Movement Therapy & Kinesio Psychotherapy

I facilitate private somatic movement sessions for couples to improve attunement and communication skills and for individuals to rebuild self-esteem from interpersonal trauma and build satisfying boundaries by examining their own embodied responses regarding “yes, maybe, no”, for example. I have been utilizing two types of dance and somatic movement principles which are Contact Improvisation (CI) and Laban/Bartenieff Movement Studies (LBMS).

“It takes two to know one“

Gregory Bateson

• Implication of Contact Improvisation (CI) in my practice

Through the implication of CI, clients can potentially learn attunement skills, cognitive flexibility, adaptation, resiliency, and setting boundaries.

A salient feature of CI is a constant and spontaneous physical exchange of weight and contact (at least) between two bodies. Two bodies are in a dynamic and nonlinear relationship with a point of physical contact while maintaining a shifting point of contact. It requires responsive adjustment to attune to the shifting point of contact and to negotiate how two movers shift from one maneuver to another.

Attachment theory and Intersubjectivity are good references to describe my relationship to Contact Improvisation. “I see you see me” was a quote from a book I read in attachment theory. A child develops their healthy sense of self by exchanging constant responses and feedback with their caregiver and from their environment. The particular relational dance form of CI is about exploring multidimensional ways of relating to others through physical contact and constant negotiation. Through this practice in 2010, I discovered what nurturing relationships may feel like for the first time in my life. It has been my active meditation practice with a notion that the unknowns become known by physical contact and non-verbal communication.

• Implication of Laban/Bartenieff Movement Studies (LBMS) in my practice

Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analysis (LBMA) is a method and language for documenting, visualizing, and describing human movement objectively, non interpretive. I as a Certified Laban Movement Analyst (CLMA) collects movement data from clients to support efficiency, functionality, and expressivity in movement. I look at expressions in physical form to examine the range of functionality in movement and determine ways to improve level of efficiency in order for clients to achieve their needs. There are four observation clusters including Body, Shape, Effort, and Space. Body is about six human developmental movements (Breath, Core-Distal, Head-Tail, Upper-Lower, Body-Half, Cross-Lateral), Space tells how one uses their body in the shared space, Shape reveals relational qualities, and Effort communicates expressive qualities.

Individuals reveal their body in relationship to themselves, another, and environment. At times, we experience difficulty expressing ourselves, limitations, or discomfort with some reasons. How do we get through it if it is necessary to encounter the dysfunctional and unpleasant situations? The first step is acknowledging how the body is experiencing the particular situation and what the body wants to express after that. Then, we can find a way to experience the same situation differently in the future more functional or satisfying way.

I see clients at a residential home office in Berkeley Hills and remotely. I am currently available M-F 10am to 2pm (PST) and Wednesday evenings 6-9pm. Clients with limited time availability, please email me to discuss possible dates and times.

update on 02.27.2023

You can check the way I relate to another body in the context of Contact Improvisation below: