Carisa introduced me to Hanna Somatic Education in 2018. I was looking for a way to lessen or alleviate numerous chronic pain issues I had in my legs, back and hips. From that day on I have practiced some of the exercises nearly every day, since they have been very effective.
After some months of home practice and a training to teach HSE exercise classes, I still had some habitual contraction in my thighs and shins that I couldn’t seem to get at. So I took a table session with Carisa, which was enjoyable in itself, but miraculously, later that night, as I lay in bed, I realized that my thighs which had been habitually contracted for years were suddenly loose. My excitement at this made it hard to get to sleep. Since that time with the felt sense of what an un-contracted thigh feels like implanted in my mind, I have been able to more and more loosen these muscles and avoid the affliction of a painful lack of mobility.
As a side benefit to all this, my neck and shoulders where I did not even realize rigidity and pain had crept in have loosened up and I have become aware of things I am doing to “hurt myself” while they are happening so I can make necessary shifts that allow me to continue doing the things I love like playing tennis, cross country skiing and helping out in my warehouse in comfort.
Thank you Carisa and Hanna Somatic Education!
As a former dancer, rower and long time practitioner of yoga, as well as involvement in various exercise modalities over the past 50 years, I have found Hanna Somatics to have a profound effect on my body and the awareness of how it works. One of the most notable effects was a change in a shoulder injury (frozen and with some tears) which improved more dramatically and in a shorter period of time than any of the other treatments I'd received. To date, the injury is virtually gone. Somatics is also altering life-long patterns of body carriage and walking which have undoubtedly contributed to various injuries and joint issues over the years. I highly recommend Carisa's work and expertise in Hanna Somatics. I only wish I had discovered it sooner.
H.M.
Private sessions with Carisa to further explore other areas of chronic muscle tension yielded better and faster results for me than massage or other forms of bodywork. Highly recommend the Hanna Somatics class, the combined Hanna/yoga class and private sessions with Carisa. Well worth the time and investment!
K.H.
After years of pain and surgeries on both feet, reconstruction on one, my right SI joint fused. My body was in a constant state of fear. Fear of moving. Pain. I was unable to walk. I had forgotten the movements of just strolling down a path. HSE is done lying on the floor. Great for me, I could not exercise on my feet.
Carisa listened, took the time to hear me. Slowly we were able to break the cycle of fear. Carisa was able to release muscle tension that had built up for years. I have found a more fluid movement in my walk. No longer do I cringe at the thought of getting up out of a chair. The movements are slow and mindful.
I am no longer stuck in place. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks to Carisa.
C.S.
Carisa Borrello is a skillful and caring somatic instructor who brings a precise knowledge of human anatomy and her somatic arts to every class. I especially cherish how attentive Carisa is to her students, gently correcting postures and attuned to each participant’s particular physical vulnerabilities. Somatic exercises have been such a surprise for me!
M.C.
Carisa is an amazing facilitator of Hanna Somatics.. it is an experience of being supported with undeniable tenderness and with a teeny smidge of hard love, she’ll call you out if you’re not focusing!
I reached out for sessions with Carisa when I had NO idea what was going on with my lower back. She helped me understand so much about the relationship of different body parts and how they’re all connected. We unwound a significant amount of what was occurring in just 5 sessions! The best part... is I’m now equipped with the skills to tackle any tweaks that may happen while moving and living inside my body.
To sum it up.. I feel more embodied. And that, is a glorious feeling!
If you have any chronic pain patterns, tweaks in your neck or back, of any mysterious things going on with your movement, I highly recommend Carisa!
M.G.
“The exercises are gentle and simple, but the effects profound and lasting. Carisa is passionate about Somatics and her enthusiasm is contagious and inspiring. ”
“I am no longer stuck in place. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Thanks to Carisa. ”
“For any yogis like myself who have been frustrated that yoga seems to be incapable of holding off the painful indignities of aging, like sore and aching joints, stiffness and chronic pain, Hanna Somatic Education may be exactly what you need, just as it has been for me. I recommend you try it for a month and witness the changes that are possible. ”
“I was drawn to the practice of Hanna Somatics to help release a chronic muscle spasm in my neck that probably originated from the onset of presbyopia and struggles with computer distance vision. Carisa’s calm and gentle teaching presence guiding the class helped me understand and tune in to my body in a new way, and offered insights into how to relieve this pain on my own.”