What is Somatics?

Somatics is a path to embody transformation, individually and collectively. It’s a powerful theory of change that is so desperately needed and required in these times of white supremacy, capitalism, ecological destruction, and colonialism. ‘Soma’, from the Greek root means, "the living organism in its wholeness” - meaning, we are integrated mind/body/spirit and social, relational beings. Our bodies/somas are impacted or ‘shaped’ by all that surrounds us, from interpersonal to institutional, from landscape to spirit. All of this gets stored in our bodies and manifests in our actions, ways of being, and how we relate. And so, working through the body allows us to heal wounds, transform ourselves, and to gain greater capacity to then act from strategy, empathy, possibility, connection, and purpose, even when under pressure. By reshaping ourselves, we are then in turn able to ‘shape back’ on those levels - a hopeful and powerful possibility for personal and collective transformation.

Learn more about somatics and the lineages I draw from here.

You can expect to build skills and practices that will support you in embodying your values and longings that are purpose aligned, while under pressure.

This is critical as our beliefs and hopes often give way when confronted with stressors. Whether in a professional context, personal one, or in movement work, I will support you in moving through The Somatic Arc of Transformation; a process that is not linear and is unique to you. We will identify a Declaration/Goal for you with this framing: “I am a commitment to____ for the sake of ____”, and learn specific somatic practices to support this declaration.

Unlike typical coaching, we work through the body, not just our minds, to create lasting change.

Through this journey, you can expect to feel more equipped to meet your daily challenges, to be in greater choice and consent, and to embody your values.

Somatic Coaching is a creative partnership between the client and coach in service of the client’s longings and commitments. In sessions, we elicit the client’s wisdom and engage in practices for the sake of gaining greater awareness and building new patterns.

Somatic Bodywork of this lineage is fully-clothed on a massage table and uses a soft/mutual quality of touch to soften contractions in the soma that get in the way of the client’s longings and commitments. Bodywork encourages healing and creating space within the soma for new possibilities and greater aliveness. All bodies are welcome.

Bodywork may be used as it arises within coaching sessions, or someone may receive a series of bodywork-specific focused sessions.

Politicized Somatics: I practice somatics with a politicized lens, meaning that I am committed to a practice and approach that incorporates a conscious examination of the impacts of systemic oppression. This includes a commitment to my own continued learning and practice, as well as incorporating decolonized modes of healing such as song, earth-based connections, grief, and celebration, when desired and appropriate. 

Who I Work With: I support movement leaders, social/climate change makers, and those longing to be engaged. As a white-bodied person committed to anti-racism, I am accountable to a white anti-racist practice, while also welcoming and holding competence in working with Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC), and LGBTQIA+ folks.

Personal vs. Leadership Coaching: I am passionate in working with people in the context of personal or professional/leadership spaces. While these ‘roles’ are not inherently separate in practice, the work differs.

Please be sure to also read more about me and the lineages I draw from.

In sessions, we’ll explore your current somatic “shape” and engage in different practices and processes to bring awareness and shifts. The core premise of the work is eliciting the wisdom that your body/soma already holds. We will ask questions like:

“why does that matter to you?”

“what does that make possible?”

“what’s the cost?”

“what’s getting in the way?”

“where is that aliveness in you?”

“who are you becoming?”

We will allow your body to provide the answers. We will also engage in somatic practices together during sessions. We know that change follows aliveness, not shame or punishment or ‘shoulds’. We also know that the body stores our histories, traumas, and beliefs, meaning it’s the source and place for change.

In this coaching container, we will meet for 10 sessions providing for the space, practice, and time to move through the Arc of Transformation.