What sets Hanna Somatics apart?

What sets Hanna Somatics apart is the combination of the unique hands-on methods, the follow up of the movement practice, and together creating a system that works and that one can continue to use to improve the quality of life.

We use a number of re-patterning methods during a hands on session, including assisted pandiculation, a technique created by Tom Hanna that helps the brain locate and change Sensory Motor Amnesia, or SMA. SMA is a term created by Hanna to describe the brain's loss of ability to sense, control some portion of a muscles movement.

SMA reduces the brain's ability to fully contract a muscle, as well as the loss of the full, optimum resting length which can drastically effect alignment, mobility, and circulation to all the tissues in the area of SMA. When muscles are freed to optimum resting length and control and sensation is restored, this creates increased movement potential.

When muscles are captive in SMA and habituated contraction, they act like “tourniquets”. But if the muscles are freed to full function again, they act like the “pumps” they were designed to be. If the muscles that sew the spine together are freed, the spine has more movement, and less compression, and more nourishment for bones, discs, muscles, fascia near the spine, and vertebrae can naturally adjust to the best position.

If the muscles involved in breathing and the ribs are freed to more movement, that allows for increased breath movement and more oxygen intake. If the front of shoulder area is re-patterned, opened and freed, it creates increased lymphatic flow positively, affecting immune system and breast health. In short, these methods increase freedom of motion, and more motion equals better health on all levels. We were designed to move!