The Somatic Bodywork Experience
Through somatic bodywork and client-led touch, we can transform, release and heal.
We can unwind and uncouple harmful links and create new associations.
Someone who experiences fear when receiving touch can have a new experience of receiving care, love, and pleasure. Someone who experiences shame when they have a desire can have a new experience of permission, safety, and empowerment.
With practice, we create new links and new neural pathways. We experience new ways of being in relationship to ourselves and others.
Once a client has established enough capacity to notice sensation in the body, and enough empowered voice and choice, we can move into somatic bodywork. Where all touch is directed by the client and is for the client.
In this container, the client is able to stay safe and focused on their body, needs, and desires. The clients entire body is welcome in the space. The clients entire being is welcome in the space - including their sexuality. Although never expected or required. There is no sexual exchange between my cleints and I. Rather, I hold the space for my clients to have an experience with themselves. To use their own erotic life force to alechmize their wounds. We journey deep in into the body - tenidng to both grief and pleasure.
I stay within my own limits and boundaries when providing touch. I model what I teach. Before we begin, we always start by negotiating what parts of the body might receive touch during the session.
Bossy Massage
One of the first somatic bodywork experiences I invite my clients into is a bossy massage, developed by Betty Martin. As the practitioner, I wait with presence as my client decides what part of their body they would like to be touched and how. I then provide this touch, exactly where and how they have asked for, for no more than 10 seconds. Staying in communication, checking in to make sure the touch I am providing is what they wanted. We want to prevent the client from going into and enduring any unwanted touch.
A bossy massage is about the receiver’s internal experience of listening to their body, discovering what it wants, learning to put words to what it wants, asking for what it wants, and then receiving what it wants.
Somatic bodywork can bring up a range of emotions; grief, frustration, bliss, joy, gratitude, sorrow, anger, confusion, relief, and delight. We welcome and honor all emotions and sensations that arise.
Body De-armoring
When we experience unwanted touch or neglect, our bodies harden and numb, creating armor to protect us. With present loving touch, we can invite these areas of armor to open, soften, and release. Sometimes memories arise, sometimes intense emotional release occurs.
De-armoring is never about pushing or forcing the body. We meet the body exactly where it’s at, moving at the pace of the body’s trust.
By using light touch, sounding, and breath, we invite areas of armor to soften and release. Always checking in with the body on how much touch that area wants.
We acknowledge, honor, validate and love these areas of armor.
Pleasure Mapping
Pleasure mapping is a discovery of what your body likes in that moment. We listen to what parts of the body want touch and discover what kind of touch feels good, great, neutral, or not so good. We experiment with different strokes, various pressures, and paces. What feels good? What could make it feel even better?
People often discover new parts of their body that they had no idea were so sensitive. They discover what their body likes and wants, and practice asking for it. They can then bring this skill and knowledge into their own self-touch practice or into a relationship with another person. They discover what gets in the way of experiencing pleasure. And through acknowledging, meeting, and allowing what inhibits us, we have the opportunity to release old ways of being. Opening into a new experience with and relationship to pleasure.