Tension is a normal part of physiological functioning: the tension between the lipid and water molecules that make up the cell membrane, the tension between positively and negatively charged ions in the intra and extra cellular spaces, the tension between rising and falling hydrostatic and oncotic pressures. It is often physiological…

The Body is Your Vehicle Our vehicle in life is always with us. Ideally, we would view it as a friend and a tool that can help us navigate through life as we grow. In order to make that even a possibility, we need to build a relationship with our body….

Our body, in life, is always with us. Ideally, we would view it as a friend and a tool that can help us navigate through life – in moments turning to it for advice, in others maneuvering it to obtain our objectives. In order to make that even a possibility, we…

This exercise is inspired by a period of my life when I was so anxious that my ability to sleep at night was deeply compromised.   Anxiety can overwhelm our hearts and minds, interrupting our daily lives and our ability to adequately take care of ourselves. This is a simple exercise…

This exercise is inspired by His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, who demonstrated what it really means to get comfortable when sitting. We often get into a pattern of thinking about what’s next, which takes us out of the present moment and projects us into a future that doesn’t yet exist. This…

Your body is making choices every second. Thousands of choices are being made on your behalf to keep all body systems operating and you alive. Is core body temperature too high? Yes. Dilate blood vessels, open pores and sweat. Decision-making is an operational must in your body, and most of the…

This is a modification of a breathing exercise called Coherent Breathing first introduced to me by Michael Shea. You can find this and many other embodiment practices in Body Compassing: Meditation-for-Healing. We often get stuck in cyclical thoughts and feelings, which take us away from living our lives. This is a simple exercise…

We often get stuck in cyclical thoughts and feelings, which take us away from living our lives. This is a simple exercise to help manage cyclical thoughts and/or feelings Exercise 1) Consciously become aware of a cyclical thought/feeling you are having or have been having recently. 2) Name it. Get a good sense…

4 Embodiment Exercises for Self Regulation Here are the tools and techniques I teach my patients after treatment in my clinic. The embodiment exercises help you take stock of where you are and how to better manage pain and emotions. Pain: Find What Doesn’t Hurt Cyclical Thoughts and Feelings: Throw Them…

Thank you to David Hatfield for introducing me to this exercise. You can learn more about embodiment practices in Body Compassing: Meditation-for-Healing. We often get stuck in cyclical thoughts and feelings, which take us away from living our lives. This is a simple exercise to help manage cyclical thoughts and/or feelings Exercise 1) Consciously become aware…

Pain is all too often a part of our daily life, whether physical, mental, or emotional. This is a simple exercise to help manage the pain you are experiencing in this moment 1. Locate the pain you are feeling right now in your body, finding and naming the specific location. 2. Spend…

Living with chronic or acute pain can be debilitating. It can cause not only high levels of stress but also significant changes in mood and daily life activities. Default treatments like anti-inflammatory medications and painkillers, appropriate exercises and therapies, application of heat or cold may often ease the pain. When they don’t,…