Hey there! I've been immersed in movement for as long as I can remember, with a background in dance, performance, and teaching. Over the years, I've become certified in a variety of bodywork modalities including The Trager® Approach, Orthopedic massage, Thai Massage, and Ashiatsu Deep Feet® therapy. I'm constantly seeking new knowledge and skills—right now, I'm diving into urban gardening and pottery while working with my clients and working with Nichole Canuso Dance Company.

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Learning is my passion because I'm endlessly curious about the human body and mind. Recently, I've been particularly drawn to The Trager® Approach after experiencing its profound impact firsthand. It inspired me to integrate it into my practice in W. Germantown, Philadelphia, where I offer a range of bodywork modalities (nuadbodywork.com). 

Since it is less known, I'd love to share more about my journey with this transformative modality  The Trager® Approach—here's a glimpse into my connection with it.

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The Trager® Approach, developed and refined over 50 years by Dr. Milton Trager, MD, is all about blending mind and body. It uses enjoyable, effortless movements and gentle touch to create deep neurological changes. Through practices like Trager® Mentastics (self-care movement practice with heightened awareness) and table work, it helps retrain your nervous system for better movement patterns.

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What does it do?

The Trager® Approach discovers openness and space in the body using fluid, effortless movements, elongation, weighting, and rhythmic rocking. This method sends neuromuscular messages to the unconscious mind, fostering enduring changes in movement patterns.

 

What does it feel like?

The Trager® Approach feels like a gentle whisper to the body, releasing hidden tensions and restoring a natural sense of comfort and fluidity through movement and touch. It's about reconnecting with ease and becoming more mindful of our movements throughout the day.  

 

Clients frequently report a sense of overall peace, improved mobility, vitality, clarity, and enhanced capacity to relax and engage. The Trager® Approach is renowned for its ability to improve neuro-muscular function in individuals with Parkinson’s, Cerebral Palsy, and Multiple Sclerosis. It has also proven beneficial for those experiencing neuromuscular dysfunction, paralysis, trauma from sexual abuse, PTSD-related pain, and Fibromyalgia.

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The Trager® Approach: The power of softness, curiosity, and conscious presence

 

Throughout my journey as a first-generation immigrant spanning three decades, the value of hard work has been deeply ingrained in me. This principle, passed down through generations in my family, served as a beacon of resilience amidst historical upheavals like the Second World War and the Korean War, as well as the challenges of post-war reconstruction and poverty. However, the profound question of “why work so hard?” began to weigh heavily on me, especially with the onset of the 2020 pandemic.

Rooted in a lifetime of dance, education in movement, and diverse professional endeavors including interaction/new media design, I found solace and expression through the language of the body. Amidst the chaos of a tumultuous upbringing marked by frequent family’s internal conflicts and fights, movement became my sanctuary—a means to rediscover myself and seek refuge from the unsafe circumstances surrounding me.

 

As a dancer, contact improvisation brought profound revelations to my journey, providing avenues for connection, expression, and self-awareness through touch and weight sharing. Learning and practicing Thai massage became an extension of that journey. However, it was the encounter with the Trager Approach that truly sparked a transformative shift in my practice of movement, embodiment, and pleasure.

 

Introduced to the Trager Approach at the PA AMTA conference in May 2022, I was immediately drawn to its principles of softness and mindfulness. Through learning the Trager Approach, I found myself embracing curiosity, inquiry, and a newfound application of softening and pausing. At 52, I realized that the essence of my practice lay not in effort, but in a gentle, attentive presence. It was about noticing the impulse to exert and instead, choosing to breathe and soften—thus, cultivating a state of conscious awareness.

 

In this journey of self-discovery, I've come to understand that the essence of Trager lies not in “letting go”, but in noticing—the subtle shifts in sensation, the rhythm of the body, and the interconnectedness of movement and being. It's about responding rather than reacting, inviting rather than analyzing, and staying fully awake to the present moment.

Drawing inspiration from the teachings of Sadhguru, I see my practice as akin to illuminating a dimly lit room, allowing for clarity and perception. By observing the interplay of energies and dynamics within the body, I've learned to neutralize, activate, and harmonize, finding balance. This principle holds implications in every aspect of life.

 

Ultimately, my journey with Trager is a testament to the power of softness, curiosity, and conscious presence—a journey that continues to unfold, offering new insights and revelations with each step.