So many of the women I work with have this in common…they’ve tried everything! 

They’ve seen the specialists,  stretched, strengthened, foam rolled, and meditated.

Yet…the pain remains.

For women in particular, it shows up in the lower back, neck, and hips which often times are tied to deeper stories of stress, trauma, or simply a life lived in overdrive.

If this is you, know that I am living proof that you don’t have to live a life in pain or at the very least, with as much pain and tightness on a daily basis.

Clinical Somatic Education

I was first introduced to Clinical Somatic Education (CSE) a few years ago.  My body was full of inflammation including pain and stiffness in my shoulders, neck and hips.  After blood tests came back normal, my doctor wanted to stick a bandaid diagnosis on me called, Polyrheumatica Myalgia (PMR) based on my symptoms and the only medication for it is steroids.

I was not keen on putting steroids in my body for the rest of my life and I wasn’t convinced I had PMR!

This was also about the time that I started thinking about opening a Yoga Studio so I did something totally out of my comfort zone and became a Yoga Instructor.  The yoga studio however was not to be my dream BUT a yoga studio did come to fruition in my little town within a few months of beginning my journey into becoming a certified yoga teacher.

A few months after I began teaching, I started to feel called to teach yoga for chronic pain, it is in this journey that I came to know Clinical Somatic Education (CSE) and Gentle Somatic Yoga (GSY).  Both are variations of somatic education as taught by Thomas Hanna.

Clinical Somatic Education (CSE), developed by Thomas Hanna, is a neuromuscular re-education method that teaches the brain how to release chronic muscle tension through slow, mindful movements.

Rather than stretching muscles from the outside, CSE works from the inside out, by teaching your nervous system to let go of unconscious holding patterns that have become stuck on autopilot. These patterns are often the root cause of pain, tightness, and poor posture.

Mind-Body connection is a huge part of CSE.  When people are in chronic pain, it is natural to desensitize yourself from your body.  CSE helps to bring you back into your body by exploring slow, conscious movements that allow you to:

• Sense where tension is being held
• Contract the muscles slightly to bring awareness to them
• Slowly release those muscles while staying fully present
• Integrate the new pattern into daily life

Think of it like updating outdated software. You’re not just loosening a tight muscle, you’re retraining your brain to stop telling the muscle to stay tight in the first place.

The Science

Thomas Hanna coined the term “sensory motor amnesia” to describe what happens when, over time, the brain forgets how to sense and control certain muscles as a result of chronic stress, injury, trauma, or repetitive movement.

When this happens, muscles stay involuntarily contracted. No amount of stretching or massaging will permanently fix it, because the root is neurological, not just physical.

Clinical Somatic Education uses a process called pandiculation, a slow, intentional contraction followed by a slow, controlled release to reawaken these forgotten connections between the brain and body.

The Benefits of CSE

The benefits of CSE are plenty but truly CSE has helped me to become pain free…I no longer have the “waddle” as my sister used to call it after sitting for a period of time, my hips are in full alignment, and my shoulders and posture are straight!

I would catch myself leaning forward when walking before CSE and now my shoulders are back  and I walk upright.  I also spend less time in my chiropractors office…my sciatic would flare up every 3-6 months and in the two years I have been doing CSE, my sciatic flared up once but went away by using the somatic exercises for 3 days.

This is not to say, I don’t see my chiropractor, as I do about 2x/year for maintenance to ensure everything stays in alignment.

Student success has by far been the sweetest reward from this journey, I have had students with Kyphosis, lower back pain, tight hips and shoulders, range of motion challenges, sciatica and more.  Some have found relief sooner than others but the response is clear…CSE has become a huge part of thier healing journey.

Healing Is a Practice of Remembering

CSE isn’t just about eliminating pain—it’s about reclaiming your body as your own.

When we learn how to listen to the subtle language of sensation and movement, we come home to ourselves in a deeper way. We move through the world with more grace, more power, and less fear.

You don’t have to live stuck in the cycle of tension and fatigue.

Your body remembers the way back to ease.

Let’s help it find the path, schedule your consult today!

Warmly,

Dena