When I began my journey in learning somatic approaches, it was because I was in pain and I needed help with how I was using my body. My years of dancing training did not connect me to the way I was moving as it could have. I knew I was doing "something" that was creating more tension than necessary, but I didn't know how to change it. Now, after over 20 years of this practice, I may catch myself hunching my shoulders still, but I don't stay there. I change the pattern more quickly and I laugh at myself when I do it, instead of getting upset with myself. "It's just a silly pattern", I tell myself and I move on.                           

When changing patterns of tension (as many bodyworkers experience in themselves), we must first notice the tension patterns in ourselves. Once we notice that, we can begin to un-learn and let go of the grip it has on us. One way we do that is to focus our attention on new ways of moving, feeling and approaching that pattern in a way that is different than what we are used to. This takes repetition, lots of repetition! Lots of small changes over time are more effective than spending a longer block of time trying to force a change. Little, consistent reminders that I can bring my attention to that tip the scales away from the tension pattern. 

Repetition is a key component in any learning process, and the Trager training is an exceptional training that keeps this concept of repetition with specific intention at the forefront of it's focus.  It is an extensive program of self development, awakening of self and building career longevity.  Learning it has saved my bodywork career, increased the joy in my work, erased my pain and helped me feel confident in my sessions. I would not be doing what I am doing now without it. 

The training has 3 levels plus other classes mixed in, along with practice sessions so that you can integrate the information and develop your skills. There is a reason why the training is so extensive. It needs to be. Would you go to a karate class for one weekend and expect to be a black belt after 2 days? There is just too much that needs to be developed, and practiced, un-learned and understood.

When helping a client develop their awareness, it starts with our own exploration of our own patterns (or our way of moving), so that we bring our own awareness to be able to help them. We want to discover the fine details of how we hold ourselves, where does our effort come from, how does that effort translate through our body, and how is it received by the client?

During the training, we take the time to explore our own patterns through Mentastics. Milton Trager used this term from combining mental & gymnastics. Mind focused movement. This practice builds self awareness. Then we learn "moves". We move a client's body in such a way, that they build awareness around a new feeling quality. For example, if a client has stiffness in their upper traps and the shoulder barely moves, I will slow down my movement and move from an efficient body to invite softness and letting go. It really is tricky to describe, and much easier to understand when felt. And that is the essence of feeling in our body and not just understanding it from an analytical perspective. It's not about the moves, the moves help us to apply the principles. You may just need to come to a training (or a session!) to experience this! 

I encourage you to look further into the Trager training. I will be teaching a level 1 at the end of Feb. It is a 6 day training and we will be breaking it up into 2 / 3-day weekends. The Level 1 can be a stand alone class. You do not have to move onto Level 2, but you certainly can if you feel so inspired! You will gain many insights to new ways of working with clients and your own approach to how you can work with more ease. Once you've had the chance to practice and experiment, you'll have a better understanding of the power of a somatic approach.
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I highly recommend starting with my Intro. It will give you a solid foundation for the longer training. It also offers you the opportunity to practice the approach and see how your clients respond! My next Intro is Nov 16.
​Click on WORKSHOPS below for more info.

*Please note: Since I teach Somatic Principles workshops, either or all of these can serve as a pre-requisite for Level 1. There is an application process for this workshop. You will also receive membership in the USTA (United States Trager Association) for 2 years as part of your Level 1 participation. Receiving sessions is also accepted before entering the training. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

  Information about the curriculum of the classes needed to become a Certified Trager Practitioner here: 
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https://www.trager.com/curriculum-content

Somatic Principles Workshops
I have been teaching my Somatic Principles workshops for a few years now and I am excited to continue to offer them. So many students are loving the approach to bodywork and life, and I love sharing with you.  As I share in my classes, these principles are mostly taken from my many years of training in the Trager Approach. I created these workshops due to a desire to get to teaching as soon as possible, and it was challenging with the pandemic, as well as my main instructor suffered a major injury and was not able to hold classes for me to undergo further training. 

I had decided to just go for it myself, and create my own classes. I wanted to incorporate my understanding of other somatic methods, such as Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais and Hanna Somatics. I feel I have accomplished a goal of introducing this in a way that is easily usable and incorporated into massage so therapists can practice immediately and witness the positive results from their clients first hand with my Somatic Principle workshops. I will continue to offer these wonderful workshops as stand alone or as an extensive intro towards a deeper adventure of self-discovery, expansion and growth.

Next Steps
I have learned so much as an instructor through these past few years. I really did need to do it my way, and many students have asked me about the next steps. They understand that this work is not a quick workshop where we fill our heads with information and hope we remember at least half. It's a completely different kind of class where we explore our own movement as well, and how that translates to our clients. So, I am ready to push my edges some more and take the next step in my teaching, and to offer this for all of you. Becoming a Trager Instructor is my next step!

Trager Instructor!
Recently at my last Intro workshop, a Trager friend who teaches Level 1 Trainings, wanted to see what I do. At the end of the day, she literally said to me, "why are you not teaching level 1's?" So I revisited the question that I had so many years ago. Why not?

Our conversation sparked a new interest in me and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. This is just what those who love this approach are looking for. This is the way for me and for you to learn from the many other amazing instructors that teach Trager. 

The process has begun!
So, after creating a supervising team, I filled out an application to become an Instructor in training with Trager International. This means I will run a pilot class, probably in March 2026, with the support of my supervisors. After that, I hope to be approved right away and this will open up the possibility to teach all over the world! 

