The Face of the Soma

Carol Kerner 4-24-2022

In The Body of Life, Thomas Hanna calls the fact that somas have faces a “primordial characteristic,” something that characterizes all somas and indicates our function of moving forward into the world. Our main sensory organs are located there, our means of taking in food is there, as well as our means of communicating with the world around us, both vocally and expressively. In this presentation, we’ll look in more detail at the functions of the facial muscles and how to release habitual contractions in this area. We’ll also experience some of the ways in which tension in the face is connected to tension in other parts of the soma and consider how we might want to incorporate release of facial tension into our work with clients.

Carol Kerner, CHSE is a graduate of the Novato Institute, Wave 12. She is president of the AHSE and enjoys seeing a variety of clients and teaching Somatics classes. In addition, she sings regularly in a concert choir. She has been fascinated with facial movement since 2009, when she first listened to Eleanor Criswell Hanna’s workshop on the subject. Observations during work with clients and herself, as well as study of neurophysiological information, have convinced her of the importance of awareness and relaxation of facial muscles in both client and practitioner. During her work career, she wrote technical documentation for various corporations, as well as translating German-language documents into English.

Rochester, NY 14610
rochestersomatics@gmail.com
www.rocsomatics.com
(585) 369-7611