Events for the
Public
To receive announcements, join
my
email list or you can follow me
on Facebook.
Self-Care for the Nervous System: A Movement Exploration
In-person event! Dates/times to be scheduled based on interest so please make requests.
Location: Awakenings Wellness Center, 1016 SE 12th, a block and a half south of Belmont
$50 (or sliding scale option)
This class is not intended to treat severe trauma; upon request I can provide a referral to a trained therapist.
Jaw Therapy at Home: a video class
Does
your jaw need some help?
Headaches, neck pain, grinding, clenching, pain or tightness in the morning, even toothaches and tinnitus (ringing in the ears) can be signs of jaw trouble. For 17 years I have offered "intraoral work" in my sessions. Along with working inside the mouth on the jaw muscles, I often teach my clients how to do self-care at home.
Now you can learn this by video! We'll also explore some
gentle movements that support the neck, jaw, and head.
Tickets: $50 (sliding scale
availible)
You can access this as a 60 minute video to watch on
your own timing! Pay for your ticket by venmo @portlandrolfer or paypal
portlandrolfer@gmail.com, and I'll email you links for the video and a
handout.
Shifting Pain: The New Science of Pain and the Nervous System
(a video class)
Pain, emotions, stress, it's all linked. And it's all about the Nervous System! Let's explore how to shift our experience in this fun and informative class.
You may be surprised to learn that how our culture thinks about pain is all wrong, and the real story brings a message of hope.
The nervous system strongly influences how much pain we experience. Pain does not mean there is damage to the tissue. It means the brain wants you to be careful and pay attention! The mechanism for pain is more complicated than you might think. We will cover the science in simple terms, then experience how we can apply this information for our own body care.
Appropriate for the public, yet content-rich enough to be relevant for practitioners of all types. This class is not a substitute for medical care.
Tickets: $50 (sliding scale
availible)
You can access this as a 45 minute video to watch on
your own timing! Pay for your ticket by venmo @portlandrolfer or paypal
portlandrolfer@gmail.com, and I'll email you links for the video and a
handout.
Navigating the Nervous System: a video class
The nervous system impacts every aspect of our health!
Learn the basic biological reasons for emotions and stress, and gain
compassion for yourself and others. We will practice how to monitor and
consciously affect one's
own nervous system. This material is very relevant to yoga, Aikido and
other martial arts, spirituality,
and personal growth work.
Past participants call this class "simple but
life-changing."
Appropriate for the public, yet also will have juicy information relevant for health practitioners.
This class is not intended to treat severe trauma; upon request I can provide a referral to a trained therapist.
Based partly on the work of Peter Levine (see his book, Waking the Tiger)
Tickets: $50 (sliding scale
availible)
You can access this as a 90 minute video to watch on
your own timing! Pay for your ticket by venmo @portlandrolfer or paypal
portlandrolfer@gmail.com, and I'll email you links for the video and a
handout.
Deep Fun: Using Play as Medicine for the Nervous System
Our nervous systems are wired for connection! As in all mammals,
the "social nervous system" helps a baby connect to their caregivers,
helps children learn their family rules, and helps adults make and
repair bonds with others in their community. At the highest level, the
mammal nervous system allows for the joy of shared laughter, the
tenderness of vulnerability, and spiritual emotions such as awe,
gratitude, and a sense of connection to something far greater than
ourselves. 
As
a teenager, I learned how to use play and games to create community in
my Unitarian youth group. Many of us say "it saved me." It taught me
social skills (which I was severely lacking), within a context of
unconditional love that made it feel safe to crack open. I'm excited to offer these non-competitive games as medicine for the nervous system.
These games encourage creativity and layer-by-layer sharing. By the end, you may feel a sense of belonging and connection that you can take forward into your daily life.
If you would like me to bring this material to *your* group - family and friends, birthday party, sports team, church group, etc, please reach out to me. The ideal group size would be 6-25.
Some of these games involve some physical contact. I offer a non-contact version of this class by Zoom, and I'm willing to do a non-contact version as an in-person public class if there is interest, or for your private group.
In-person event! To be scheduled..
Location: Awakenings Wellness Center, 1016 SE 12th, a block and a half south of Belmont
Zoom event option: To be scheduled for 2022.
Share this event on Facebook
$50 through Eventbrite (contact me for sliding scale)
Free Structural Integration for Children (annual event)
The 13th annual children's clinic will be in spring of 2024.
Free sessions for children ages 0-10. We provide gentle bodywork to insure healthy growth and movement patterns, perform a structural check-up for preventative care, and offer treatment for concerns such as scoliosis, growing pains, pigeon toes, and more.
Would you like to see some photos from a past year?
Ocean Immersion: A Guided Exploration of Aquatic Movement
Let the fluid movements
of marine creatures inspire you to move in novel and interesting
ways. Video
projections will transform our space into an aquatic garden. Music and
sounds that elicit the ocean will be interspersed with thoughtfully
chosen verbal guidance. We imagine that your nervous system will be
deeply soothed by this experience.
You are invited to wear clothing in
ocean tones or flowing garments if that helps you get into the spirit,
or simply come as you are.
In-person event!
Location: Awakenings Wellness Center, 1016 SE 12th, a block and a half south of Belmont
Shoe Clinic
You'll learn ways to modify your own shoes to improve foot health, and you'll leave with enough knowledge to confidently choose healthy shoes for future purchases. Pie Footwear is our partner for this event. To be scheduled as a Zoom class or in person class. Offered once a year.
$50 (or sliding scale)
Visit the Healthy Feet page for short videos, articles that I wrote about feet and shoes, and more foot health resources.
Smart Sitting
Are you perplexed by the question of how to sit?
Do you find it difficult to settle in to a comfortable sitting position
without fidgeting?
In this workshop, you will discover:
- The natural way to sit as dictated by your anatomy
- How to find support from the ground up
- How your sitting posture affects your breathing, your concentration & your state of mind
To be
scheduled - or contact me to schedule a
class for your group. Usually offered once a year.
$50 (contact me for sliding
scale)
For more information, read this article on sitting
by my colleague Mary Bond, Certified Advanced Rolfer.
Posture from the Ground Up
Why do we need a new approach to posture? The truth is the old ideas–Shoulders back! Head up!–make most people feel stiff and unnatural. Healthy posture can be discovered from within, by cultivating your body’s ability to feel. In this workshop we'll share ideas about pain-free body use, including:
- How your perception of the world creates your posture
- Awareness of key zones in your body that shape alignment
- How to change your habits without self-criticism
To be
scheduled - or contact me to schedule a class
for your group. Usually offered once a year.
$50 (contact me for sliding
scale)
For more information, read this book on posture
by my colleague Mary Bond, Certified Advanced Rolfer.
