My Philosophy
I am driven by the potential of healing the body, and my hope is to share the gift of awareness through mindful practices and mind-body centered therapies. When uncovering, discovering and discarding those aspects of ourselves that no longer serve, we are able to unlock and harness our greatest potential. My desire is to tap into those areas that are blocked or in overwhelm, and use modalities that create more space and confidence in order to ignite forward movement.
I want everyone to have the ability to move freely without pain. We are designed to move dynamically, stretch our fascia (a sheath of stringy connective tissue surrounding every part of our bodies), and create ease of movement. Breath, movement, pandiculation (involuntary stretching), as well as intentional rest are crucial components that I believe facilitate more elasticity and foster relaxation.
Bodies that struggle with rigidity and functional movement are typically holding trauma and /or chronic injuries. A compelling element of healing the trauma of being alive is learning how our bodies respond to stressors & adverse experiences. How we manage stress over our lifetime is paramount to regulating our nervous systems’ response. Since we cannot necessarily mitigate all stress, it is important we learn how to listen to, feel for, and become aware when our systems have become dysregulated.
Thinking of the nervous system as a ladder, we are often climbing up or down the ladder (going towards sympathetic or parasympathetic states). Through somatic work (touch, breathwork, body awareness) I want to support moving up and down that ladder with greater ease. My interest in healing overactive nervous systems is ultimately to increase our longevity and have the ability to center ourselves in times of stress.
Additionally, the breath is a mirror of our nervous system. Our breath shows us where we hold tension and where our energy is stagnant or humming in the body and is a good indication of our stress response. Because it is controlled by the autonomic system or involuntary, it does not require any thought on our part. However, we also hold the ability to control it by consciously slowing it down using the parasympathetic (voluntary) system. With practice, we can intentionally breathe, and work to create more space in our tissues and our mind with regular practice and awareness. This awareness is the foundation of mindfulness and can have an extraordinary impact on our health - both physically and emotionally.
em·pow·er·ment
The process of becoming stronger and more confident, especially in controlling one's life and claiming one's rights.