What is Clinical Somatics?
Clinical Somatics is neuromuscular education that uses the technique of pandiculation created by Thomas Hanna to retrain muscle memory and relieve pain. It is a set of slow, focused exercises designed to teach the nervous system how to release chronic tension and address the deeply learned muscular patterns that affect posture and movement and are the cause of many types of musculoskeletal pain.
Many pain relief and rehabilitative methods involve the client passively receiving treatment. Instead, Clinical Somatics actively engages you in a learning process, so you can use these techniques at home to build bodily resilience and adaptability and continue to improve your body's functioning for the rest of your life.
To learn more, visit the Somatic Movement Center website
Benefits of Clinical Somatics:
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addresses the root causes of musculoskeletal pain
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increases flexibility & full body coordination
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calms the nervous system
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improves alignment & circulation
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increases depth & control of breath
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prevents injury & allows for peak performance aging
Common conditions relieved by this practice:
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back pain & sciatica
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neck & shoulder pain
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functional uneven leg length
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knee & hip pain
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shortness of breath
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many others...
A Unique Approach to Pain
The large majority of muscle and joint pain arises from LEARNED patterns in the body. Over time, your brain has learned tension patterns that hold you and keep you in pain. In order to create real, lasting change in your body, you MUST work with the brain and the signals it is sending to your muscles.
Changing the brain is a process that requires you to be actively learning and moving. Treatments where you remain passive will only provide short term results. In this, YOU are going to need to do the work to change your nervous system’s preset autopilot. My role is to guide and support you to the absolute best of my abilities in this learning process.
Clinical Somatics focuses on function before structure. Problems of structure –herniated discs, worn down cartilage, frozen shoulders —are the result of a functional atrophy that usually commenced long before the structure became damaged enough for pain to draw your attention to it.
Group Classes
Classes are an hour and a half of guided self-care exercises, that allow you to strengthen your mind-body connection, unwind your nervous system, and better understand and address your own tension patterns.
Classes are mostly an individual experience, done on a mat, and instructed by me --similar in format to a yoga or pilates class, but with a very different focus and intention.
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For the time being, my classes are given online, over Zoom. For more detail, take a peek at my Group Classes page.​
For more info and to register:
​Classes in the New Year!
Yay!
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Starting January 28th, I will be teaching a weekly online group class.
This class will be 90 minutes of guided movement designed to unwind and repattern the habituated muscle tension that pulls us out of alignment and into postural distortion and pain. Whether you're brand new to Clinical Somatics, or looking to refresh your home practice, this class is for you.
Not sure where to start? Book a free 15 minute consultation and we can figure it out together.
Private Sessions
Private Sessions are a great way to address specific pain or injury and receive a personalized treatment plan, one-on-one coaching and support.
In each session, I guide you through a progression of exercises that address your specific symptoms. It is SO different when I have time with students one-on-one, where I can be much more 'heavy-handed' in guiding your experience of the exercises. You'll have plenty of time to ask questions, fine tune the details, and learn modifications that cater to your specific body and injuries.
Sessions are conducted fully clothed on a padded exercise mat (or treatment table depending on mobility), and involve minimal touch. Please wear comfortable layers you can move freely in.
For detailed information, head over to my Private Sessions page.
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