Being/Body Somatic Arts

01/09/2026

Hi Everyone! It’s been a while!
This is an announcement for Athens. I’m teaching this class and I’m really excited to share it!
Rolf Movement has been developing since the 1990s thanks to a Rolfer and neurophysist named Hubert Godard and a bunch of dedicated Rolfers who have brought his research forward to be part of the best of Rolfing.
It’s the educational part: the part that teaches how your sensory perception is integrated with your movement choices so you can ‘re-member’ better ways to move and be in your world. I’ve been teaching Rolf Movement for several years now-back home in Vermont-and I’ve been offering it here at the YWCO and it books up very quickly with a waiting list. We’ve been having a good time!
Have you heard of Rolfing? That structural integration bodywork that helps you come into balance with the force of gravity so you move with more ease and more aliveness?
Rolfing has always been steeped in hands-on myofascial release and movement education. I often use the term, ‘movement re-pattterning’ because we’re clearing out dysfunctional movement patterns due to accidents, traumas or challenging experiences that thwarted our capacity to be more ourselves and we’re making new pathways through attention, imagination and felt experience that are more mobile, efficient and effective. These simple movement patterns are key in saving you energy and allowing you greater capacity to interact in your world.
It’s a subtle, sensorial game changer.
Using the system of perception in this class, you’ll learn through sensation of movement, attention and acknowledging your surroundings. Like we do every day.
It captures the essence of being a human being in a living, perceptive body. It helps you move better - no matter what movement you are attempting to do; every day movement, pilates, weight training, yoga, zumba, whatever.....this will help you know the best choices for your body and help you feel more centered than in a haze.
Be yourself!

12/06/2024

Give yourself the discovery of sensorimotor repatterining using Rolf Movement Integration® Rolfing, Structural Integration® and BodyMind Centering ®. Bring ease into the movement of you and feel more together as you approach the anticipation of this holiday season.

When you pay for two Rolf Movement sessions, priced at $165 each, I'll give you $25 back!

Time and space are limited, as the sessions are only available through December 28th.

I use Movement and touch to relieve structural issues by sensing in and learning to feel into grounding support and open sky.

Sign up while you can, these sessions will go fast.

Here is what a few people have commented lately:

"Hello Liesje,
I really enjoyed the session with you on Saturday. I am working to ground my movements and being aware of how I am sitting and moving. I find myself touching my sternum and think of my grandchildren which helps me to rise upwards without effort.I have made another appointment. I look forward to learning more."-KS

and.....

"The work was absolutely beneficial, I have been choke free since (which is amazing). In addition to the strictly physical work we did, is how it is integrating with the talk therapy. I have been able to speak out on a variety of issues/topics. It will be fun to chat when we see each other again." -JW

Find out more by going to my website in the bio and scheduling two sessions today to have the opportunity to work a few things out for yourself, while the opportunity is here. This is a unique and highly effective approach to feeling better more often.

12/05/2024

End of year special with Liesje Smith at Being/Body Somatic Arts

……before I head out of town, (12/30), come spend some time with me and have a deep dive in the somatic journey at a reduced price! Experience a unique combination of Rolf Movement Integration® and Rolfing Structural Integration® and Body-Mind Centering® supported with Trauma Informed TAG Method® and Somatic Internal Family Systems® and have an incredible embodiment experience that will awaken all parts of you!

When you purchase 2 in-house sessions fro $165 each, I will give you $25 back!

Space is limited, Last Sessions on 12/28/24!

Help bodies feel, move & live better using somatics, contact improv, Rolfing®, and performance.

12/04/2024

This is the last part of my Thanksgiving email.....Offerings included

TAG Method was developed as a continuity from Brain Spotting, Internal Family Systems and HeartMath as well as Dance Movement Therapy. Rolf Movement is a perceptual practice to help the body let go of restrictive holding patterns and access the support of ground and sky. We can access the inherent ease that the body has within and utilize it when we want to.

With TAG Method, I help you discover a resonance with yourself and a way to access sound embodiment tools so that when you get to your next holiday gathering, you have a better capacity to tolerate intense social situations.It makes Rolfing sessions integrate more smoothly and become more lasting.

There is so much power in being authentic. You can be with feeling good about yourself.

Healing can be fun, not serious! It can be sensorily rich.

