history & context
There are many lineages of somatic work. I received my training at the Strozzi Institute for Somatics (SIS), which was founded to teach this lineage in 1994. The word somatic was coined by Thomas Hanna & is from the Greek root soma, which roughly means body.
why somatics?
Somatics holds that we can't turn insight into action by thinking alone. We work to make new actions available under pressure by practicing toward new ways of being. This can be things like saying yes, saying no, making requests, declining requests, slowing down, staying present, and on and on. Just like practicing a sport or a musical instrument, we rely on repetition to build muscle memory & new neural pathways toward our longings.
how does it work?
In addition to practice, we work by building somatic awareness; beyond our analytical, rational, narrative minds, what else is our aliveness communicating to us? Inevitably, we come into contact with what gets in the way of change. When we encounter these places, we slow down & approach with great care & gratitude for all they have been taking care of for the lives that we are. This part of the process is called "somatic opening" -- it is a part of the process where what has been historically embodied is allowed to be fully witnessed & dignified as wise. To read more about my orientation to this work, visit this page.
foundations & lineage
This particular lineage of somatics draws on the martial art of aikido, Structural Integration, Functional Integration, meditation, gestalt therapy, and the work of Fernando Flores. To read more about the history of SIS, follow this link. SIS's sister organization, generative somatics, is the politicized branch of this lineage & is currently on hiatus from offering courses. Other parallel lineages of contemporary somatics are Hakomi, Somatic Experiencing, and Hanna Somatic Education. To find out more about the influence of aikido, check out this blog post.