THE EMBODY LAB BLOG


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SOMATIC ATTACHMENT THERAPY Sarah Mason SOMATIC ATTACHMENT THERAPY Sarah Mason

Cross-Generational Trauma and Personality: The Interplay of Genetics, Epigenetics, and Healing

Trauma does not exist in isolation. It is carried through generations, shaping not just individuals but entire families and cultures. At the Healing Through Somatic Attachment 2025 Summit, renowned psychiatrist and author Dr. Dan Siegel delivered a compelling session on Cross-Generational Trauma and Personality: How Overwhelming Experiences, Genetics, and Epigenetic Inheritance Shape Who We Are and Who We Can Become. Read about it here….

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SOMATIC ATTACHMENT THERAPY Sarah Mason SOMATIC ATTACHMENT THERAPY Sarah Mason

Somatic Tools for Healing Anxiety in Relationships: A Practice of Connection with Kai Cheng Thom

Explore somatic tools for healing relationship anxiety with Kai Cheng Thom. Through her unique blend of somatics, attachment theory, and social justice, Kai will invite you to explore relationship anxiety through the body, uncovering ways to shift out of cycles of distress and into deeper connection. According to Kai, anxiety can be understood as the body’s innate sense of danger - our nervous system’s way of alerting us, whether or not an actual threat is present. Read more….

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SOMATIC ATTACHMENT THERAPY Sarah Mason SOMATIC ATTACHMENT THERAPY Sarah Mason

Healing Through Inner Relationship Focusing: A Somatic Approach with Ann Weiser Cornell

In this article, Ann Weiser Cornell explores Inner Relationship Focusing as a tool of healing. Ann, who has taught IRF for over 35 years, describes this method as “a somatic practice that puts the body at the center of emotional healing.” The technique, rooted in the pioneering research of Eugene Gendlin, offers a revolutionary way of understanding emotional wounds, attachment trauma, and the process of self-healing.

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THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES Sarah Mason THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES Sarah Mason

Taming Your Nervous System: A Journey of Healing and Self-Discovery

Most of us think of our nervous system as something that just happens in the background. But it's actually the conductor of your entire life experience. Every feeling, memory, and reaction is filtered through this incredible biological system. Think about it like this: When you remember a delicious meal, it's not just a mental image. Your body responds with mouth-watering sensations, perhaps even a warmth in your stomach. That's your nervous system in action! It's constantly communicating with you through physical and emotional signals.

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Attachment and Relationships Sarah Mason Attachment and Relationships Sarah Mason

Understanding and Healing Core Relational Wounds: With Dr. Diane Poole Heller and Dr. Scott Lyons

When it comes to healing our deepest relational wounds, understanding how they show up in our bodies is just as important as understanding how they exist in our minds. In the recent Relationship Summit, Attachment Expert Dr. Diane Poole Heller and Somatic Psychologist Dr. Scott Lyons shared valuable insights on how early relationships shape our nervous systems and how we can start healing today. 

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SOMATIC ATTACHMENT THERAPY Sarah Mason SOMATIC ATTACHMENT THERAPY Sarah Mason

Beyond Love: A Somatic Approach to Building Lasting Relationships

When we think about successful relationships, we often focus on love, chemistry, and emotional connection. But according to relationship expert Dr. Stan Tatkin, these elements alone aren't enough to create lasting partnerships. Instead, he suggests something both simpler and more challenging: treating relationships as a carefully designed system built on mutual agreements and body-based awareness.

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Attachment and Relationships Sarah Mason Attachment and Relationships Sarah Mason

Building Connection Through Mindful Presence with Jessica Montgomery

Have you ever noticed how some moments of connection feel more meaningful than others? Maybe it was when you truly saw a friend's smile, or when someone genuinely asked if you were okay after a difficult experience. These special moments of connection happen in what experts call the "transpiring present moment" - and understanding this concept could transform your relationships. In our recent Relationship Summit, somatic counselor and trainer Jessica Montgomery shared fascinating insights about how we can create deeper connections by staying present in the moment

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THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES Sarah Mason THERAPEUTIC APPROACHES Sarah Mason

Healing Trauma with EMDR and Parts Work: A Holistic Approach to Emotional Wellness

Imagine a therapy approach that doesn't just talk about your trauma, but helps your brain actually process and heal from painful experiences. Welcome to the powerful world of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) combined with Parts Work – a revolutionary method for understanding and healing your inner landscape. EMDR is like a gentle reset button for your brain's traumatic memories. Using bilateral stimulation (typically side-to-side eye movements), this therapy helps your brain reprocess difficult experiences, transforming how traumatic memories are stored. Think of it as helping your brain file away painful memories in a way that doesn't keep triggering you.

