FAQs about Somatics
What's the difference between Somatics, Hanna Somatics, Clinical Somatics and Essential Somatics?
Oh, good question! Somatics is an umbrella term for many modalities that address the somatic nervous system--part of the peripheral nervous system that is responsible for carrying motor and sensory information both to and from the body and brain. Thomas Hanna PhD, the man behind the work Kristin does, wanted to call his method "Somatics" but that couldn't be trademarked, just like "yoga" or "pilates" can't be trademarked. Hanna started a school and his graduates are called Hanna Somatic Educators. Martha Peterson, founder of Essential Somatics and a certified Hanna Somatic Educator herself, runs the Essential Somatics (ES) Training School. ES teaches in the tradition of Hanna's work, but her graduates are Clinical Somatic, or Essential Somatic Educators. Hanna's work is the only method that incorporates pandiculations, which is why it's so effective, with quicker results.
How is Somatics different from other treatment options, like chiropractic, massage, physical therapy?
First of all, it's called Somatic Education. You and your brain are educated how to move your body so you can sense it, and there for get the best results. Traditional treatments are passive. You have someone else move, massage or crack your body to "correct" misalignments. But if you want to make your adjustments last, you need to get your brain to undo the tightness, or else you're right back to where you started within a few hours or a day later. With Hanna Somatics you are proactive! You can self-regulate and self-correct so you can fix your body when you need it and learn to maintain proper posture with Hanna Somatics.
How is Somatics different from Pilates?
Both fall under the mind-body umbrella, but often Pilates strengthens already tight muscles--neck, hip, and psoas--when really it would be beneficial to increase freedom and flexibility first. Function well first as your base, then your Pilates practice will be safer and more effective.
On a personal note, after my bike accident and before I discovered Somatics, I practiced Pilates. As I did Pilates the more painful my already sore areas became. I was strengthening my misalignments and dysfunction. Once I discovered Somatics I felt instant relief in my psoas and neck. Now if I practice Pilates I always end with Somatics so I don't remain "tight".
What about Somatics vs yoga?
Once again, both are mind-body based, and students can improve their health, breath, flexibility, and lower stress with both. But the key difference is that Somatics goes to the brain to sense differences in our muscles that don't require extreme stretching that you often experience in a yoga class. In fact, there is a stress response to overly stretching muscles called the stretch reflex, which triggers the muscles to shorten and actually tighten when under undo stress/forced lengthening of a stretch or yoga pose. In Somatics you learn to do pandiculations, not stretches to release tight muscles. Much easier and a lot more enjoyable.
My doctor wants me to see a Physical Therapist for my ____________. Can I do Somatics too or instead of PT?
Usually a prescription is written by your primary care provider to see a Physical Therapist for a particular pain/area of the body, like frozen shoulder or bursitis in the hip. PTs generally addresses just the area of concern. Somatic Educators address the whole body to eliminate pain and dysfunction. Though H/CSE has been around for decades it's generally unknown in the PT world. You know your body better than anyone else. I encourage you to explore what you sense when you do your PT exercises and when you do your somatic exercises. Personally I've seen clients have quicker, longer-lasting results with just Somatic Education. Another key difference is PT often manipulates the patient in sometimes painful ways, while Hanna Somatics always stays within your comfort zone and never tries to force change with pressure or excessive stretching.
I feel discomfort when I do Somatics and/or after my practice. What am I doing wrong?
First, don't think "you're doing something wrong." Every thing you experience with Somatics is a lesson for you to gain awareness about what your brain currently does to organize your motor patterns.
There are three primary reasons you might experience discomfort when doing Somatics or after a session.
More about the founder
Some people find similarities between Feldenkrais and Hanna/Clinical Somatics. That's because Thomas Hanna started as a Feldekrais Practitioner but went on to developed Hanna Somatic Education after studying neurophysiology at the University of Miami Medical School. While at UMMS he explored how humans respond to stress reflexes (think red light, green light and trauma reflexes) and how these full body patterns can become involuntary, causing pain that can spiral into a host of health issues.
