Somatic Movement Therapy
“As we are in our body, so too we are in the world.”
As humans we are well versed in understanding and experiencing emotions. What we aren’t so commonly taught is that beneath the emotion, we experience physiological processes and sensations that help our brain and nervous system determine which emotion is appropriate and how to respond.
When we experience or percieve something to be distressing or traumatic, it can leave its mark on our nervous system, unseen by others, but impactful nonetheless. This can throw our physiology into disarray, wreak havoc on our emotional resillience and cause us to disconnect from our body as a way of coping with the psychic (and often physical) pain. It can also negatively impact our interpersonal relationships because what once felt fine, now feels “triggering” and often our coping skills feel as if they no longer work.
Somatic Movement Therapy (SMT) helps you reconnect with yourself through reigniting the sensations of your body. It helps to release chronic muscular tension patterns and integrate breath for deep relaxation. It aims to restore physiological safety as a first step towards helping you become present and grounded in your body, so that you can navigate the challenges that life throws at you.
Ultimately, it facilitates an experience for profound physical and emotional healing through movement.
Sessions are currently offered in a 1:1 setting and are faciliated by Ash Berry DTAA Provisional Professional Dance Movement Therapist. Spaces are limited. Please reach out if you would like to more information or to make a booking.
Somatic Movement Therapy is offered in a 1:1 private setting or the occasional group workshop and is best utilised for:
Reaching a state of deep relaxation (similar to meditation, but through movement)
Teaching you to delve internally, to re-awaken sensation in your body, and create an “internal barometer” for how you feel
Learning to self regulate your bodily tensions through tapping into the power of your nervous system
Unlocking unconscious thought processes and embedded beliefs that may be holding you back from experiencing true vitality
Understanding your brain and body’s capacity for choice and agency to empower you towards a different physical outcome
Reconnecting with your physical and emotional self to recover from persistent stressors or overcome trauma
If you want to deep dive into the power of this work or would simply like to ask ASH some more questions ABOUT SOMATIC MOVEMENT THERAPY do not hesitate to contact US
I approached somatic movement therapy with Ash through a lens of curiosity, interest, and optimism. While the first few sessions felt relatively benign, it wasn’t until the middle sessions that I suddenly noticed just how different I felt. My whole self was more connected, I felt more positively body-aware than I ever have, emotionally stronger and open. These sessions felt different to Pilates in the sense that you often know what you’re walking into with a Pilates class. I never really knew what would happen in a somatics session but I trusted that it would give me a positive learning experience, and it has. Ash’s guidance throughout the somatics practice has been considered and expertly tailored. I have felt the overall impact of somatics throughout my life and would highly recommend to anyone interested in exploring how they can be better. - Sarah