My low back had been tight and achy for weeks. I was stretching daily. This way and that way. Walking. Doing different hip openers in the evenings after long days of sitting and writing, working with clients, or driving (shuttling) kids around. I had been feeling stretched and maxed out, to be honest. And still, this nagging low-back tightness. And of course, for me, the jaw tension. Always the jaw tension. That’s a place that often holds my stress. I clench during the day and grind at night. The jaw. The low back. Something was up.

Two of my favorite words or concepts that I see coming up more and more are somatics and trauma informed. Of course, I love these because they are what I do and what I study, but I’m also thrilled to see them getting more press these days. To me, it means people are becoming more interested, and maybe even that our world is evolving toward a more holistic, body-based, and empathetic way of approaching life. That’s my hope!