clarity for your questions
What is Somatic Therapy? Somatic Therapy revolves around the concept of utilizing the body as the core element for healing. Originating from the Greek term "soma" meaning "living body," this holistic approach emphasizes the profound connection between the mind and body. Over three decades of extensive research in neurobiology, psychoneuroimmunology, and various medical fields has unveiled the intricate link between our mental and physical selves. Technological advancements in brain imaging further underscore how our thoughts are fundamentally embodied, permeating our entire physical being. Many people are disconnected from this vital aspect of themselves due to societal pressures, cultural norms or religious beliefs; others may simply be stuck in repetitive patterns leading to boredom or disconnection. The majority have yet to discover their full pleasure potential. In addition to increasing your capacity and ability to feel pleasure, benefits of Somatic Therapy are numerous, including alleviating bodily discomfort, tension, and stress, transforming negative emotions into positive experiences, fostering a deeper understanding of oneself, cultivating resilience, and providing hope.
What is Somatic Sexology? Somatic sexology represents the powerful fusion of somatics (emphasizing body-centered awareness) and sexology (the scientific exploration of human sexuality). By combining time-honored practices such as yoga, meditation, and tantra with the latest findings in neuroscience, psychology, and somatic learning theory, somatic sexology offers a unique approach for personal transformation. At the core of this discipline lies 'embodiment' – a deep sense of presence, awareness, and comprehension of your body's sensations during both sexual and non-sexual experiences. By unlocking restrictive body-mind barriers, embodiment allows you to tap into greater pleasure and embrace expanded possibilities for growth, choice, and play.
What is Sexological Bodywork? Sexological Bodywork® is an innovative, body-focused educational approach that empowers individuals, couples, and groups to take control of their erotic growth and enhance their sensual well-being and embodiment. The term "Soma" or "Somatic" refers not only to the physical body but also encompasses our spirit, mind, emotions, and feelings. Somatic practices encourage us to direct our attention inward, exploring the sensations within our bodies to better understand our experiences, trapped emotions, and stories stored in our nervous system that shape our habits and self-perception. Sexological Bodyworkers are specifically trained in anatomy, physiology, the brain and nervous systems as well as following ancient lineages of therapeutic and trauma-informed modalities. Thanks to sexological bodywork, we understand more and more about crucial regions and functions of the body, such as the pelvic floor and fascial unwinding. Certified Bodyworkers possess expertise in various forms of touch, mapping and recognizing erotic energy, which allows them to assist individuals in understanding arousal patterns, connecting with their bodies, and integrating sensations alongside the numerous non-sexual health-related benefits in mental health, longevity, pain relief, and physiological improvement. Individuals might seek assistance from a Certified Sexological Bodyworker (CSB) to address specific challenges such as limited access to pleasure, reduced experiences of desire and joy, or a desire for deeper connection with a partner's touch. CSBs can help clients unlock the full potential of their erotic embodiment, including those simply wishing to experience more. Certified Sexological Bodyworkers employ a client-centric approach that emphasizes empowerment, education, and mindfulness through movement, breathwork, touch, sound, and focused awareness. Our instructional methods encompass various techniques such as breath-work, tactile foundations, somatic learning, body and genital mapping, consent and boundary establishment, active receiving, erotic massage, pelvic release bodywork, scar tissue remediation, and masturbation coaching. Sexological Bodywork® uniquely operates within a "one-way touch container," allowing clients to explore their arousal without the pressures associated with two-way touch during partnered exploration. Our Certified Sexological Bodyworkers guide students and clients in uncovering arousal states without judgment or cultural expectations while transcending habitual sexual behaviors. This meditative state fosters a profound appreciation of one's own body as a source of wisdom and freedom—an inspiring haven for continuous growth and evolution. All member-practitioners must adhere to our Code of Ethics, which ensures client-directed sessions, one-way erotic touch (practitioner to client), the use of gloves for genital touch, and maintaining proper clothing and professional boundaries with clients. The CoE can be found here: https://sexologicalbodyworkers.org/ethics The clientele of a Sexological Bodyworker ranges from those facing challenges in their sex lives to the curious looking to learn and explore. Essentially, anyone seeking to understand and connect to their body, enhance pleasure and orgasmic potential, and improve overall wellbeing can benefit from this work. This client-centered approach collaborates with individuals (and couples) to educate, support, and empower them in becoming more aware of their bodies, pleasure, sex, and sexuality. Sexological Bodywork emphasizes education for self-empowerment while incorporating one-way touch as well as breathwork, sound techniques, and movement during sessions. In contrast to traditional counseling or sex therapy that predominantly relies on cognitive methods, this hands-on practice combines practical applications with the option of touch-based demonstrations when needed. Clients appreciate the non-pressurized environment where they can explore without any predetermined goals or expectations. Certified Sexological Bodyworkers maintain that sexual health, erotic education, and pleasure are not only fundamental human rights but also essential components of well-being. By working with a Somatic Sexologist, individuals have the opportunity to access new realms of pleasure, develop greater self-awareness, and foster skills that can transform their sex lives into truly satisfying and empowering experiences.
