Many Maps For the One Territory

The first time I have the opportunity to work with a client, I want to create a context for the work we are about to engage in.  I start by explaining that what I do is “holistic”, meaning that I am paying attention to the “whole” of their being. We describe ourselves in parts, but in actuality there is no separation between the mental, emotional, physical, spiritual or social self.  I can not find the place where their mind stops… and their body begins.  I then ask, “where do you tend to hold tension in your body?”  This is great example of how interconnected we are.  I am basically asking, “where do you tend to somatize your emotional stress”.  And they, of course are always able to report it. But they haven’t always had that perspective on what they were reporting.

I have immense gratitude for the great fortune to have been able to practice shiatsu full time for the past 25 years.  I am so lucky that my livelihood is doing exactly what I wanted to do, and being exactly who I am.  When I am working with a client on the shiatsu mat, there is no where else I would rather be. I came to shiatsu as a client myself, in 1996.  I had scoliosis, and daily headaches, with neck and shoulder pain since the age of 10.  I received shiatsu sessions weekly for about 18 months, and at the end of that time - my back was better aligned, my right shoulder dropped into place, my allergies disappeared, and my migraines were gone, never to return.  Shiatsu was a life raft that saved me and my quality of life, and gave me hope when all other modalities I had tried failed to create the lasting change I sought.  That practitioner addressed the root of the issue on my second session. He said, “I can work with your body all day long, but unless you address why you are storing pain in your body, it will always come back.” Once that light of awareness was switched on, I could never go back to thinking of the body as separate from my mental/emotional self. Instead of being afraid of my symptoms, or feeling victim to my situation, I felt like my body was my teacher and main communicator of what was going on inside of me.

This was so impactful for me, that it set me on a journey of learning as much as possible, so that I could share this life changing modality with others. Living in Chicago in 1999, I started studying at the Ohashiatsu Institute.  Stepping into that learning space, I felt like I was coming home to myself in a way I never knew possible.  I loved every minute of shiatsu school.  And yet, while I was studying the shiatsu techniques and 5 element theory, I also wanted to know more about anatomy and the Western medical model of the body.  And so I also started school for Synergetic Structural Integration, a form of deep tissue bodywork that focuses on aligning the body by addressing fascial restrictions and imbalances to help the body move in a more functional way. This was very exciting for me, as the meridians run through the fascial layers of the body. So by opening up the fascia, it allows the flow of the meridians to be restored to their natural balance.  These two maps, that from the outside look like they are on opposite sides of the spectrum, are actually moving towards the same goals and can overlap seamlessly.

This was just the seed of awareness and the foundation of everything that was about to take root.  Only now when I look back, I can see everything I needed was there at the beginning…it would just take some time to unpack it and explore it.  Over the past twenty-five years I have pursued a wealth of knowledge about the self with an insatiable hunger that goes both wide and deep.  Much of what I have studied has been initiated by my own personal growth and sustained through my daily practices.  So these aren’t just ideas that I read in a book or received from a teacher, but come from direct experience of the territory of being human in this life. My own yoga practice lead me to become a yoga teacher. Which in turn lead me to be certified in Ayurvedic nutrition and train in Thai yoga massage.  I love seeing how the 5 element map of Shiatsu and the 5 element map of Ayurveda over lap and also differ. It is like being “multi-lingual” but in maps of the energetic body. As I felt more competent in my understanding of the body and energy, I wanted to have a more complete picture of the whole person. That took me in direction of the spirit/soul level work with studying Shamanism, and also becoming a certified facilitator of Systemic Constellation Work. On the shiatsu mat, not only do we release physical pain, but we can also release emotional pain.  I wanted to be better skilled to hold space for my clients when that happens.  To a certain extent, we are all defined by the self limitations that we carry.  As part of addressing my own limitations I took up strength training, eventually competing in a body building competition, as well as running a half marathon. Every piece that fell into place was building upon the others, weaving them into a more accurate depiction of the territory. After becoming a mother, I could better understand the pull of competing values - between owning my own business, raising a child, maintaining a marriage, all while trying to sustain my personal practices, personal interests and social life.  The demands we take up, and the stress we carry is indeed the root of most of the imbalances we feel in our lives, in our minds, in our energy and in our body.  How we resolve them is by applying shiatsu to our life choices - and so my shiatsu practice grew to include lifestyle and mindset coaching.  In this I apply everything I have learned in my studies to support my clients in finding and maintaining a greater sense of balance and bring all the pieces of their life together in in a meaningful way.

When I first started blending together the techniques of Shiatsu with the Synergetic Structural Integration, I was worried that I was being unfaithful to my “shiatsu roots”. But then I remembered what Ohashi told me in class one day.  “Eastern medicine or Western medicine, either one on their own is myopic and imbalanced. Creating a bridge between the two is the way forward.”  I took this as a blessing and accepted that this was my path forward. I watched an interview with Ohashi many years later, where he was explaining the Ohashi Method.  He described it as a “Swiss army knife with many tools in one”, and able to find the right tool for the situation. 

