Somatic Shamanism is the power of ancient Shamanic, Taoist and Yoga practice integrated with contemporary psychotherapeutic modalities. This holistic approach harnesses the power of all living things so we can understand ourselves on a deeper level.

This is a guided practice, allowing your body to guide us towards healing.

We begin with the body, which remembers somatically everything that has happened to us. Even if we don’t know the root cause at a conscious level, the body has an imprint, and we can find it. 

We feel into the body for the ‘felt sense’ of an issue, what Eugene Grendlin called ‘Focussing’, and we begin our work here.   

As you start to follow the trail of the body’s felt experience, the creativity and natural healing journey of the psyche starts to flow. 

With the right facilitation, we can begin to explore the different parts that make up that felt sense in the body. This next step is closely related (though not exclusive) to the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model which explores different parts of us that protect our system. 

It may take a few sessions to get to know these parts, hear their stories and beliefs, and allow them to unburden. As the parts are witnessed, heard, and updated, they begin to transform. (This is where the work is moving through the psychological level). The exiled parts in this model can be thought of in Shamanic terms as the soul lost parts that remain stuck in time and space. 

Shamanic techniques such as soul retrieval is often incorporated at this point. The individual is in an altered meditative state closely related to the classic shamanic journey (This is where the work moves through to the soul level). 

Other shamanic practices such as extractions, transformations and shapeshifting can also be experienced. 

All of this is done in real time and is a visceral embodied experience of the whole process.   You will know when the shift occurs as it often happens at the energetic level. You may have feelings of expansiveness, lightness, a shift in bodily sensations, cessation of pain, realisations and a clarity of your own way forward. 

                                                                                                                                                                                     Abstracts from Christine Holt, founder of Somatic Shamanism

What is Shamanism?

Shamanism is an ancient healing tradition, harnessing the power and spirit of all living beings. This includes trees, plants and stones - working with their natural healing powers.