Describing Clinical Somatic Education (CSE) can be challenging, as many people are unfamiliar with it.
The simplest way to describe CSE is that it “retrains muscle memory.” While muscles themselves don’t have memory, this term helps people understand that CSE changes learned muscular patterns that dictate habitual posture and movement.
It retrains the nervous system to release involuntary muscle tension and relieve pain by retraining damaging posture and movement patterns. The key message is that habitual body use often causes pain, and by changing these habits, individuals can alleviate pain and prevent further damage.
How Clinical Somatics Improves Function and Relieves Pain
Clinical Somatics exercises are slow, gentle, and suitable for all ages and physical abilities. Once learned, these exercises can be practiced at home, enabling ongoing pain relief and progress without needing constant sessions.
Unlike many passive healing modalities, Clinical Somatics involves active participation, which facilitates nervous system learning and lasting change. Unique to Clinical Somatics, is the technique of ‘pandiculation’, which results in a lasting release of involuntary muscle contraction.