have rhythms that build on our bodies desire for varying amounts of effort and rest. Think of spending a day in the woods hiking. You might start out slowly and then pick up speed. You might rest frequently or run up hills with bursts of energy. You might be slow and fairly steady throughout. But, your body will clue you in...
The Ihunch sHuffle
Did you know that slouching can cause emotional distress and physical pain and limitation? A health psychology randomized trial study has shown that slumped participants used more negative emotion words, sad words, expressed being more at the affect of events and used fewer positive words. You know when you feel badly it's hard ot have pep and to get out and move! Do...
Strong, Flexible and Pain Free = Happy Body
I have no doubt you know that your core (abdominal and spinal) strength and flexibility have a powerful effect on all parts of your body.Maybe people sense this instinctively by tightening their gut to stand taller. But did you know that your limbs and especially your extremities have a profound effect on your core? Yes, How you reach with your hands...
The evolutionary roots of precise and powerful walking
Fall is in the air and it's a really great time to get out and walk. That is easier said than done if walking is tiring, painful or boring. Maybe it doesn't feel as natural as it used to? Our bodies are built for walking. There is a lot of "genetic lineage" that led up to and supports healthy and satisfying walking movement. What...