And now you can try TAG Method and Rolf Movement online, particularly while I’m away!!

Because I’m going to be away, I decided to enhance my online offerings to help stay connected with you all. You’re connected with someone who can help you do healing work that knows your body holds the key to unlocking deep patterns and attain real recovery.

You can see me for virtual sessions in Rolf Movement and in TAG method. I am charging less for these sessions so it’s easy to make the transition.

End of year specials at Being/Body

……before I head out out of town. When you purchase two in-house sessions, I will give you $25 back through PayPal!

Space is limited. Sign up today!

I want to remind you that I am leaving at the end of December for Georgia where I will be doing an intense dive into Rolfing at a busy integrative health clinic (I’m so excited), filling in for another Rolfer’s maternity leave. I expect it to be deeply satisfying and replenishing.

We have put together information on our community event, entitled: Into the Winter, A Celebration of Healing in our Community. For more information, link is in the bio.

12/03/2024

People are looking for easy and effective ways to unravel deep layers of unresolved trauma that occurred through ancestral, familial, environmental or social imprinting as well as major events like going through surgery, major accidents, changes and losses.

And when we are guided in a somatic processing session, we can gently return to our own ownership of our belonging. With support from the actual acknowledgement that we have a body, we can let the uncomfortable parts of our body belong and find ways to rest and stay calm and resilient.

If you find yourself feeling limp, or depleted, it could be due to a lack of belonging or being received by others, and ultimately yourself. You could, for example, notice a sense of social pressure, that you hate having to act a certain way and ignore avoid uncomfortable interactions that don’t feel right for you.

Maybe you shut down and get really reserved, or you’re trying hard to impress, these are ways that your body tells you that you don’t feel safe. To help, try placing your hands somewhere on your lungs or belly. You could place your fingers in your armpits, or a hand on your belly and just listen for the breath as you are talking with someone. Wait and see what happens, you’ll be surprised.

Besides, be courageous. If they invited you, trust that they are somehow open to be changed, because nothing says you have to social norms that doesn’t fit you. Just be you and that brings a minutia of change.

You might be the only one willing to work on things and that can feel really tough and lonely and sometimes it’s best to not be there at all. Whatever you choose, face it with the intent to get better results in the future; maybe even a real sense of reciprocity, belonging and family.

This’s why Thanksgiving really is a big deal for many of us. Our nervous systems are at the table evaluating the situation, looking for ease, comfort and safety. In the midst of what might be real family dysfunction, it’s important to claim your inner value.

I'm offering a sale this month for in-house sessions. Buy 2 and I will send you $25 back using PayPal. Signup while space is available. It's filling up!! Link is in the bio.

12/03/2024

How did Thanksgiving go for you?

What’s your thoughts on the next two giant holidays coming up, only a month away?

I remind clients, that, even though it may feel really hard to be in-person with family over the holidays, if you are ready and willing to be there, it can teach you things about what we are all aiming for; a felt sense of belonging.

This letter is about ‘belonging’ and being with the holidays. More of us are alone now and there is the difficult work of being more comfort belonging to ourselves.

We are all driven towards belonging; either we feel we are received by others (we belong), or we’re desiring the feeling of belonging, we are on our way there.

To belong means to be authentically comfortable with ourselves either alone or with others. More of us are alone now and there is the difficult work of being more comfort belonging to ourselves. If we connect to a greater sense of our body, like slowing down our breath or let our eyes scan slowly around the room during a moment of irritation or fear, or sinking our feet a little more into the floor and feeling what our hands are in contact with, we’re stepping into our embodied selves and noticing we are choosing to be more alive and calm within ourselves.

Thanks to my personal experiences with somatic embodiment using the TAG Method® (Trauma Accessing Gates), Rolfing® and Rolf Movement®, I saw that through this Thanksgiving, the first one I agreed to be my family in three years, I experienced greater clarity and executive functioning just being myself and the aftermath was that I felt fine and had no regrets.

That was a victory for me!! In the past, I would leave depleted and unresolved and bothered. The difference was TAG and the Somatic Movement practices which include Rolf Movement and Body-Mind Centering®.

The body stores it all!

Stay tuned tomorrow for part 2 of this letter and come to be during this seasonal effect of this time of year! Great gatherings!
Hope that you make it to a few. And that they are good!

