Two weeks ago I had my first session with a Strozzi-trained somatic coach. The experience is hard to describe. It was a subtle inquiry into my current experience while the coach moved and touched different parts of my body (lifting the arm, pulling the leg, etc.). The insights came after the hour was over when I asked her to tell me what she observed. She confirmed what I already sensed: that I hold tension in my head, face and jaw. She said that my face is unusually smooth (few creases) so it's not easy to immediately tell I hold lots of tension. I agree that it can be smooth, but she's only seen me in relatively relaxed situations. I mentioned that I also hold a lot of tension in the pelvic region. She said she didn't notice this when I walked in but it started to become apparent during the session.
The big insight was a new interpretation of something I understood. I've known for a long time that my shoulders pull in and understood this could affect my breathing. What I learned in this session is that this positioning of the shoulders also compresses my ability to feel my heart. Never thought of that before!
Comments