One of the things I most enjoy about coaching is that it is a collaborative partnership that operates under the assumption that clients are whole, creative, and resourceful and are the experts of their own lives. We all encounter times when we feel stuck or off track and can't seem to translate what we know (answers, wants, needs) into action. People seek coaching because they are wanting to develop the skills or capacities needed to get unstuck and move towards change. Coaching shines a light on strengths and resiliency and offers a space to explore new possibilities and perspectives and feel connected to a way of living that feels intentional, purposeful, and meaningful.
As a somatic coach, I know that how we inhabit our body impacts how we think and feel... and our thoughts and emotions impact how we feel in our body. It is all connected. When working through and with the body, we source a wisdom that is felt and can be used to understand and change how and who we are. We develop this wisdom through somatic awareness (noticing without judgment), engaging in new body-mind practices, and ultimately expanding our ability to effectively express ourselves and move through the life we envision. Embodied wellness is an active pursuit. It is not a static goal, but an ongoing, continuous ebb and flow that changes as we move through our lives and shift our actions, intentions, and choices.
Coaching, consulting, and therapy are all valuable professions and the differentiation between them can be confusing. Coaching is not a substitute for psychotherapy or mental health care. Licensed mental health providers are responsible for assessing, diagnosing, and treating psychiatric/psychological conditions. Consulting involves hiring an expert to advise and/or offer solutions to a particular situation or issue. Coaching is a co-created partnership, where the client is in the driver's seat, and there is a focus on creating awareness in the present to stay on track and move forward towards future goals.
It should be noted that while I previously worked as a psychotherapist, my current practice is solely focused on somatic coaching and wellness.
The first step in working with a coach involves setting up an initial complimentary consultation. This is essentially a conversation in which we discuss your interest in coaching and determine if this seems like the right fit. If we decide to move forward together, I will send you a welcome packet and the fee for sessions will be collected prior to our next appointment.
Somatic coaching sessions involve conversation, reflection, thought-provoking questions, self-assessments, homework suggestions, and different types of somatic movement education and facilitation. In somatic coaching, clients are welcomed into experiential learning and guided through a variety of movement practices, mindfulness tools, breathing techniques, improvisation, etc. These are all for the purpose of enhancing awareness and creating possibilities.
You do not need to have any dance, yoga, fitness, etc experience.
Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) is a system of observing, describing, and analyzing human movement. All of us have a unique way of moving in terms of the force or weight we might put into movement, our attitude towards time, how we flow through life, how we shape ourselves in different situations, how we interact with our environment and the people in it. As a movement analyst, I understand that feeling the full vibrancy of movement (and life) involves an exploration of all that is possible. For example, if someone essentially moves very carefully and precisely through every area of life, this individual may benefit from exploring moving in a way that feels messy or more free. This could open up expressive possibilities and a felt sense of something new and could translate into new means of communication and/or interpersonal interaction. It is all connected, so a change in how we move, changes how we think and feel and vice versa. LMA offers a framework to consider the limitless possibilities and polarities that are an inherent part of movement and the human experience.
Bartenieff Fundamentals (BF) is a somatic practice that offers concepts and practices to develop body and spatial awareness so that we can move with more efficiency and clarity. As we move through life, we may develop patterns or habits in our posture and how we carry ourselves that may be outside of our awareness and limiting the functional and expressive capacities of our bodies. BF offers movement re-patterning by exploring everything from the subtle movement of a particular joint or muscular contraction to dynamic and full-bodied three-dimensional movements. BF also considers early human development through the lens of attachment and psycho-physical needs, further connecting our body history (body story) to our current health, well-being, and performance.
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