The capacity to move with great freedom and integrity is so profound in the human body. And it begins with the impressive structure of our spine. But, I would guess that most human's spine are restricted when compared to the immense movement capacity we were all born with. Between too many hours sitting and a constantly hurried pace, the fascial and muscle structures don't get enough blood flow, lymphatic flow and movement. This stagnation causes tissue that is less elastic, more tight and fibrous and ultimately creates the pain which is caused by this misaligned tug of war. And the more we practice the thought process born out of fear, shame and the emotions that stem from these, the more the nervous system directs these guarding patterns. Mobility can take a hit all over the body when we are in a vigilant state, but consider that the spine has 26 joints along each side. And there is subtle movement capacity even in the sacrum and tailbone. A loss of movement can mean a loss of healing energy and inhibition of functional nervous system activation through this column. It impairs the entire body's healthy patterns. But truly, you were designed to live in a body that moves freely and a mind that understands that limitations are momentary. As you use tools to alleviate binding in the body, coupled with the somatic process that works compassionately through your nervous system, you can begin to reconnect to a fluid body. Nowhere is this more evident, than when you focus your efforts on releasing and re-aligning the spinal column. My clients experience how transformative this can be and I love guiding them with the tools that make the difference. I use releases, somatic experiencing and strengthening to create the change in the body and the emotions that reflect one another and create long term change. If this speaks to you and your aspirations in moving forward, please message me. Or schedule a 30 minute complimentary session . As always, wishing you well :)

For thousands of years, generations of humans have understood that we are a physical embodiment of energy systems. Within each individual, these systems are either in a harmonic state or a chaotic one. When a human is in fight or flight, their harmonics are totally off. Unfortunately, most of us are in a persistent state of stress which inhibits the physical body from dropping back into this place of symphonic healing. It costs us our health, both emotional and physical. At the basis of this ancient understanding of energy in humans, is the chakra system, which runs throughout the body. The central power points of this are the sushumna nadi, which is the system along the length of the spine and head. At the base of this is the root of the seven centers, called muladhara. When we have flow through here, it connects us to our sense of feeling safe and trusting in a positive unfolding of the future. If this area is stagnant it does the opposite...we deny our own strength and wisdom and fear the worst case scenario. Somatic movement can have a powerful impact on this because it connects us to the feelings that reside here. The juxtaposition of stillness and movement informs us of the pulses or lack there that are the current state of being. It allows us to explore what is presently happening through sensation and emotion...and use these wise realizations to liberate blocks and make space for empowered change. I've spent untold hours exploring this in my own body and can say first hand, how potent it is to focus in and create change in this loving way. I've liberated, gained deep insight and understood my path moving forward by tending to my own somatic experience. I'm still on the path with the rest of humanity, but my willingness to grow and move forward is ever expanding. I'm grateful for it. :) If I can support you as you journey to release pain and grow into the most boundless version of yourself, reach out to me. I love to help. Message me here . Or schedule a complimentary consult . Wishing you well...

I've worked in health and fitness for 25 years and there's one approach to wellness that I've seen fail over and over again...using self criticism as a motivator. Fail is a super strong word for me to use, and ultimately, if you don't quit you can't actually fail. But nothing will cause a person to fall short of their goal more consistently than criticizing themself for what they didn't do or do as they thought they should. And then there's those who don't know they're in self judgement. So they don't have the opportunity to evaluate that self defeat is holding them apart from getting out of pain in their body and mind. Specific physical tools are really important to alleviate pain. But, as important, is the presence with which you engage the action in non-judgement so the nervous system responds well. Whether it's the imperfect way you do your stretches or missing them for a day or two, being self critical of this is a temporary tactic, at best, to get you to do the thing you want. That's why somatic (body awareness) is so helpful in transforming the pain you have in body and mind. It can help you work kindly and effectively with your body when you perform the exercise(s) that helps...and gives you reason to keep going when you aren't as consistent as you'd planned. Why? Because self-criticism is the very energy of resistance that gets in the way of you seeing and acting clearly. Message me to begin to understand how this works. Or begin the new year with a complimentary consult, get on my schedule here . Wishing you well :)

