Somatic Movement Online Experiences
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Somatic Self-Care
Somatic Self-Care is Gigi's signature class, held at Flowstate Studio in the Blue Mountains. It focuses on process oriented, self-attuned movement that cultivates aliveness to the moment, nervous system resilience and a lens of curiosity and appreciation towards the body.
Practices are drawn from the rich field of somatic perspectives, including Qi-Gong, Yoga, Feldenkreis and Clinical Somatics to name a few. Whilst the class integrates many styles of body-based practice in one container, the container for the practice remains consistent, anchored to a strong base in nervous system awareness and attuning to "the body as experienced from within" (Hanna, 2004). The class is also guided by Emerson & Hopper's principles of trauma-informed practice – connecting safely to the present moment, encouraging choice, empowering self-led self-care and creating rhythms that foster resonance in our experience of being (Emerson & Hopper, 2012).
Physically, classes are gentle and invite you to move in a way that's appropriate for you in that moment. Gigi wants these classes to feel accessible and welcoming and to offer equal opportunity for deep presence and introspection as they do exploration, expression and play. If you have any questions or wish to discuss your participation, you are invited to reach out on gigicoachingandcreation@gmail.com.
Clinical Somatic Education
Clinical Somatic Education is a neuro-muscular re-education method that teaches the brain to release chronic tension patterns through small, micro-movements called pandiculations. This reverses what Thomas Hanna named sensory motor amnesia, whereby the brain loses conscious control over movement patterns because they have become so habituated. Due to the habitual use of this pattern, it has become set as a default shape or response in the body and the brain loses capacity to change or relax it at conscious will, leading to experiences of chronic tension and loss of mobility.
Through the slowness, presence and coordination required to perform pandiculations, we reweave the brains connection to the parts of the body being activated and released. Rather than stopping at the habitual level of tension we are used to and thinking that we are relaxed, we can learn that there is a wider range of relaxation available for us to expand into if we listen to the subtlety of the body. We discover muscles and movements we have lost awareness of – or perhaps never had conscious awareness of and in doing so, drip-feed new sensory data to the brain. With this new awareness and understanding of its own terrain, the body-mind learns its full range of potential, changing our experience of soma (body-mind) overtime.
Physically, classes take place on the floor without demonstration, so as to re-orient the participant's awareness towards their subjective experience and to encourage our awareness of subtlety. Even if a movement is not visible to the external eye, it is effective in re-awakening the brains awareness of that part of the body and re-weaving our connection to it and its movement functions. If for whatever reason a movement isn't physically comfortable for you, movements can also be imagined to re-write the movement pathway the brain has conscious access to.
There are many people who can benefit from this method and this class. Whether you're an athlete wanting to improve performance, recovering from an injury and seeking to reconnect to movement in a restorative way or wanting to invest in greater ease and mobility for life, there is something in this method for you. Clinical Somatics works at the level of the nervous system, so it is also supportive to people wishing to support holistic health, self-awareness and mindfulness in daily living.
If you have any questions or wish to discuss your participation, you are invited to reach out on gigicoachingandcreation@gmail.com.
UPCOMING CLASSES & EVENTS
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Testimonials
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"Gigi teaches with gentleness and grace. She is excited for you to learn the craft of yoga and somatics and she is wanting you to feel totally comfortable and relaxed in her classes. I am grateful for her check-ins during her restorative yoga classes and am still practicing techniques I have learned from her polyvagal toning classes."
-Kit
"I am so grateful for Gigi's classes as they have guided me to look at life more compassionately and given me ways to stay connected through mind, body and spirit. Gigi's passion for polyvagal theory comes through in her eclectic classes with breath work, mindfulness, yoga and so much more. Gigi generously imparts her knowledge and experience as she guides you to release and ground yourself to a feeling of calm, peaceful connectedness. "
-Amanda
"Gigi is a natural healer who has the ability to transform your emotional, spiritual and physical energy with powerful techniques. Her polyvagal class has absolutely transformed my relationship with stress and trauma and has been a beautiful gift of healing. I could not recommend Gigi's classes more highly for anyone who needs a bit of love and healing light in their lives"
-Georgia
"Gigi has a comprehensive knowledge of the nervous system, her passion for which permeates her thoughtful yogic instruction. Her well-spoken, endearing manner carries participants on an inspiring journey through the fascinating world within themselves and her soul-churning vocalizations are a divine conclusion to the session, leaving your body in awe and on a high! I was speechless after my first polyvagal toning class with Gigi."
