Attuning and tending, through gentle movement, rhythm, expression and touch
Our bodies, minds and hearts are part of a flow of natural living intelligence that has been evolving for millions of years. By tuning in, listening to, tending and supporting this inherent wisdom of life moving within and through us, we can find greater integration, ease, meaning and connection.
Sometimes the call to attuning and tending in this manner looks like an imbalance in your body, something “not working right.” Sometimes it feels like something being “off” in your life or facing a period of transition — moving from one way of being, or your life being organized in one way, and finding your way to another.
Taking time in somatic/craniosacral sessions to attune to the body and all its sensations gives space for whatever is at the cusp of your present unfolding process to arise, open up and be heard. We will listen and follow together and see what wants to be known, notice the organic aliveness and rhythms within that are already there within you ready to be recognized. Rather than trying to fix anything, we enter into a dance of relationship with your body-heart-mind, and recognize your system’s inherent capacity to find the restoration, balance and knowing that it needs.
Through words and touch I’ll invite exploration, gentle holding, listening and attending to what’s present on many levels from the flowing fluids of your body to what is present in the musculoskeletal layers and fascia — in how your body is holding itself — and welcome any feelings or impressions that arise as well. Resistance is met with kind attention, and when given compassionate space and understanding, it often melts or dissolves into the flow of a new shape and pattern. In this way, chronic tension and pain patterns can be understood and shift.
Most fundamentally, we cultivate compassionate room for whatever arises. You always have choice and agency over the pace, direction and method of our sessions, and we can adjust at anytime.
Roots
My work is grounded in many years of somatically-based meditation and compassion practices, craniosacral therapy and integrative bodywork. I am trained within a trauma- and resilience-informed lens, and I integrate somatic developmental and general trauma healing interventions into my practice.
I pull from my experience with contemplative movement practices including continuum, qi gong, contact improv, and yoga, as well as expressive arts practices in painting, drawing, writing, sounding/singing, and movement/dance.
I am a certified massage therapist in the state of California (CAMTC #55786), and have been practicing various forms of somatic body-based therapies since I attended massage school and trained as a yoga teacher in 2013-14. You can learn more about me, here.
I partner with people who may be:
- Sensitive
- Going through a life transition, a grieving process, and/or experiencing creative blocks
- Living with chronic pain
- Living with complex or chronic illness
- Integrating a new diagnosis or going through medical intervention
- Integrating early experiences — for those who had a difficult or complex prenatal or birth experiences. At this time I only work with adults.
Ways we can work together, according to what you need, and with pacing attuned to your system:
- Craniosacral therapy — experience deep relaxation, wholeness, restorative rest, through connecting in with the inherent rhythms of life within you, which are balancing, healing and integrating
- Developing awareness of your body sensations and emotional states
- Learning to listen in — cultivating curiosity around sensations, images, impressions, impulses, and as you are willing, following them. Cultivating the capacity to listen to what the body is “telling” you and follow and trust that.
- Somatic stabilization skills — I’ll help you learn skills and practices for tending to overwhelm and distress states, and discernment skills to empower you to make choices as to when you apply which tools.
- Exploring somatic creative practices — for mirroring and identifying emotions, reflecting back and learning about your internal states, “parts” and experiences
- Nurturing self-compassion — the Buddha called compassion the antidote to suffering, and as such, it is a key practice in facing inner and outer challenges, and in working with pain or any kind of suffering
- Cultivating your sense of safety and trust — in self, in body, in your organic unfolding wisdom and process, in relationship, in life
Let’s see if we are a fit:
If you are interested in a complementary 15 minute consultation to talk with me, please call/text me at 443.418.6562. I look forward to meeting you.
sliding scale
I provide 75 minute sessions.
I offer a sliding scale of $70 – $120 per session.
I do this in order to better support more people in our community. Please pay any amount within this range that fits best with your financial situation – I trust you to make that decision.
I believe we should be able to access support when we need it. In this spirit, it is okay if you vary how much you pay at different sessions, whether due to budgeting needs or to how frequently you are needing sessions at various times, given life circumstances.
The kind of healing work I describe above, especially integration around very early life or preverbal material, can be a longer-range healing process, that can take time and a steady foundation of relationship. I have a generous span to my sliding scale in part to make this work accessible on a regular basis at a workable rate. In other words — I would rather you come to see me as often as is supportive or as you need to at a lower rate, than hold off longer than is best for you so you can pay at a higher rate. I trust you to make the decision that works for you.
Cash/check.
logistics
Location & Hours
I currently see clients out of my home in Corralitos, CA. I give my exact address to clients ahead of their first visit. Please call or text me to schedule: 443. 418. 6562
Prevention Measures
If you would prefer for both of us to wear N-95/KN-95 masks during our session, I completely understand and am more than happy to do so. There is good ventilation in the space and I can add an additional air purifier as well. Please just let me know if you would appreciate these measures during our sessions and I’ll have them ready for us.
Illness Policy
If you or a member of your household are sick and experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or another type of infection, please notify me as soon as possible so that we can reschedule your appointment until after you and all members of your household are recovered. This protects not only me, but my other clients, my friends and family members, our medical practitioners and our community. Thank you. May you be well.
Not sure if it’s allergies or an infection? I understand that symptoms can be unclear sometimes. Please take an over-the-counter COVID test to see if you are positive or not. If it is negative, I’ll discuss the specific circumstances and may still see you. I may ask that both of us mask up while we are together, just to be on the safe side.
Cancellation Policy
I understand that unanticipated events happen in everyone’s lives. I ask that you simply give me as much notice as possible if you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment, and likewise I will do my best to let you know as soon as possible if I need to reschedule. At this time there will be no fees for canceled or rescheduled appointments. I will notify you if and when this policy changes.
Late Arrivals
If you arrive late, your session may be shortened in order to accommodate others whose appointments follow yours. Depending upon how late you arrive, I will determine if there is enough time remaining to start a session. Out of respect and consideration to me and to other clients, please plan accordingly and be on time.
bonnie veblen 