Why Somatics?

The word “Somatics” is derived from the Greek word “soma”, or living body. As originally stated by Thomas Hanna, creator of Hanna Somatics, somatic practices are not solely about the human body as a distinct entity, as often described by medical professionals, but rather our lived experience of our bodies and our experience of having a body in our everyday lives.

The goal of any somatic practice, as defined by Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen, creator of Body-Mind Centering, is embodiment, the experience of mind and body coming together as one, and the process of attaining embodiment as somatization, where we are able to get out of our minds and become witnesses to the sensations of our bodies through awareness, lived experience, and clear intention.

The process of managing chronic pain and other conditions for most people usually involves direct medical interventions such as medication, physical therapy, surgery, etc, and somatic practices are not intended to replace these interventions. Rather, they are meant to complement these interventions by fostering more awareness of the body by teaching body mechanics through awareness and body mapping, among other things, with the ultimate goal of helping people breathe, sit, stand, and move more freely, thus enhancing traditional forms of therapy and even preventing chronic conditions from developing or worsening in the future.