We are going to have a special event on December 22ed at BBSA. There will be at least several of us who will be offering a taste of what they will be sharing at Being/Body Somatic Arts this winter. Plus finish with some dance and poetry. I, for one, have some important material I am working on post surgery and before leaving Burlington. An afternoon and evening for being together to get us ready for the holidays! Stay tuned!!!

Sessions are still available through the end of December. Link in the bio!

# TAGMethod

11/23/2024

Hi All, I'm posting information about the Being/Body Somatic Arts space I am looking to share with others. We are located in Burlington, at the Winooski River in the Chace Mill.

We are looking for people who love and honor the body, social justice, somatics, dance, movement, and healing practices. We are looking for practitioners who like to work one on one and with groups. There's room for daytime use with clients. There is a massage table and a seat and couch for different purposes. Also spacious enough for dance, somatic movement and other forms of group activity. There also are 17 chairs for performances or panel discussions. Bring your own props at the moment, but could be discussed.

This is for therapists, movement teachers dancers and healers.
When people first walk into this space, they say, "Wow", and look up at the high ceilings and then out at the trees outside the windows and the plants in the sunlight. When clients settle in for their private session, they say, "I love this space." and I say, "yeah, can you feel how much room it has for you?"
It's peaceful, settling, inspiriting and inspiring. This is a place where connections, collaborations, community can be found and nurtured with a growing team of teachers, social changers and somatic innovators. If it calls to you, we hope that you will reach out!

Studio Space for Rent! Calling all Somatic & Wellness Practitioners!

Our studio space is now open for rent and available to somatic practitioners and wellness professionals seeking a peaceful environment for their practice. Whether you're hosting individual sessions or running workshops, this is a perfect opportunity to establish or expand your practice.

Monthly 1 day/week daytime rentals start at $7.81/hr
Monthly 1 evening/week rentals start at $8.5/hr
~ One-off rentals $30/hr

Available January 1st, continues through March, possibly longer,let’s have a conversation.
Workshop Collaborations available with a 70/30 revenue split
We also welcome non-profit organizations and social impact-driven initiatives to use our space for community-centered events and programs.

DM us for more info or to schedule a tour!

11/22/2024

Hi All, I'm posting information about the Being/Body Somatic Arts space I am looking to share with others.
We are looking for people who love and honor the body, social justice, somatics, dance, movement, and healing practices. We are looking for practitioners who like to work one on one and with groups. There's room for daytime use with clients. There is a massage table and a seat and couch for different purposes. Also spacious enough for dance, somatic movement and other forms of group activity. There also are 17 chairs for performances or panel discussions. Bring your own props at the moment, but could be discussed.

This is for therapists, movement teachers dancers and healers.
When people first walk into this space, they say, "Wow", and look up at the high ceilings and then out at the trees outside the windows and the plants in the sunlight. When clients settle in for their private session, they say, "I love this space." and I say, "yeah, can you feel how much room it has for you?"
It's peaceful, settling, inspiriting and inspiring. This is a place where connections, collaborations, community can be found and nurtured with a growing team of teachers, social changers and somatic innovators. If it calls to you, we hope that you will reach out!

Studio Space for Rent! Calling all Somatic & Wellness Practitioners!

Our studio space is now open for rent and available to somatic practitioners and wellness professionals seeking a peaceful environment for their practice. Whether you're hosting individual sessions or running workshops, this is a perfect opportunity to establish or expand your practice.

Monthly 1 day/week daytime rentals start at $7.81/hr
Monthly 1 evening/week rentals start at $8.5/hr
~ One-off rentals $30/hr

Available January 1st, continues through March, possibly longer,let’s have a conversation.
Workshop Collaborations available with a 70/30 revenue split
We also welcome non-profit organizations and social impact-driven initiatives to use our space for community-centered events and programs.

DM us for more info or to schedule a tour!

10/16/2024

Hi All, I'm posting information about the Being/Body Somatic Arts space I am looking to share with others. There are some really exciting developments happening to me and this lovely space; connected, but different and awesome and there's some space here for others.

We are looking for people who love and honor the body, social justice, somatics, dance, movement, and healing practices. We are looking for practitioners who like to work one on one and who also may want to do some group things. We have collaborative teaching gigs in mind to serve a community looking to find others.. It all depends on who shows up. There's room for daytime use and evening and weekend classes.