When the transition to a new year approaches, I assess where I have been and where I'm going. I would imagine you do the same. Points of demarcation like this can evoke emotion that motivates us to take action, but the decision to create change can truly happen anytime. And commitment through the imperfections carry us forward. We can do a lot of waiting for the right time to act on the intentions and goals we set forth, which has been my great challenge. But this can often block us from receiving the insight gained in the result of the action...whether it's a "good" or "bad" outcome. And it may be that very information that provides us with the next step. When I was presented with the allopathic treatment options after being diagnosed with breast cancer, they all sounded pretty miserable. And because I believed then as I do now, that there is a great force within us that has the intelligence to heal, those decisions where even harder. I don't believe that there is only 1 right answer for anyone, but for a complexity of reasons I chose to do allopathic treatments. I knew the end game and I had an outline of the process, but I didn't know how it would play out each moment. However, I chose to go through this, so I chose to commit and make the best of it. For me it wasn't about fighting and beating something, it was about learning from the circumstances I was presented with. And the outcome of being free from cancer was no guarantee. Why do I bring this up around the new year? Because I've gained the understanding that goals and intensions are empty if we don't commit to small, consistent, relevant actions that draw us closer to achieving them. And...there is an unpredictability to the precise outcome. But commitments give fuel to our focus so we ride out the hiccups along the way and stay on the path. It is a mind and body process that can create transformation into patterns that bring joy, freedom and fulfillment. So if it's nutrition, physical activity or mindset changes you seek, syncing the mind and the body is the path to making them a reality. I wish you peace and optimism as you approach this next chapter for you. If you need support, let me know if I can help. Get on my schedule here for a free consultation.

The human body adopts a stance of fear if we practice the patterned emotion. We tend to take it on and let it set up camp within our form. The negative belief that bad things will happen, seems to be shared across many groups and cultures. And bad things DO happen, but the forgone conclusion that they WILL is not a point in fact. Fear is an emotion to be real with, to experience it as it arises allowing it to change form. The energy that this form changes to often embodies the open and actionable force of courage. You can learn to flow with fear in a way that reduces it's negative impact and re-pattern your body and mind to hold courage and the action it inspires. I see the results of this every day...in myself and those I assist in their journey to wholeness. I've been a never ending student and expert of biomechanics for the past 25 years. And have witnessed in the way the body is held and carried, that the emotional manifestation and physical presentation are one and the same. When you cultivate practices that lift, open and empower your body to move forward, while choosing to be present with the moments of fear, you can transmute fear to courage. And there are releases, exercises and movement patterns that support this. If I can help you discover your path to creating this, I'd be honored to hear from you . Or get on my schedule for a complimentary consultation. Wishing you well :)

I don’t want to be crude, but when I see people’s bare feet it can be difficult not to notice some level of deformity in this crucial base of the body. While I wholeheartedly believe that the body’s strength initiates from our center (pelvis), it would be a big mistake to dismiss the ground force reaction we can generate beginning at our feet. If you stand, walk, jog or run, your feet’s function will impact the rest of your body. With ankle and/or foot immobility coupled with poor arch integrity, it will throw off the alignment and power your hips can generate. It’s a really dysfunctional feedback loop. I think the constant wearing of shoes is a contributing factor in tightening and weakening of the feet, although I think there’s more to it than this. This lack of stimulation as well as a general disconnection from feeling our own body as a continuous whole has created unintended abuse at the base of our anatomy. Do you have any awareness of your feet in response to the surface you’re on and where you lack the mobility to be strong? If you don’t, you’re certainly not alone, but you can improve your pain if you do. It takes a willingness to be in the present and feel the feels throughout your body. Connect to the sensation of your feet on the supportive surface and perhaps check in with yourself about why you may not have paid attention to this before? Our physical body relates to our emotional experience of ourselves…The Body Keeps the Score (as Bessel van der Kolk conveys in his book of the same name). So what might your feet share with you about the emotions you carry and how you may want to manifest differently in the body? On Friday, I will be live to explore the release and engagement of the feet. You may discover a bit more about how you can change your connection through to the earth’s surface. I’d love to see you then . Or message me if you’d like to reach out before then. I hope your Thanksgiving celebration brought you the connections you're seeking :)

