How sompareneurs can thrive amidst AI induced insanity
Somatic educators help people develop body awareness and movement skills. We can help you enjoy your movement more, and enjoy your body more. There are no negative side effects.
We can help you discover how to move through the blocks that prevent you from feeling your body and moving your body as much as it needs to be felt and moved for wellbeing. That’s an inner metric, not one based on external metrics of fitness or health. Fitness and health are important, don’t get me wrong. But you aren’t likely to work towards them if it doesn’t feel good to do so.
Things that get in the way are anatomical misunderstandings, lack of knowledge, mobility challenges, body image issues, discomfort, tension, and pain.
AI exacerbates physical disconnection from self and others, when used for too long as a substitute for humans, and AI is making big moves into the mental health space. This is not good…or, is it? There is debate.
One thing for sure, AI is here to stay. There will be benefits. Maybe it can open the doors for more people to access accurate information and find better practitioners. AI has guided more people doing online research to my own practice because of all the writing I do!
AI may help folks overcome the inability to pay high fees when they are in deep distress, providing some kind of outreached hand until they can get human help. So, as one step in the process of moving towards health, yes, but not as the end all be all.
Humans need humans.
I had a brief exchange with a colleague on social media today, after noticing the most recent AI launch. I saw ads all over the subway for it! https://joindawn.com.
Me: “O dear…anyone who goes this route will lose what little left they have of their mind/body/spirit! It’s a bottomless pit of isolation and despair. Arrrg!”
Colleague: “yup. Or…we’ll all be busy when everyone returns after they are traumatized by AI.”
This situation is really putting a fire under my somapreneur butt. Yes, I see it as a business opportunity because the need is so big, and mental health professionals are already taxed out as it is. Unlike AI, they cannot be available 24/7!
Movement can be a powerful medicine! Interoception is a skill that can be learned and has huge benefits! We don’t have to be psychotherapists to help.
We already have the somatic expertise needed. My training as an Alexander Teacher was 1600 hours, for god’s sake. There is enough science on the big questions to support the effectiveness of somatic movement practices. Even in the small sphere of the AT, there is an increasing body of evidence.
Anything that increases heart rate variability, vagal tone, and range of mobility is good medicine. Add to that enhanced interoception as an important part of the process, and you are golden. We don’t have to rely on disproven science like Polyvagal Theory, because there is plenty of other research showing these basic truths.
Somapreneur expertise in body awareness has real value
How can we have more courage in saying so in the public sphere, without being seen as woo woo or making false promises? If your work enhances the relationship between interoception, movement, and good health, and you are an expert in a form of somatic practice that has a long history of research and effectiveness, you are facing this problem.
Here at Embodied Learning Systems, we are facing it together.
My somapreneur business coaching model
My business coaching services are simple. I have a Mastermind Group (yes, one spot is open right now!) that meets twice a month; and I offer 1:1 business coaching once a month.
In fact, the Mastermind spot is only open because someone in the group got too busy to make all of our monthly meetings. That makes me very happy!
The Mastermind Group provides a mid-level support option priced at $250 per month and includes one private session every three months. It’s great for folks who want to move from part-time income to full time business, or to increase income beyond the $60K range.
Private coaching is offered at $200 per hour for those who need more tailored support but cannot commit to group meetings for any reason.
And yes. My coaching services are a bit lower cost than what coaches charge in other industries.
That’s because somapreneurs are not earning as much as folks with more licensure that can accept medical insurance. However, I don’t do many one – off lower cost workshops because I don’t think they help. I think people need a more substantial understanding of how to create a kick-ass business plan.
I’m happy with that because movement and somatic practice saved my life, are my life, and are the most life-affirming thing I can do in our current polycrisis situation. This work makes me feel so frickin happy!
If you’d like to get a taste of my coaching, check out this upcoming hybrid in-person/online offer creation workshop being hosted by the Alexander Technique Teachers of Greater Philadelphia.
Stay strong, be shameless in telling people about the value of your work. Carry on!