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TRAUMA AND STRESS Sarah Mason TRAUMA AND STRESS Sarah Mason

Understanding Acute Stress: A Compassionate Response to Crisis

I want to talk about something many of us are navigating—acute and chronic high stress. Specifically, in the aftermath of disasters like the Los Angeles fires and the turbulence we witness globally. I believe we have an opportunity to look at trauma differently, to normalize and de-pathologize the human response to high-stress situations and bring in resources that specifically attune to our physiology in times of high stress.

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TRAUMA AND STRESS Embodied Yoga TRAUMA AND STRESS Embodied Yoga

Reclaiming Connection and Clarity: Returning to the Embodied Self

Complex trauma shapes our entire being—body, mind, and spirit—disrupting our ability to connect authentically with ourselves and others. It leaves lasting imprints on our nervous system, influencing how we perceive the world and interact in relationships. Trauma survival mechanisms such as fight, flight, and shutdown are automatic responses designed to keep us safe in the face of danger, but when trauma is unresolved, these responses can remain activated, interfering with clarity, connection, and intuition.

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Somatic Practices Embodied Yoga Somatic Practices Embodied Yoga

Finding Balance: How Nature Nurtures Our Nervous System

Our nervous systems have a close relationship with the natural world. The sounds, sights, and sensations of nature speak a language our bodies inherently understand. When we're surrounded by natural environments where we feel safe, our nervous system often shifts into a more regulated state – heart rate steadies, breath deepens, and muscles soften.

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Somatic Practices Embodied Yoga Somatic Practices Embodied Yoga

The Science Behind Somatic Intimacy: Exploring Mind-Body Connection

In today’s fast-paced world, where we’re often caught up in the demands of daily life, somatic intimacy offers a gentle invitation to reconnect with ourselves and others on a deeper level. It’s about more than just physical touch or emotional closeness—it’s about embracing the profound bond between our mind and body and recognizing how this connection influences our overall well-being.

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Somatic Therapeutic Modalities Embodied Yoga Somatic Therapeutic Modalities Embodied Yoga

Integrating Yoga Therapy and EMDR: A Somatic Approach to Trauma Healing

There is a synergy between Yoga Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in facilitating comprehensive trauma healing. Drawing upon the insights of 30 years of teaching and an understanding of the Kosha model and Ayurvedic principles, this integrative approach offers a holistic framework for understanding and treating trauma.

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Embodied Breathwork Embodied Yoga Embodied Breathwork Embodied Yoga

Our Breathing Body: Breathing Practices to Attune to Your Nervous System and Come Back to Your Center

Our breath is a window into our bodily state (nervous system state) and is also the fastest way to modulate our bodily state and intervene at the physiological level. By changing our physiology, the breath has the power to affect our nervous system state and the emerging feelings, emotions, behaviors, and thoughts.

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GENERAL WELLNESS Embodied Yoga GENERAL WELLNESS Embodied Yoga

Burnout and the Radical Path of Non-Abandonment of Self

It takes an enormous amount of courage and vulnerability to talk about and get curious about burnout. At its core, burnout actually reflects a very important set of primal human needs and wishes - safety, belonging, and dignity. Burnout is simply a response to overwhelming life experiences. An adaptive strategy to the underlying need for safety, slowing down, and a holding environment where all parts of oneself are welcome, seen, heard, and acknowledged.

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GENERAL WELLNESS Embodied Yoga GENERAL WELLNESS Embodied Yoga

Holiday Stress: 5 Ways to Stay True to You When Visiting Family

Are you feeling the stress of the holidays? You’re not alone. The holidays can be the most stressful time of year for many if not most of us: in the U.S., a whopping 89% of adults say that anticipating family conflict, among other factors, causes them stress at this time of year.

If you’re choosing to spend your holidays with family, here are some somatic and cognitive practices to support you as you navigate the joys and challenges of the season.

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Somatic Practices Embodied Yoga Somatic Practices Embodied Yoga

How I Found Somatic Healing

The first time I ever experienced an emotion in my body was one day in a yin yoga class, in pigeon pose. I felt these sensations bubbling up from deep within my hips, rising to the surface when I had historically fought so hard to push them down throughout my usual day-to-day life.

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