Jenny here with Somatic Therapy Partners. I’m here to talk to you guys today about
a question we often get and that is: what to expect in a first session using Co-Regulating therapeutic Touch or CRT. In a first session with me what you can expect is there might be very little time actually on the table. And by that I just mean that Co-Regulating therapeutic Touch, or CRT, is something where you’re typically laying on a massage table fully clothed, on your back, and you’re as comfortable as possible. But during that first session we don’t really know how your body will respond. So we like to go as slow as we need to go to make sure your body and you feel comfortable in that very first session.
One of the first things that we do is, I’m going to ask you some questions off of a Body Record. The Body Record is meant to help me (and help our clinicians) understand a little bit more about the physical functioning of your body. Some of the questions might include if you’re taking any medications, supplements, digestion, sleep, movement, substances, and how/if there was any issues at your own birth. So, these are some of the questions that you’ll be asked and of course if there’s ever one, you’re not comfortable answering or don’t understand why we’re asking it please ask us. That is totally welcome. And if you’re not comfortable then you just don’t share. That’s the first thing we do.
Once the body record is complete, we then move to orienting you to the table. What that means is simply getting you comfortable with the setup of the table. We can offer you different comfort items including pillows, bolsters to go underneath your knees or your ankles. Some folks like having a blanket on them and you’re welcome to bring your own blanket if there’s one that you really love – weighted blankets. Anything that just makes your body feel more grounded, more regulated, and really comfortable. That’s our goal number one.
Once we get you to a comfortable position and you feel good about how you are [and] once you feel fully oriented to the table, there’s a few different ways that the first session could go. For some folks sitting on the table, just how I’m sitting here right now, might feel like the most work that they’re able to do in that first session and that’s okay. We don’t want to push you or your nervous system too far and make you feel really uncomfortable. That’s not the goal. So, if simply practicing by sitting on the table or laying on your back on the table, just getting your body used to that place and having your clinician or myself be in a position closer to you or further away – these are all ways that the work begins.
For some folks they feel pretty comfortable right away and so I begin by doing my consent practice. That looks like communicating with them about having my hand just come to your forearm typically and of course that can change if that’s not safe to you or comfortable for you. It’s simply a practice of you saying when I can bring my contact to your arm and when you want me to bring it away. Because I want your body and your nervous system and you to understand that you always have the control. You always have the right to say “we need to be done, we need to stop or pause” and I’m always going to listen. I want your body to have that felt experience of me listening from day one. That is an integral piece to the work.
Once that consent piece is complete then we can begin by using the protocol. That is typically looking at the first contact, your right/your opposite hip and shoulder and then opposite hip and shoulder. Those are both brief contacts, meaning 30 seconds or less. Then after that is the left kidney adrenal and right kidney adrenal. Again, those are like your lower right back and left back. Again, these are all options for the first session. Just because you come in it doesn’t mean you will definitely get to the kidney work. It just means that those are different ways in which the work can begin. Now I always tell folks that sometimes the first session looks a little bit like playing and experimenting with what they’re comfortable with. So, there might be things that happen in a first session that I didn’t say directly because they just happen in the moment. But in general, those are some of the things you can expect in a first session.
We hope that you enjoyed this video and that you’ll come back for more. If you’re curious still about checking this type of work out – feel free to give us a call! Get a consult with us or come on in for a first session and just see what it’s like for you. If you have any more questions that’s a great place to ask.
I really appreciate you guys showing up and listening to this and look forward to seeing you in future videos.