Nerves, Nervous System, & New Beginnings
with a special note from Callie, our new LMT
Happy Wednesday friends! I hope your week is going well. This past weekend Callie (our new trauma-informed Licensed Massage Therapist on staff) and I attended a 6-hour lecture/presentation by the famous integral anatomist Gil Hedley on the human nervous system. He has been touring the country giving these lectures. It was filled with absolutely amazing findings from his multi-month dissection of “Captain”, Anna, Z, and a few others who generously had their bodies donated to Gil’s lab in Colorado Springs, CO for research. I was moved almost to the point of tears several times during the talk, out of a mix of awe and reverence for how the human body is so intricately well-designed combined with gratitude for the level of insight, care, and respect with which Gil approaches his work. It was a truly moving experience, and I will never forget some of my takeaways from that lecture.
This is just a foreshadow of things to come, as I have a rare and exciting opportunity before me to join Gil in his lab next month for a 6-day human dissection course with 21 other students. (This was my 5-year studio anniversary gift to myself.) Yeeeeek!! There are few words to describe my eagerness to learn alongside him. I am humbled to have the chance to do what few people get to do, and to finally be able to see what I have been feeling under my hands all these years.
New Saturday a.m. Release & Refresh class
Due to high demand, we have opened up a Saturday morning offering of our Release & Refresh class. Woot woot! We had our first one this past weekend. It will be taking place the morning after each month’s Friday night class, which typically is the last (or sometimes the second-to-last) Friday of the month. So it will be on a Saturday late in the month, from 9:00-11:00 am. (Except October, in which there will be no Saturday class due to my travels to CO as mentioned above.) More people we can hold space for and guide through nervous system exercises, more opportunities to come out of a fight/flight or a state of freeze, more access to resilience and embodied ways of moving through the world with less tension and more ease — these are all such great things that we’re so happy we can offer to the local community. All of the nervous system exercises we utilize at the Release & Refresh classes are tailor-made by Allie for the group, and we switch them up and incorporate new exercises often. If you haven’t yet tried a class, perhaps out of difficulty with scheduling, we welcome you to join us for one soon! In fact we have openings in next week’s Wednesday evening class, Oct 2, 7:00-8:30 pm if you wish to join us for that one, or you can book out a future class. All class dates can be found on the scheduler, found via the Release & Refresh page.
Being Welcomed Well (a note from Callie)
I’ve officially lived in Brownsburg for one month, as of today. Some days it feels like I just got here and everything is still brand new, and other days it feels like I’ve been here a long time. I have learned and grown a lot this past month, and have met many great people.
As I think about this past month, something that stands out is being welcomed well. Allie and her family helped me unload my U-Haul the day I arrived, and they have been nothing but supportive and welcoming during this transition. The studio’s Advisory Board welcomed me well on my second day with a sweet time of fellowship. Those who have attended the Feel to Heal program and the Release and Refresh classes have extended a warm welcome each time. And I have especially felt welcomed by the clients who have trusted me enough to schedule a trauma-informed massage. To be able to do something I’ve dreamed about doing for years, in a space that is welcoming in and of itself, has truly been a joy.
As I continue to build my clientele here in Brownsburg, it is my hope to welcome others well. To welcome them into this healing space with compassion and understanding. To welcome them as they are, with whatever they are showing up with. To welcome them to the massage table with utmost respect, building trust, knowing that they are taking a bit of a risk and putting themselves in a vulnerable position. Just as I have been welcomed here well, it is my desire to extend that same welcome to everyone who walks through our doors.
Thank you for welcoming me, Studio A community. I hope you continue to feel welcomed here!
Massages & Gift Certificates Available
Remember to book your trauma-informed massages here, and be sure to tell your friends and family if you have had a good experience. We also sell gift certificates in varying amounts, which make a great birthday gift or special treat for someone who you KNOW could use a massage but who has certain sensitivities, triggers, or is anxious at the thought of getting a massage. At Studio A, our specialty is in providing accommodations and creative workarounds for exactly those types of situations, so that massage is safe and accessible to all, regardless of what they have been through in life. We can often accommodate last-minute bookings, if you call us at (463) 235-7171, or of course you can book in advance on our online scheduler. Gift certificates can be redeemed for any service or offering at the studio, including classes and programs.
Thank you!
Thank you for your support of Studio A as we grow and press into greater things. Enjoy this fall weather that seems to finally be upon us here in Indy!
~Allie
Allie Whitney, LMT, CHWC, SEP
Studio A Body Therapy
Bodywork, Education, & Resources to Heal From Stress & Trauma