Simply Soma Method: somatic movement therapy/education and bodymind personal training.
Overview: Simply Soma Method is a movement-based approach designed by Molly W. Schenck to support individuals in transforming their mental and physical health through somatic movement practices. Inspired by Molly's personal journey of recovering from chronic pain and burnout, it emphasizes the use of movement as a therapeutic tool for fostering holistic well-being.
The Basics: The method integrates principles from somatic movement education, Polyvagal theory, and trauma-informed practices, encouraging clients to listen deeply to their bodies and develop a stronger mind-body connection. By cultivating awareness of autonomic nervous system responses, Simply Soma Method helps clients navigate stress, tension, and discomfort, leading to more fluid and easeful movement patterns.
Key elements of Simply Soma Method include:
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Gentle Movement Exploration: Designed to be adaptable to various body types and levels of mobility, focusing on slow, mindful movements that release tension and promote healing.
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Embodiment Practices: Encouraging clients to tune into their bodies and sensations, cultivating presence and grounding to address both physical and emotional challenges.
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Personalized Support: Offering individualized sessions tailored to each person’s unique physical and mental health needs, recognizing that healing is a non-linear and personal process.
The Goal: Simply Soma Method aims to provide a supportive, compassionate space for clients to reconnect with their bodies, relieve chronic pain, manage stress, and enhance overall well-being.
How does it work?
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We start with the mind which informs the body based work that ultimately can shift your mental state.
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This carefully scaffolded approach for your neuromuscular skeletal system is broken into four phases: reset, restart, reignite, and refresh.
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Phase I, RESET, is about laying a solid foundation the rest of the work can be built upon. We focused on strengthening your mind body connection to ensure we maximize our work together.
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Phase II, RESTART, is about developing a baseline regimen that is sustainable and supports you in your day-to-day life.
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Phase III, REIGNITE, is my favorite. Here, we work to discover the extremes of your movement regimen that allows you to make substantial shifts in your mental and physical health.
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Phase IV, REFRESH, focuses on solidifying the previous work and preparing for the conclusion of our work so you leave feeling that you have to tools and practices to sustain the way you wish to move through life.
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This method was originally designed as a 12-week program, but can be applied to all sessions.
What can I expect in each session?
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Each session is broken into three segments: discussion, movement, and integrating the work of the day
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Movement intensity can range from little things like eye movement and breath patterns to larger multi-planar strength and power moves.
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Depending on the work that you wish to focus on and personal learning preferences, our work together may feel like one-on-one coaching, counseling, guided meditation/mindfulness, yoga, or personal training sessions.
How was this developed?
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This method was heavily informed by Polyvagal theory, NASM’s optimal performance training model, educational psychology and behavior change models and theories as well as my lifelong experiences as a dancer, physical theater performer, yoga/group fitness instructor, and dance/movement educator.
Who is this work best for?
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This program is designed for individuals 18+ who are interested in utilizing somatic movement to improve their overall wellbeing and ready to be an active participant in their healing journey.
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It is best suited for folx who are open to new, innovative and holistic approaches to taking care of their mind and body.
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Ideal for those working through chronic conditions, stress, trauma, and burnout.
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Individuals who can commit to regular practices outside of session
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It is not suited for individuals who are in the midst of a crisis, experienced a recent acute injury, or are seeking diagnosis.
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There is a family plan option for up to 2 parents and up to 2 children (ages 3-12) that focuses on movement sequences suited for youth and adults to calm nervous systems with fundamental movement patterning that meets the needs of multiple family members.
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Teens 13-17 who are interested in this program, please have your grown-up contact Molly directly to discuss options.
What inspired this program?
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I left a 10+ year career in higher education and the fitness industry because my mental and physical health were at a breaking point and I knew I needed dramatic change in order to heal. I had been in chronic physical pain for years which was destroying to my mental health. I had tried working with multiple health and medical professionals and was frustrated at how each one could only address parts of me and not my whole being. So, determined to manage my mental health struggles and get out of pain, I developed a protocol for my whole self. Within three weeks, all of my mental health struggles were gone and within three months I was out of pain. I continued to work with health and medical professions for treatments I could not do on my own, but the daily work based on the protocols I created allows me to sustain these changes and support my on-going healing.