Somatic: Adjective
The somatic nervous system (SNS) is part of the peripheral nervous system, and is associated with activities traditionally thought of as conscious or voluntary, such as walking.
- The somatic nervous system transmits sensory and motor signals to and from the central nervous system, and therefore, it consists of motor neurons and sensory neurons.
- The somatic nervous system controls voluntary movements, transmits and receives messages from the senses and is involved in reflex actions without the involvement of the CNS so the reflex can occur very quickly.
- They are also known to predict certain important life outcomes such as education and health.
Working within the somatic lens of the human experience has always been a part of my approach, but my deep dive into integrating this approach into my practice began the fall of 2019. I began working with Liz Koch in October 2019 and have continued to study with her. I finished the 30 hour applications course mere days before the pandemic changed the world as we know it. As with many other businesses, the pandemic brought some plot twists while I began to infused this concept into my practice. This included putting some desired trainings with Liz on hold. However it also brought silver linings, like the ability to play and explore concepts of the psoas being a somatic messenger with clients during their appointments.
In the meantime, Liz introduced me to Sue Hitzmann’s work, called the MELT METHOD. I was able to join a 90 day training for a combination of MELT’s hand and foot and level one certification. MELT uses props and tools to access the fascia (connective tissue) in the body in order to bring balance to the soft tissue that supports, protects, and stabilizes the body. It appears very similar to a fitness class, but the approach is very different as we apply these moves to address imbalances between the different branches of the nervous system.
When working together, you can expect the bodywork assessemnts and treatment that has already gained popularity in the Lowcountry, with the integration of additional assessments and homework suggests based on Liz and Sue’s work. The techniques will be applied in a therapeutic settings with a focus on balance and alignment. These trainings continue to solidify my commitment to using an approach that both releases compensation patterns and engage the appropriate anatomy. This allows you to gain strength so you don’t continually need me to “fix” the compensation patterns.
Group class are available to help incorporate the homework suggestions in an accountable setting. Please reach out via email for potential group class series dates.
