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What is
Online Somatic Coaching?
FAQ
What is Somatic?
Somatic is a somewhat broadly used term in fields that involve the body and/or movement. It describes practices that use or cultivate a mind-body connection or investigation to assess, affect, calm, activate, or simply "be conscious with" aspects of the internal self. These aspects can range from muscle and connective tissues to the skeletal system, organs, nervous system and other systems of the body, and fascia. However, somatically focused practices can also work with thought, cognitive perception, one's relationship to internal and external space, imagery, and much more. The goal with this kind of work is to gently and positively impact the ways in which a human experiences their world, their body's interaction with the world, and their body's interactions with itself on a micro level.
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This term was coined by Thomas Hanna in the 70's and many practitioners, movement professionals, and bodywork practitioners have developed various practices and modalities that all fall under the umbrella of somatic work. Ultimately, all of these practices utilize a combination of movement and release or relaxation to increase awareness on a variety of levels. They all tend to focus on the equal importance of the internal and external experiences and perceive the mind and body as an interplaying and connected whole, rather than separate. Our practice adds a bottom-up philosophy in which the experiences of the body and tissues can impact the experiences and perceptions of the brain/thoughts.
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Somatically-focused practices can help humans move more efficiently, decrease pain, encourage balance in the tissues, give humans a more whole-bodied approach to movement and life, calm the central nervous system, and serve to both heal the body and provide a preventative practice.
What does Online Somatic Coaching involve?
In our practice, Online Somatic Coaching provides:
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A guided, personalized way for clients to learn skills they can apply at home to address pain and bring more balance to their systems.
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A path to developing a well-rounded self-care practice that suits individual client needs.
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Empowerment by giving clients tools and approaches they can utilize for themselves so they are not reliant on a practitioner every time they are in need of relief.
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A solution that supports the body and movement in a way that allows clients to do this work from home (or any location) or on a busy schedule.
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An Online Somatic Coaching session is set up as a Zoom meeting between practitioner and client, one-on-one, and is a 90 or 60-minute session. Both client and practitioner have various tools in their respective spaces (foam roller, tennis balls, racket balls, soft balls, lacrosse balls, chair, theraband, floor, wall, or other tools). We will begin with using the tools you already own and your practitioner may suggest adding certain tools to your toolkit as sessions progress. The session could involve rolling techniques (which function much like self-massage with tools), guided stretches, Bartenieff Technique practices, practices informed by the Alexander Technique, nervous system regulation practices, breathing exercises, guided somatic scanning, activation or strengthening exercises, and guided meditative techniques, as well as other practices depending on your needs and your practitioner's skills. Ultimately, the goal is much like that of a hands-on bodywork or energywork session: to improve fascial and tissue elasticity and functionality, to increase bloodflow, to improve range of motion and ease of movement, to decrease pain/discomfort, to facilitate increased balance in the tissues and systems of the body, to set the stage for optimal healing in the body, and to address a client's specific needs. Clients will experience positive change within their session and usually be given "homework" or practices they can do between sessions to continue their improvement.
Why do an Online Somatic Coaching session?
Our Online Somatic Coaching clients find that, while they have often been told to use a foam roller or to stretch by a healthcare provider in the past, they don't always know how best to do these practices and sometimes find them uncomfortable or awkward which can halt change or decrease their interest and motivation to do the practices. We often tell clients that, even though we see them regularly and do great work in targeting their issues and bringing them into a more balanced state, they live with their bodies every day and sometimes have lifestyles with repetitive movement or postures. Developing a practice that allows for self-care of this kind a few times a week or even for a short window each day can go a very long way in making lasting change and preventing pain or muscular imbalance that can lead to longer-term issues. Online Somatic Coaching sessions aid in developing this practice and help clients learn how to best address their individual issues in a patient, guided, knowledgeable way. We have eyes on you throughout the session and have more than a decade of experience teaching and guiding these practices. We give clear instruction and useful feedback throughout a session and answer questions you may have or we can help you troubleshoot when needed.
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Online Somatic Coaching sessions are a perfect fit for...
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A client who is not local to our Boulder or Denver locations. (We have clients around the US and abroad.)
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A client who does not feel comfortable in a one-on-one, hands-on session.
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A client who may not have enough time for a hands-on session AND commute time.
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A client who is in the hospital or at home recovery. (Yes, we can do sessions with you when you are in the hospital!)
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A client whose physical or mental imparities or disabilities prevent them from leaving home.
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A client who desires a deeper understanding of their body and its needs and wants to become more well-versed in managing their own pain and their own healing path.
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A client who works in a movement or body-focused industry who is interested in learning these techniques to share with their students or trainees.
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A client who is providing in-home care for a child, elder, or loved one.
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A client who simply prefers a Zoom session from home.
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