FAQ

I work with clients with a range of experiences/issues/conditions, including:

• chronic pain

• neck/shoulder tension

• traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)

• scar tissue from injury/surgery/C-section

• carpal tunnel

• knee/hip replacements

• arthritis

• TMJ/temporomandibular joint dysfunction

• vertebral fusions

• asthma

• plantar fasciitis

• autoimmune disorders

• trauma and the nervous system (digestive issues, anxiety/depression, skin issues, chronic pain, fatigue, frequent illness)

• and much more.

It shouldn’t be. The key to Soma Structural Integration is not force or even deep pressure, but rather precise and detailed work. Many of us have been trained to believe that more pressure = more effective, which is not true.

The body is finely tuned and very sensitive, if we know how to listen. The touch can range from very gentle and almost indiscernible to very deep. It can be an intense experience but should never be painful.

We go slow enough to listen to your body, so you can experience the difference between unproductive pain (that causes stress), and productive pain (that provides release).

I do. Please reach out for more information.

This is a common feeling. Cultivating awareness to shift habits takes practice. I always emphasize that it can be simple, simpler, simplest. With each session, I share lots of tools with clients for this work to ‘stick’ in their lives. A few things I recommend:

• Leave time for a walk after your sessions.

• Keep a journal practice, paying attention to what is shifting between sessions.

• Drink lots of water, especially after sessions.

• Break long periods of sitting with movement.

Not at all! The Soma Series is a special sequence of 11 sessions that step by step, help to eliminate patterns of tension and restore organic alignment. The Soma Series is composed of 3 distinct segments (sessions 1-3, sessions 4-7 and sessions 8-11) so breaks can be taken between those sections as needed. While I believe most everyone would benefit from receiving the Soma Series, I also offer individual sessions and a mini-series.

I recommend people begin with one introduction session, and if they find it beneficial, to do a mini-series of 3 sessions. This allows enough time for the work to begin affecting change through the body.

If you decide you'd like to continue working together, we will discuss a treatment plan that fits your needs, schedule and finances. Sometimes people know from the get-go they want to do the Soma Series, which is a possibility too.

Please bring comfortable (not restrictive or tight) clothes for your session. I recommend loose fitting athletic shorts. Underwear also works. I provide tube tops for people that prefer them. If you prefer fuller coverage, pants and a shirt are fine as long as they are not restrictive.

A standard session is 90 minutes. New clients will fill out an intake form before the session and we will discuss your particular goals for our work together. A simple assessment is be done at the beginning and end of each session. Walking, raising your arm, bending at the knees, etc., help me begin to understand your body's abilities and restrictions so they can be addressed in the session. Work on the massage table constitutes the bulk of the session. I may ask for small movements from you like “point through your toes” or “rotate your head” or “press your knee into the table”. These small movements facilitate an unwinding in the tissue. Clients are often surprised by how relaxed they feel afterwards. After the work on the table, we may end with a short guided movement exercise or awareness practice relating to the session or your areas of concern.