When you and I agree to work together, we begin by creating a collaborative and consensual plan. This informed consent process is a foundation for trauma-informed somatic work and massage therapy.

Once we start, I like to think of our work happening inside a container. I want the container to be strong enough to foster important things like stability, coherence, connection and trust. There may be a number of other qualities that feel important for you to name too.

A big part of that strong container happens with the formation of healthy boundaries.

Boundaries, and the exploration of them, is such an important part of relational somatic work. Boundaries define the shape, size and quality of this container we are sharing and their role comes into play the moment we start our work.

I’m always striving to use boundaries in ways that support safety, clarity and growth for my clients. Because I take such a warm, personal and relational approach, it’s of particular importance that I also articulate and maintain healthy boundaries.

Inside the container of our work we often share a lot of friendliness and care, all of which can support the kinds of corrective experiences that help you grow and change in the ways you uniquely long for in your life.

For the sake of clarity, confidentiality and professional boundaries, those interactions primarily happen inside the bounds of our professional relationship. Outside of that I am careful to respect your confidentiality and privacy and to maintain my own.

Rather than building a personal, ongoing relationship together, our work can help you identify places in your communities where you would like to deepen and grow important relationships… With friends, lovers, partners, children, coworkers and anyone else in your circles.

My boundaries with clients are not rigid or harsh but I do maintain them with clarity. They are a mixture of deep care and positive regard and they’re the building materials for a respectful, potent and effective experience.

I’m always open to having conversations about the nuanced and complex nature of boundaries. Often this is an area of practice for clients in their own lives and the subject naturally comes up!

“Boundaries are the distance at which I can love you and me simultaneously.

Boundaries give us the space to do the work of loving ourselves. They might be, actually, the first and fundamental expression of self-love.”

~Prentis Hemphill