Once I feel comfortable with the 6 day level 1, I can work my way to teaching the higher levels and bring more students into the wonderful world of being a Certified Trager Practitioner. I'll bring Master Instructors in to teach the higher level classes. I'd love to see more hand-on therapists utilizing the skills and sensitivity that this work develops. Less stress on our bodies, and profound results for our clients. And not to mention all the nervous system science that Milton Trager was so ahead of his time on, that seems to be everywhere now. (That's a whole different conversation!)

I need your thoughts!
Since I am so excited to bring you all the next step in deepening your experience with this approach, I am asking for your feedback and opinions about Trager trainings. First, if you are interested in learning more from me, and second, the scheduling of a 6 day training. When I went through the certification training, the 6 day workshops were split into 2 weekends with a month in between. Other instructors currently offer a 3 day split with one day so students don't have to travel as often, but it is a full week. (MLD offers week long trainings without a day in the middle for a break, so maybe people are more used to this model these days?)

Please help me out.
Please take just a few minutes to fill out the questionnaire below. I will shape how I move forward in planning my trainings. Thank you so much.

Love and Blessings,
Linda

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"Somatics is a field within bodywork and movement studies which emphasizes internal physical perception and experience. The term is used in movement therapy to signify approaches based on the soma, or "the body as perceived from within".  Wikipedia

​The term has become very popular and I am very excited about this! It is a general term used for one aspect of different healing methods. Somatic techniques may be used in bodywork, psychotherapy, dance, or spiritual practices.  Basically, noticing body sensations as opposed to ruminating thoughts in your head.

The Alexander Technique, Feldenkrais Method, Hannah Somatics, and Trager Approach are the pioneer modalities that I am most familiar with.  They are all under the umbrella term of Somatic Re-education modalities. They all deal with similar concepts, approached a bit differently. They all help with awareness of self and that it he aspect of the approaches that is both healing and empowering. When we add someone else's experience to guide us, this only brings one's learnings even deeper because they have put time and attention to their own process. 

Somatic practices help to release muscular tension through gentle movement and specific awareness of how your muscles feel in various positions and movements. Any reason you may seek massage therapy, somatic bodywork/lessons can offer you solutions for those challenges, as well as add the self development component and you may find that this kind of approach reaches deeper than any amount of pressure can, and even lasts longer. Since the focus is to reach the nervous system, it changes patterns that created the tension in the first place. Gentle and deeply effective, that's a win-win!

If you are a person that could use more grounding, deep relaxation, chronic tension relief, and whole body integrated function, learning somatics will help you to move efficiently, love your body and do the activities you want to do again! Book a free consultation if you have questions.


***My favorite quotes from the pioneers mentioned in this article.***

“People do not decide their futures, they decide their habits and their habits decide their futures.” 
 F.M Alexander 1869-1955 

“I am convinced that for every physical non-yielding condition there is a psychic counterpart in the unconscious mind to the degree of the physical manifestations.”   
Dr. Milton Trager  1908-1997

 “As we grow older, our bodies, and our lives, should continue to improve, right up until the very end. I believe that all of us, in our own hearts, feel that this is how life really should be lived.”  
Thomas Hannah 1928-1990

We all have clients that keep their arm held in the air for you. I remember doing that myself during my first massage! You'd think a girl growing up dancing her whole life would have the body awareness to know that she was doing this, but I didn't know what I didn't know. I was on a massage table, so in my mind, I was relaxed! And not until it was brought to my attention did I realize that I was holding, otherwise, I had no idea! 

Our clients experience this too. They simply don't know what they don't know, and for us to tell them to relax may be unchartered territory for them. They certainly have an understanding of what "relaxed" is supposed to be, but not necessarily the understanding in a feeling sense, or to know that there is a different felt sense. If they haven't had the awakened experience of what that feels like, they don't have that experience to fall back on. Our minds are habitually wired. We tend to do what we have done before, whether we know it or not. How we think and hold our bodies runs on that same loop. How we move is often unconscious.  Those patterns show up for our clients on our tables and we can help them with it.

There is a very important clarification in how we can best help them. Notice the difference in the two ways we can work with this. The first is to tell them to relax. "Relax". This can send a message of, "you are supposed to be relaxed and you're not doing it right." This may be frustrating for them since they probably didn't even realize that they weren't, and then they can feel like they are doing something wrong.

The second option is a more empowering option and helps them become aware of it without judgement or blame. You may ask something like, "Did you know that you are holding your arm up?"  or " What would it feel like to drop your arm into my hands?". I'll sometimes say, "I got you", and offer that it's just a pattern and patterns can change. 
 
There is no end to how deep we can explore into movement patterns. It's nothing short of fascinating, and yet simple at the same time. Once a body-mind has felt a new way to move, feel and sense, then it has that forever. It's just how many times do we need reminders to tip the scales in favor of the new feeling.

One example how this shows up in our own bodies is when you catch yourself hunching your shoulders up to your ears. We all do it. Do you proceed with getting frustrated and looping degrading words to ourselves, "I'm doing it again, my shoulders are up, grrrr". Again, the thought that you are doing something wrong shows up.  A gentler mind set that realizes that changing patterns just need continual resets. "Hello shoulders, remember that you can soften and hang off your bones?" "What does it feel like to allow my shoulders to gently fall towards the ground?" Ahh, much better. 

I hope that you see that by asking a question, it is far more powerful and effective than a statement. One small yet very powerful shift. Have fun with playing with this for yourself and your clients.  Let me know how it goes for you!

If you are interested in learning more, I have two Intro to Somatic Principles workshops coming up in September. Please feel free to contact me for a conversation to see if you would like to incorporate this into your practice. 

​Linda