The structure of my sessions with online somatic coaching clients is actually surprisingly similar to the structure of in person sessions. Of course, there are some practices that do not transfer well to online work, and the bodywork portion of the session is obviously very different. Nevertheless, the fundamentals remain the same, and with a good camera setup and a private room where you can stand, lie down, and make loud sound, we can do 95% of what we would be doing if we were together in person.
What follows below is the general structure of what you can expect in a typical online (I usually use Zoom) somatic coaching session.
Understanding the stories and self-narratives that run us
Most session begin with us seated and in conversation. Initially, what we want to identify is how you want to be different. Often people come to coaching not sure how they want to be different - they only know what they want less of. We want less anxiety, less stress, etc. But with coaching, it can be important to also identify where we are going and what the goal is. For example, wanting less anxiety might mean that you want to become better able to calm yourself. Wanting to stop being so socially reserved might mean that you want to become better able to trust yourself and speak openly. It’s normal not to be sure at first how you want to be different, but starting to establish where we are actually headed in our coaching allows us to stay present to what is possible, what you are ready to open to, and what’s getting in the way. Suffice it to say that seated conversations - whether about your history, what’s working or not working in your life, or how your somatic practices are going - look nearly identical regardless of if we are in person or on our computers thousands of miles apart.
Somatic practices
Usually the middle portion of our session is focused on exploring a somatic practice. This may be done seated at times, but very often is best done standing. A standing centering practice, for example, is simply done standing still. Adjusting your camera so that I can see at least your torso and face during this practice is usually all that’s required. There may be some practices where I ask you to move more dynamically. For instance, I may have you practice extending by raising your hands out in front of you, or I may have you do some walking. It can be important to see how you relax or tense with movements so that you can better feel what’s happening in your body. Nearly all of these practices that I do in person with clients can be modified to work for an online session.
Bodywork and breathwork
Less intuitive is how we practice somatic bodywork together online. For the last several years I’ve been facilitating online bodywork courses with colleagues in which I’ve had the good fortune of becoming well practiced in the methodology here. The upshot is that, instead of me using my hands on my clients (as I would during in person work), you will be using your own hands and I will simply be offering the guidance.
The body learns through touch and responds to the quality of touch. When a part of our body feels or senses that something or someone else is doing the work of holding the tension, the tissue begins to relax. Whether it is my hands or your own hands, when we hold an area of contraction in the body, it signals to the body that it is safe to let go of that area of holding. This is the premise of bodywork; touch communicates to our nervous systems in ways that thinking cannot. And it’s not just practicing the technique: when we do bodywork on ourselves, we are also being asked to practice getting present. We tune into the quality and intention of the touch. As you work on yourself and I guide you (either verbally or by demonstrating), I may suggest that you remain seated or stand or even lie down at times. So long as I can see the majority of you on the camera and I can hear you through the computer, I can offer the same support online that I could if you were in my office.
Practices between sessions
Somatic openings and insights that unfold during our sessions need to be integrated into the overall arc of the work we are doing together. The final part of our session together often involves reviewing takeaways and getting clear about what practices will support you between sessions. This is an essential part of somatic development.
Have questions or curiosities about somatic coaching online or want to connect on the phone prior to scheduling? Contact me today - I’d love to hear from you!