This is for therapists, teachers and healers.

When people first walk into this space, they say, "Wow", and look up at the high ceilings and then out at the trees outside the windows and the plants in the sunlight. When clients settle in, they say, "I love this space." and I say, "yeah, can you feel how much room it has for you?"

It's so fun to be here!

It's peaceful, settling, inspiriting and inspiring. This is a place where connections, collaborations, community can be found and nurtured with a growing team of teachers, social changers and somatic innovators. If it calls to you, we hope that you will reach out!

🌿 Studio Space for Rent! Calling all Somatic & Wellness Practitioners! 🧘‍♀️
Our studio space is now open for rent and available to somatic practitioners and wellness professionals seeking a peaceful environment for their practice. Whether you're hosting individual sessions or running workshops, this is a perfect opportunity to establish or expand your practice.
🌸 Daytime rentals start at $7.81/hr
🌙 Evening rentals start at $8.5/hr
~ One-off rentals $30/hr
💼 Workshop Collaborations available with a 70/30 revenue split
We also welcome non-profit organizations and social impact-driven initiatives to use our space for community-centered events and programs.
DM us for more info or to schedule a tour!

10/13/2024

🌿 Studio Space for Rent! Calling all Somatic & Wellness Practitioners! 🧘‍♀️

Our studio space is now open for rent and available to somatic practitioners and wellness professionals seeking a peaceful environment for their practice. Whether you're hosting individual sessions or running workshops, this is a perfect opportunity to establish or expand your practice.

🌸 Daytime rentals start at $7.81/hr
🌙 Evening rentals start at $8.5/hr
~ One-off rentals $30/hr
💼 Workshop Collaborations available with a 70/30 revenue split

We also welcome non-profit organizations and social impact-driven initiatives to use our space for community-centered events and programs.

DM us for more info or to schedule a tour!

10/11/2024

OH how I have stepped away from you FB...but tonight, I wrote something to a perspective client who reached out, saying they were struggling with life-long trauma and psychotherapy was not yet getting to the heart of the matter for them. They wanted to know how my work could help them.

So I wrote this:

You are not alone in your experience. Sometimes I think of this time as a long awaited somatic revolution. For so long now, our culture has been led to avoid or suppress the challenges and messages that run through our bodies; as they communicate with us that things are not alright. We know things could be better, that we could feel more connected, more peaceful and more fulfilled.

My work in the TAG Method® is about recognizing that there is a resonance happening during a process of connection between two or more people. That connection happens in a therapeutic context and then can become a way we learn to share ourselves in our lives. Often when people come to me, there’s a story that wants to be shared and when we tune into the energy of that with open hearted curiosity, and no agenda to fix it but to stay with it, then the brain begins to heal itself. It can integrate past traumas that have not yet found a sense of completion. So, in the work, I get curious with people and I ask them to get curious too. It’s often small things that people think are irrelevant. They actually are clues that want to be digested.

Then there is the Rolf Movement® embodiment. My background in movement as an embodiment process gives you a way in to your felt sense experience. The body becomes a resource that is working with you and you can live and feel and be more within yourself as you are in the world. Rolf Movement is the conversation with gravity and our sense perceptions and how our bodies can liberate attitudes of protection that are holding our limitations when we come to recognize that we are supported by the ground and space. We become integrated with ground and space and feel that the sense of elongation and freedom between parts of the body, and it comes with a sense that belonging is the truth of things as they are. It’s regenerative.

And then there is The Rolfing® Ten Series: I bring people through a series of ten sessions that have been mapped out intuitively by Dr. Ida Rolf since the ‘50s. People have been greatly benefiting from this map into a process that elevates the body through the facia system to restore, rebalance and ease movement so it sustains longer and our bodies experience a process that is truly transformative and sustainable. The process keeps going for 6 months and the results are ease and peace.

People keep returning about once a year for three sessions of maintenance.

I often feel this work is what the therapeutic process should be, because it’s integrating psychophysical work. It meets all parts of us in a step by step process, it elevates deeper layers of suffering quite systematically and easily.

I hope this helps and I would be happy to answer any more questions or help you set up a time to come in for a first session.

My best to you,

Liesje