Sometimes I think the body behaves like a teenager.

You feel like you know it inside out — yet it still surprises you. One moment it’s sulking, another it’s shutting down and refusing to "talk." It aches, then goes silent, then suddenly throws a tantrum somewhere in your lower back.

And in those moments, you might feel like saying: “Hey body, come on! Get it together! We’ve got things to do — work, errands — and you want to lie down and sleep?” You wish it would just cooperate, like it used to.

But experience — and body-oriented therapy — teaches a different response.

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Imagine your teenager is going through a rough time. Moody, snappy, pushing away your hugs… and yet craving them. What do they actually need? A calm adult nearby, someone who says — not with words, but presence — “I’m here. I see you. I’m not afraid of your pain. I won’t turn away or walk out.” It’s the same with the body. If it’s acting up, don’t yell at it in your head: “You’re letting me down!” Try something else instead: “You seem tired. Let’s rest for a bit.”

Sometimes self-care isn’t just about baths and massages. It’s not just what we do, but how we do it. You can gently ask, “What’s going on, my dear back? What would help you today?” Or patiently offer: “I’ll just be here with you. No demands. No pressure.” The body feels that. And like a teenager, it begins to soften. Trust grows. Connection returns. And with that, energy does too. If your inner teenager is grumbling — that’s okay. We’re not here for perfection, but for relationship. A relationship with your own body.

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To cultivate this kind of relationship — I offer weekly online somatic classes. It’s a time and space where you can dedicate just one hour a week to yourself, with care, attention, and kindness. And over time, this quality of presence begins to ripple into your everyday life and into how you relate to yourself.

A new course begins on Monday, September 8, and will focus on the breath — one of the deepest and most essential resources we have. We’ll explore how to soften, expand, and reconnect to breathing with gentle movement and awareness.