Becoming Embodied: Three Exercises, with Heidi Andersen

On my last podcast episode, Heidi Andersen and I had a fantastic discussion about embodiment and how vital it is to be in your body in order to heal your relationship with it.  (If you didn't listen to it yet, check it out here!)  

After Heidi and I recorded that episode, I told her she had an open invitation to come back onto the show and expand on anything that we had just discussed. This invitation turned into the idea of her walking me through some embodiment exercises on the show that you could do as well. We immediately scheduled another recording and voila!  This week's episode was done!

Just a reminder about Heidi and why she's the perfect person to be talking about this topic.  Heidi is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor Supervisor, Certified Body Trust® Specialist, Certified Safe and Sound Protocol Provider, Registered Yoga Teacher and Embodiment Specialist. She currently supports clients with Reclaiming Beauty, an outpatient group practice of body-centered psychotherapists specializing in weight inclusive treatment for the intersection of trauma, attachment wounds, and eating disorders through a body liberation lens and somatic approach.

Heidi believes embodiment heals and combines her studies of Somatic Internal Family Systems, Embodied Recovery for Eating Disorders, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and the Center for Body Trust® in her support of her clients. She is also the author of the Reclaiming Beauty Journal and Wisdom Deck, a resource created to support women in building a self-compassionate relationship with their body.

As we discussed in last week's episode, Heidi defines embodiment as:  

The ability to land safely in our body in the present moment, just how we are.

For many of us, this takes some practice, patience, and guidance.  And this is where Heidi comes in.  When we discussed this episode, Heidi told me that she had a "million" embodiment exercises.  In the interest of time, she chose to do three.

We start the episode with talking about why it's so important to work toward embodiment.  Some of the many reasons for this are:

• Noticing how your body can be a resource (this might be news to your parts!)

• Learning how your body can help you regulate your nervous system

• Helping to shift the "violent" thoughts we tend to send toward our bodies 

• Feeling comfortable with no longer avoiding your body

Heidi then walks me through three different exercises, checking in with my parts as we go along.  It was an insightful experience for me, and I know it will be for you too!

Again, connecting with your body is a necessary part of healing your relationship with it, and I hope that these exercises help you to either begin that journey or further the work you're already doing.  Take a listen!