All the models I use are inclusive, holistic, non-judgemental, life affirming and growth oriented. The model you use to see the body/person shapes how you treat it, and what you believe is possible for them. If we view the body as a machine, as a collection of parts - that reduces me to being a mechanic that is meant to diagnose the problem and “fix it”.  That narrow focus on finding the problem can distract from seeing what is going well.  It also suggests that parts will eventually wear out and need to be replaced. And if we use the map of modern anatomy, then we will focus on one area or layer, but will completely miss how the whole body is conscious of and affecting itself.  Through shiatsu, I was taught that the self is much more like a garden, an organic, living, conscious ecosystem. That would suggest I am a gardener of sorts - paying attention to trends and cycles, weeding out tensions, bringing nourishment to depleted areas, preparing for the season ahead, and cultivating elements of the environment to be sustainable.  No matter how many maps or models you use, it is important not to confuse the map for the territory.  A model is an over simplification for the territory, but without them we wouldn’t be able to express or share our ideas.  Even though experiences are individual, we strive to form a common language in order to connect, convey, and inspire on a deeper level. Even if we were able to put all the models together into a cohesive whole, it would still not accurately express the territory because it is no substitute for direct experience. This is why when working with a client I ask for their observations, feedback, and also their intuition.  They know themselves better than anyone else on the planet, so I really want to listen carefully to everything they are saying…or not saying.  We act like a team - the client brings the “insider information” and I bring a collection of tools and techniques. And together we build a greater awareness than either one of us would have had on our own. All feedback is “good” feedback, even if it is negative, because I treat everything they report as a clue to the nature of what they want to address. I keep an open line of conversation going for the entire session. I am not doing this “to them” but instead we are co-creating the experience together. I help them interpret and gain a clearer understanding of their experience. I act as an educator and empower them to have a better connection with themselves. This cultivates an environment in which they can be reflective and ask questions.

Best practices are the ones that stand the test of time.  I am incredibly honored by my clients and their trust in me.  We have built meaningful relationships over decades.  My longest standing client has seen me every week for the past 24 years. My clients are my greatest teachers and have massively expanded my wealth of knowledge and inspired me to go deeper in my understanding of the human form. My goal is to serve the person, as a whole. I work to help each client find/maintain/improve their pain free range of motion. I can help them navigate the modern medical world with shiatsu principles and holistic thinking. I can explain their x-rays and MRIs in plain language, or watch them perform their physical therapy exercises.  I spend more time with them than their PT, PCP, or orthopedic surgeon.  But I also know when to refer out for Western medical help and have a good network to refer them. It is so important to have a clear sense of scope of practice.

One client says she counts on me to help her “stay in the game”. That can mean chasing after grandkids, training for a triathlon, playing ultimate frisbee, or being an avid gardener. Whatever our passion, we all want to “run, jump, and play” and be able to do all the things that make us happy. A big piece of achieving this is through setting goals, and coming up with an action plan each quarter.  We celebrate hitting small milestones and are always re-assessing with new iterations. When you work with someone for a long time…it can get stale if you don’t treat each opportunity to engage in the work with fresh eyes. By keeping this at the front of my mind, it prevents the work from losing it’s potency. I love to send my clients home with homework to maintain or build momentum between sessions.  This often includes sending strengthening exercises, stretches, self care habits, educational videos or articles.  I try to always include videos of them doing the poses/exercises so they can learn more quickly, but also so they can see their own progress.  I find my clients are more motivated to do their part of the work when I have given them practical feedback with commentary and visuals.  This also encourages them to keep the conversation going between sessions - where they can send a quick text with a 10 second question, and I can offer a prompt response for immediate relief.

A key component to my clients success is consistency! I take a fairly unique approach to scheduling. I set my schedule for the year all at once.  If someone commits to coming for a session at least once a month, they become a “preferred client”. They get to pick a time spot that works best for them, we put it on a monthly rotation, and they get to keep it all year long.  This is another component to building meaningful and long lasting relationships. I respect every single person that comes to see me. It is an incredible gift to witness their process. I might not tell them directly, but I am sure it is communicated through the quality of presence and the experience we co-create. Receiving a treatment is so much more than clinical bodywork.  It is the path back to oneself.

Patricia’s bodywork technique involves stretching, rotation of joints, and compression of the body to encourage circulation, flexibility, and postural integrity. Applied to the same network of energy channels used in acupuncture, the work transcends these basic techniques to develop a healing relationship between practitioner and client. A good bodywork treatment is like a dance in which the practitioner, through compassion and skill, collaborates with the client to awaken the body’s natural energies which provide the healing movement.

While Patricia often focuses on the physical and energetic aspects of a client’s body, her work also impacts the emotions, mood, and spirit, healing more deeply than ordinary massage. The physical work can be directly felt in the relaxation of muscles and release of pain, while the energy work is often perceived through sensations of tingling, fullness, or movement within the tissues of the body. Deeper spiritual work can result in feeling more connected with one’s self.