Why is Somatic Therapy different from traditional talk based therapies? My goal is to inspire individuals to harness the innate wisdom within their bodies and learn how to tap into it effectively. Stress, depression, anxiety, trauma, and relationship issues all manifest in both our minds and bodies; hence, addressing both aspects is integral for a comprehensive solution. Conventional therapy mainly involves intellectual discussions and analyses—crucial components but incomplete on their own. Our existence is innately bound to our bodies as we navigate life through our five senses. The nervous system stands at the center of our experiences, with responses to events reverberating throughout our bodily systems. Ignoring the intelligence embedded within our physical form is a missed opportunity for essential insights. Emotions reside within your body, thoughts unfold in your mind, your soul is deeply rooted within you, and wisdom lies at your core. Your body serves as a trustworthy resource, ally, and guide; you simply need to understand how to communicate with it to glean its knowledge and embrace its presence. Embracing a fulfilling life demands that we embody our true selves—integrating our minds, hearts, souls in harmony with each other.
Why learn somatically? Somatic teaching proves to be highly effective, as it recognizes and emphasizes the crucial connection between the mind and body throughout each aspect of the work. Recent advances in neuroscience have demonstrated how the mind and body continually interact and influence one another, providing evidence that highlights the necessity of somatic practices in sexology, psychology, and other client-centered helping professions. This research paves the way for the burgeoning somatic renaissance, inviting those intrigued by this innovative education to join a pioneering group of practitioners and providing incredible insights and healing to the intrepid explorers who dare to invest in themselves. By incorporating somatic teaching methods, you welcome the body into the learning environment, becoming more attuned to how the body sends and receives information, while discovering various unique ways that the body learns. Practitioners utilize this radical yet ancient modality to support clients through the countless complex experiences of existence, emotion, and sensation.
What can I expect from a session with you? After a successful discovery call, we decide whether a structured container or bespoke package is the right fit for you. We begin with an intake and form a roadmap before diving in. Somatic therapy immerses you in the present moment, delving into bodily tension, gestures, and sensations by unifying awareness, dialogue, movement, and touch. By attuning to your body's messages, clients are guided to ‘let the body lead’ and make choices that are easeful or liberating, ultimately allowing them to embody their most aligned and full potential. Somatic therapy sessions are usually far more open than traditional therapy, welcoming curiosity, spontaneity and playfulness alongside the more serious unburdening and sacred healing work. Sessions can involve talking but are also open to touch, games, meditations, art, dance and movement or even masturbation if there is a therapeutic need. At Somatic Reality, our containers are expertly structured to hold you in a safe programme format and support your learning and exploration in a profoundly transformative yet peaceful way. Our bespoke options consist of an intake session to plan your journey and establish a tailored therapeutic container that is right for you.
What is Scar Tissue Remediation? Scars are an inevitable part of our physical existence, a testimony to life lived within our bodies. While healthy scars heal wounds and cause no further issues, some scars develop into complex, three-dimensional webs that extend from the initial injury or surgical site. These pathological scars constrict muscles and organs, forming rough, raised tissue that tightens as it stretches away from its origin. The impact of these scars often extends far beyond their immediate vicinity, as their influence is felt in distant areas linked to past injuries or surgeries. Our posture may even be distorted by scars. To truly grasp the concept of scars and how they affect our bodily autonomy, one must first understand fascia. Generally defined as the all-encompassing connective tissue linking every aspect of our body together, fascia has traditionally been considered solely for structural support. However, recent research suggests that fascia is both an organizational and informational tissue. This intricate web facilitates the growth of scar tissue and interacts with everything it encounters – connecting organs, muscle fibers, and even extending into cells to influence DNA strands. Our health journey intertwines with the history of physical injuries sustained over time. Traumatic events lead to the formation of persistent scars fueled by chronic inflammation and repressed emotional patterns. As a result, our range of motion and bodily potential dwindle as stiffening takes place within the fascial network. This stiffness impacts every cell and tissue in the body, diminishing blood flow, lymphatic drainage, neural communication, sensory integration – essentially reducing overall bodily autonomy. The process we know as "aging" affects fascia; dehydration throughout the entire network caused by inflammation and oxidative stress leads to stiffened and sticky fascial fibers. Muscle movement becomes restricted as a result of these adhering fibers; connective tissue's ease of movement over bones declines and surrounding organs lose flexibility. In turn, healthy muscles atrophy due to decreased nerve and blood supply from scar tissue thickening while lymphatic drainage is disrupted, creating stagnant, unhealthy flesh. Toxins can become trapped within these constricted areas, causing pain and potential dissociation. Scars can intrude upon a wide array of physiological functions – obstructing blood and lymph circulation as well as nerve signaling. When scar tissue numbs an area, it can lead to mental disconnection from our body map. Scars may also trigger pain by compressing nerves, perpetuating inflammation in sensitive tissues. Ironically, this nerve compression and inflammation further contribute to scar tissue proliferation, initiating a harmful cycle leading to numerous bodily pathologies such as sexual pain. Surprisingly common after childbirth, sexual pain may persist for years if not properly addressed. The connection between scars and long-term sexual discomfort is now being extensively researched due to emerging fields such as sexological bodywork and experts like Ellen Heed. Though sexual pain may initially dissipate after remediating scar tissue, maintaining this relief often requires ongoing self-care efforts. Fortunately, breaking the vicious cycle of inflammatory pain or sensation loss caused by self-propagating scars is achievable through proper remediation. This process involves the physical manipulation of scar tissue and surrounding areas to alter texture and tension. Assistance may be necessary to reach difficult spots or penetrate deeply enough to access where muscles connect to bones. Effective manipulation penetrates affected tissues, enhancing fluid flow akin to unclogging a blocked sink. Consequently, health flourishes with restored fluid delivery. Under the right conditions, several techniques exist for softening and dissolving scars through remediation methods that address stiffness and density. Utilizing specialized oils, tools, and practices, I am able to remediate your scars in session or empower you to perform scar remediation independently at home.