This weekend, I had the honor of supporting another client as the realization sunk in...that meaningful change does happen. She is so committed to the process of growing and understands that she is held back from moving forward. But couldn't quite feel how. So we explored through connection to nature and some of the many resources that each of us have access to...when we know and choose to connect to these feelings. One of the many innate tools I helped her access is the calm yet expansive resource of the breath. There are probably hundreds of ways to engage with breathing that balances the nervous system. One of my most cherished teachings to my clients, is how to access profound focus on the breath to effect our return to the full diaphragmatic opening we were born to live in. And it was through this guidance and attention, that I witness the incredible change to a fullness of breath that was not there when we began. Not only did her breathing pattern change, but she accessed beautiful AND challenging emotion that helped her move through what was getting in the way. By days end, it became clear that her belief in healing the pain in her body and the emotions carried within it...was now steady and committed to her power to change. And the simplicity of following the bodies wisdom was the key. I just offered my knowledge and guidance to help this transpire. For me, it's the gift of helping and knowing the difference I can create that inspires me. If you're gut tells you I may be of support to you...reach out. I'm here to help you however I am able. Schedule with me ... or message me ... All the best :)

If the way we carry our body reflects how we feel, then any part of our anatomy can be a contributor to a posture that expresses this. The pain we feel can originate in our self perceptions. And the genesis of this are experiences turned inward. It's really a bummer that, all too often, these are negative experiences we turn into an internal image which causes us to be hard on ourselves. We can do the same with the positive. Yet, we tend to get trained to focus on what we did wrong (or what someone else interprets as our error). And of course, the hyper focus on what's wrong can be a survival tactic to ward it off again. But, we hold this energy within us for an impending event that may never come. And there it lies, causing a body and mind out of alignment and robbing us of the function we were designed to move with. Pain in your shoulders can be one manifestation of an emotional contraction. How could this be? When your open heart and feelings of being safe are challenged without awareness that there is an alternative, your spine changes. Mobility decreases in the vertebrae and the muscles and fascia of the spine, scapula and shoulder joint. If this is you, your shoulders turn into a contracted heart and prevent the lift of the ribcage to open the life affirming diaphragmatic breath. There are so many anatomical parts that contribute to how your body limits expansion. But, when you are mindful of being present with the source emotion and then add the precision physical tools to release, the painful information held within can be liberated. If I can help you do just that, I would love to do so. Consider if I can support you moving through your pain. Schedule a free 30-minute session with me to discover if this work can support your journey. And join me on Friday for my Live to explore the holding of the shoulders. As always, wishing you well :)

I thought I'd write a different email to you this week...as it hasn't been the norm in our family. On Sunday, my husband and I said goodbye to our adorable Rottweiler of 10 years, Fran. There's a deep ache in letting go of these amazing critters that are a part of our families. If we pay attention, they're teaching us something...our little soulmates offering us to learn more about ourselves. And of course, teaching us the ultimate lesson of unconditional love. They're joyful, authentically themselves and so in the moment. What a gift they are for us to share in life together. Which of course, makes saying goodbye so hard. I've felt it in by body since Sunday, that incredible fatigue from feeling sad. It makes the truth so clear about our bodies and are emotions being inextricably intertwined. I've relaxed in the tough feelings and it makes it better. And my feeling that she's free and yet connected to us energetically is bittersweet. I just wanted to take this week and honor the soul of Fran who brought us so much pure joy and endless love. And wishing that you all have these kinds of souls to love, learn and journey with. Wishing you well 💙