Guiding Your Body Back to Balance

Growing up in Central England, as a kid I loved walking in the forests with my family, playing outside with our neighbors, and playing football (soccer) at any opportunity. Tearing up my parents’ back garden, breaking fence panels and windows, sorry mum, and replaying the Italia ‘90 World Cup from a kids perspective. All I wanted to do was play outside and have fun.

Physical Education was my favorite class and drama was my worst. School seemed dramatic enough. I had several amazing teachers who inspired me to work hard at what I enjoyed most, so I joined every sports team I could, from swimming to rugby, cricket to skiing.

My body felt great throughout my high school & college sports careers. I broke my nose a few times playing rugby, and a left calf injury sidelined me for 4 weeks in my senior year of high school. Apart from that, I was good to go.

I first noticed lower my back tension during my ski seasons in France. I was skiing for several hours each day and working in a bar each evening. I had no idea how to rest, slow down and unwind. I had no idea how to listen to what my body was telling me.

More specifically, ski guiding, racing, and hitting the terrain park for 100+ days per winter season, working on my feet each evening and trading more ski time for good sleep, my quads felt stronger and more developed than my hamstrings. My lower back felt uncomfortable, like it was doing too much work, while my lower core felt weak.

My body was communicating to me, but I didn’t know how to listen.

Following several ski seasons in France and several summer seasons coaching soccer and other sports at Brant Lake in New York State, I was having the time of my life, yet my body was screaming at me.

The support systems around me were doctors with medications and a path to surgery. None of which I wanted.

I wanted to learn WHY I felt like this. My pain was limiting me from playing in football matches, I missed many ski days with my friends, and experienced uncomfortable flights and car trips. I remember being scared to sneeze, and I wondered what state my body would be in down the road.

I was yearning for help, support and a practice to bring my body back into balance. Something I could practice a little bit each day.

15 years later, 12 years post back surgery, following many appointments with much expense, including, massages, acupuncture, chiropractic, breath work, muscle testing, I was pointed in the direction of a special human who had spent the past 30 years teaching, practicing and developing what my heart knew was possible. It felt like the glue to everything else I was trying.

Thank you Carolyn, for your guidance, support and teaching me how to tap into the wisdom that was always within me.

Learning how to heal my own pain and suffering was so empowering. Realizing out-of the ways in which I was keeping myself in pain. I can only imagine how much harder I could have skied, played football and surfed without the deep tensions I was holding onto. I wonder over those years of chronic pain, how I could have shown up for others, said yes to things I felt I had to say no to. I felt blinded by my stressed systems, how I was in survival mode for so long, and how limiting being in pain is.

Now, I feel I have no limitations, skiing, surfing, & football is a continued reality, and I’m excited to share this practice with as many people as possible.