Croeso (welcome)

Thank you for taking the time to explore this site. I am so happy to be able to share my somatic practice and yoga experience with you. Originally from West Sussex, I am very grateful to now call this beautiful and wild Wales my home. If I'm not on my yoga mat or working as a brand and communications designer, you will find me foraging, walking with my crazy dog Yoji or finding moments to pause, find beauty and presence.

Why do we need somatics?

In a world where we live so much in our own heads, along with societal and cultural conditioning that has encouraged us to override our emotions, favouring stimulation and performance over intuition, it can be hard to find regulation and calm in the nervous system.

From 'soma', the Greek word meaning 'living body', somatics is the practice of embodied awareness that deepens our relationship to self, enhances our intuition, cultivates a deeper sense of inner wisdom and peace, and empowers us to lead from within. There are various modalities that we can use to connect back to our body;

Movement - In the form of dance, yoga, Thai Chi, Qigong or any form of synchronised or expressive movement
Sound & vibration - This could be humming, drumming, singing, chanting, it could also be tapping, or clapping
Sensation - Noticing sensations as well as drawing attention to the senses, also squeezing, stroking & holding
Breath - Breathing techniques that support, activate & deactivate the nervous system states
Self soothing - In the form of rocking, holding, swaying, as well as gentle micro movements, pushing & yielding
Neuroaesthetics - The act of noticing beauty as well as creative expression, to evoke & track emotional states.

How do somatic practices help?

These practices support the vagus nerve, a cranial nerve that enables us to safely move in and out of parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system states. This helps us to maintain emotional balance and facilitates healing. The vagus nerve, named from the Latin word for 'wondering,' is the longest nerve in the body, it runs from the brain through the neck, diaphragm, and into the intestine. Information moves between the brain and the gut in a two-way flow, providing us with "gut instinct" as well as other sensing abilities that help us discern safety from danger. Take a look at a Polyvagal Theory Chart developed by Dr Stephen Porges.

Somatic yoga incorporates toning of the vagus nerve, exploring many of the modalities listed above and utilising sensing techniques to speed up the connection and train the nervous system to find safety in the body. We do this through the following practices;

Neuroception - A subconscious process of scanning the environment to sense threat. In somatics, we work to shift neuroception towards sensing more safety in the body so the nervous system can relax & restore
Orienting - Using our senses to orient ourselves within a space to help the body register safety
Interoception - Sensing the internal state of the body, perceiving sensations like pulsing, breath, temperature
Somatic Tracking - Increasing awareness of sensations in the body, practising without judgement or change, this helps with pain reprocessing, trauma healing & as a tool for self attunement
Proprioception - Our body's sense of where it is in space, we develop this awareness through proprioceptive feedback to facilitate grounding, balance & coordination
Grounding - Using techniques that connect us to the present moment through self touch, breath & environment
Pandiculation - A natural reflex that resets muscle tone through contracting, lengthening & releasing, in somatic practice we consciously squeeze & release to encourage deeper release of the muscle tissues & fascia
Nervous system regulation - Yawning, sighing, humming, shaking, swaying, rocking, tracking, weight sensing, meditation & breathing all support nervous system regulation

Are there any side effects to somatic practice?

Somatic yoga is a gentle and supportive practice that is first and foremost about finding safety in the body. When exploring simulation of the nervous system states, a titrated approach is essential where we introduce practices in tiny steps until we can develop the ability to move between parasympathetic and sympathetic states with ease. This trains the body to feel safe outside of a class setting, in environments where historically there may have been dis-regulation.

Somatic yoga is a trauma informed practice, this is because we hold emotional energy in the body within fascia that surrounds the muscles. We release this stored energy and emotion through shaking, rocking, swaying, self-holding and expressive movement, occasionally this can also lead to the release of tears.

Because of the deep healing benefits of regular somatic practice, it is often accompanied by loss of belly fat (this is due to the lowering of cortisol levels and the body's need to "store energy" being reduced). Reducing cortisol also reduces inflammation in the body, meaning it can heal allergies and auto immune issues as well as improving circadian rhythm (sleep cycle), it also helps to balance out other functioning hormones within the body.

If you have been diagnosed with CPTSD, psychiatric or personality disorders or schizophrenia, it is important to consult your mental health team first before engaging in a somatic yoga class. A private session can be facilitated through your team to ensure you have the right support whilst exploring your somatic practice.