Oh, good question! Somatics is an umbrella term for many modalities that address the somatic nervous system--part of the peripheral nervous system that is responsible for carrying motor and sensory information both to and from the body and brain. Thomas Hanna PhD, the man behind the work Kristin does, wanted to call his method "Somatics" but that couldn't be trademarked, just like "yoga" or "pilates" can't be trademarked. Hanna started a school and his graduates are called Hanna Somatic Educators. Martha Peterson, founder of Essential Somatics and a certified Hanna Somatic Educator herself, runs the Essential Somatics (ES) Training School. ES teaches in the tradition of Hanna's work, but her graduates are Clinical Somatic, or Essential Somatic Educators. Hanna's work is the only method that incorporates pandiculations, which is why it's so effective, with quicker results.
How is Somatics different from other treatment options, like chiropractic, massage, physical therapy?
First of all, it's called Somatic Education. You and your brain are educated how to move your body so you can sense it, and there for get the best results. Traditional treatments are passive. You have someone else move, massage or crack your body to "correct" misalignments. But if you want to make your adjustments last, you need to get your brain to undo the tightness, or else you're right back to where you started within a few hours or a day later. With Hanna Somatics you are proactive! You can self-regulate and self-correct so you can fix your body when you need it and learn to maintain proper posture with Hanna Somatics.
How is Somatics different from Pilates?
Both fall under the mind-body umbrella, but often Pilates strengthens already tight muscles--neck, hip, and psoas--when really it would be beneficial to increase freedom and flexibility first. Function well first as your base, then your Pilates practice will be safer and more effective.
On a personal note, after my bike accident and before I discovered Somatics, I practiced Pilates. As I did Pilates the more painful my already sore areas became. I was strengthening my misalignments and dysfunction. Once I discovered Somatics I felt instant relief in my psoas and neck. Now if I practice Pilates I always end with Somatics so I don't remain "tight".
What about Somatics vs yoga?
Once again, both are mind-body based, and students can improve their health, breath, flexibility, and lower stress with both. But the key difference is that Somatics goes to the brain to sense differences in our muscles that don't require extreme stretching that you often experience in a yoga class. In fact, there is a stress response to overly stretching muscles called the stretch reflex, which triggers the muscles to shorten and actually tighten when under undo stress/forced lengthening of a stretch or yoga pose. In Somatics you learn to do pandiculations, not stretches to release tight muscles. Much easier and a lot more enjoyable.
My doctor wants me to see a Physical Therapist for my ____________. Can I do Somatics too or instead of PT?
Usually a prescription is written by your primary care provider to see a Physical Therapist for a particular pain/area of the body, like frozen shoulder or bursitis in the hip. PTs generally addresses just the area of concern. Somatic Educators address the whole body to eliminate pain and dysfunction. Though H/CSE has been around for decades it's generally unknown in the PT world. You know your body better than anyone else. I encourage you to explore what you sense when you do your PT exercises and when you do your somatic exercises. Personally I've seen clients have quicker, longer-lasting results with just Somatic Education. Another key difference is PT often manipulates the patient in sometimes painful ways, while Hanna Somatics always stays within your comfort zone and never tries to force change with pressure or excessive stretching.
I feel discomfort when I do Somatics and/or after my practice. What am I doing wrong?
First, don't think "you're doing something wrong." Every thing you experience with Somatics is a lesson for you to gain awareness about what your brain currently does to organize your motor patterns.
There are three primary reasons you might experience discomfort when doing Somatics or after a session.
- You are working too hard. We live in a culture of more is more, but with Somatics you can get a lot more out of your practice if you do things gently and with less effort. The movements are not "exercises" so avoid turning them into strength moves.
- You are tightening both sides of your body at once. Somatic movements are pandiculations. Pandiculations are contractions of muscles followed by slow, deliberate releases. When you do a pandiculation the contracted group of muscles has an opposing set of muscles. The opposing muscles should lengthen. If you are in a "vice," both sides are firing tightly, you can literally be fighting against your tension. Let go of any tightness in the body that is not needed for the contraction in the pandiculation. Avoid firing the opposing muscles as you release the contracted ones.
- You released chronically tight muscles, and you are sore! If you are chronically contracted in a part of your body that actually releases after weeks, months, decades of contraction, you might be sore. Don't stress too much. The soreness should ease and you should feel better than you have in a long time, with a day or two.
More about the founder
Some people find similarities between Feldenkrais and Hanna/Clinical Somatics. That's because Thomas Hanna started as a Feldekrais Practitioner but went on to developed Hanna Somatic Education after studying neurophysiology at the University of Miami Medical School. While at UMMS he explored how humans respond to stress reflexes (think red light, green light and trauma reflexes) and how these full body patterns can become involuntary, causing pain that can spiral into a host of health issues.