-Lulu
"I've been doing exercises to get my mobility and stretch for horse riding - quite big movements. I blocked my back and haven't been able to do those exercises. This course is helping me while I'm in injury to stay connected to my body. It was a safe space to reconnect with no risk of exacerbating an existing injury."
-Clinical Somatics Mini-Course customer
"There is a quiet subtlety of movement that felt like I was caring for my body - because I was listening to it. It spoke to me in a way that it couldn't be heard before. I really noticed my shoulder was throbbing which I hadn't noticed before. Even such little movements really went down to my core. Highly recommend. "
-Clinical Somatics Mini-Course customer
"Gigi teaches with gentleness and grace. She is excited for you to learn the craft of yoga and somatics and she is wanting you to feel totally comfortable and relaxed in her classes. I am grateful for her check-ins during her restorative yoga classes and am still practicing techniques I have learned from her polyvagal toning classes."
-Kit
"I am so grateful for Gigi's classes as they have guided me to look at life more compassionately and given me ways to stay connected through mind, body and spirit. Gigi's passion for polyvagal theory comes through in her eclectic classes with breath work, mindfulness, yoga and so much more. Gigi generously imparts her knowledge and experience as she guides you to release and ground yourself to a feeling of calm, peaceful connectedness. "
-Amanda
"Gigi is a natural healer who has the ability to transform your emotional, spiritual and physical energy with powerful techniques. Her polyvagal class has absolutely transformed my relationship with stress and trauma and has been a beautiful gift of healing. I could not recommend Gigi's classes more highly for anyone who needs a bit of love and healing light in their lives"
-Georgia
"Gigi has a comprehensive knowledge of the nervous system, her passion for which permeates her thoughtful yogic instruction. Her well-spoken, endearing manner carries participants on an inspiring journey through the fascinating world within themselves and her soul-churning vocalizations are a divine conclusion to the session, leaving your body in awe and on a high! I was speechless after my first polyvagal toning class with Gigi."
-Lulu
"I've been doing exercises to get my mobility and stretch for horse riding - quite big movements. I blocked my back and haven't been able to do those exercises. This course is helping me while I'm in injury to stay connected to my body. It was a safe space to reconnect with no risk of exacerbating an existing injury."
-Clinical Somatics Mini-Course customer
"There is a quiet subtlety of movement that felt like I was caring for my body - because I was listening to it. It spoke to me in a way that it couldn't be heard before. I really noticed my shoulder was throbbing which I hadn't noticed before. Even such little movements really went down to my core. Highly recommend. "
-Clinical Somatics Mini-Course customer
"Gigi teaches with gentleness and grace. She is excited for you to learn the craft of yoga and somatics and she is wanting you to feel totally comfortable and relaxed in her classes. I am grateful for her check-ins during her restorative yoga classes and am still practicing techniques I have learned from her polyvagal toning classes."
-Kit
"I am so grateful for Gigi's classes as they have guided me to look at life more compassionately and given me ways to stay connected through mind, body and spirit. Gigi's passion for polyvagal theory comes through in her eclectic classes with breath work, mindfulness, yoga and so much more. Gigi generously imparts her knowledge and experience as she guides you to release and ground yourself to a feeling of calm, peaceful connectedness. "
-Amanda
"Gigi is a natural healer who has the ability to transform your emotional, spiritual and physical energy with powerful techniques. Her polyvagal class has absolutely transformed my relationship with stress and trauma and has been a beautiful gift of healing. I could not recommend Gigi's classes more highly for anyone who needs a bit of love and healing light in their lives"
-Georgia
"Gigi has a comprehensive knowledge of the nervous system, her passion for which permeates her thoughtful yogic instruction. Her well-spoken, endearing manner carries participants on an inspiring journey through the fascinating world within themselves and her soul-churning vocalizations are a divine conclusion to the session, leaving your body in awe and on a high! I was speechless after my first polyvagal toning class with Gigi."
-Lulu
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