I don’t know about you, but I have spent a lot of my life in ‘fight or flight!’ Realising this was the first step, but I still felt ‘stuck’ for many years. I could talk about my emotions for hours, but couldn’t seem to move past anxiety, overwhelm, burnout and exhaustion. Yoga, pilates, meditation, somatic breathwork, journalling, counselling, cold water therapy - I’ve tried so many things over the years but nothing has been as transformational as the approach adopted by the Institute of Applied Somatics. I loved it so much, I have completed their Nervous System Regulation Pratitioner training so that I can work with clients to share their techniques.
The approach uses safe, evidence based movements to release patterns of stress and tension in the body. It has a strong emphasis on the importance of fascia (the ‘web’ that connects us internally) and it’s connection to the nervous system. By giving space for the body to rest and release, ingrained and subconscious tension can be released, re-calibrating our nervous system and building resilience and balance.
The movements are life changing - I can attest to that myself!
In my sessions (1:1 and small-group), we gently explore how your nervous system shows up in your body.
We start with some simple movements to connect mind and body, and then complete a series of exercises that focus on an area in the body, such as the pelvis, neck, shoulders or ribcage. The exercises are safe and involve slow and gentle movement.
We then take a somatic ‘dream journey.’ This is a beautiful, relaxing part of the session where your body gets to rest and integrate the exercises just completed. There is no right or wrong here - however you experience the journey is valid. I always found meditation challenging and resisted it as I couldn’t ‘switch off’ (and then would feel like I failed!). This is different - there is no pressure.
After the dream journey, you then have the opportunity to journal your experience and we discuss it together. Finally, you will set an action for the coming weeks, that enables you to continue to integrate the release in your body and the messages you have received from it.
Image credit: Institute of Applied Somatics