Suresha has been involved in holistic practices for the body, mind, and spirit for over 40 years. Her initial treatment protocols were transformed by the somatics approach that included opportunities for the body and brain to reestablish a working connection. Its ability to facilitate release, reset, and reintegration was the only thing that resolved chronic back pain from a bulging disc she’d acquired from a dance injury. The rehabilitation approach becoming an inside-out process made all the difference to the recovery. Somatic education’s ability to resolve either short or long-standing issues of pain has been nothing less than remarkable.
She developed NeuroSomatic Integration™ and founded The Marin Center for Somatic Education in order to help generate interest and awareness in the concept of prevention and the process of self- sensing as a door to maintaining health and well-being. Since its inception, the center has promoted and taught numerous movement classes and somatic education workshops for over 20 years, offered private sessions, mentoring to other bodyworkers, as well as client consultations.
Three volumes of ‘Somatic Intelligence™’ were produced and distributed as a manual and guide to students of this work and to help forward the integration of these principles into other forms of movement, therapeutic exercise, and hands-on practices. Suresha recently completed three more volumes of Somatic Intelligence for practitioners and the general public alike that guide the reader in how to develop the type of relationship with their body that allows change to happen quickly using reeducation methods and principles. Volume 5 of this series includes a host of movement sequences that target the main communication systems in the body which know how to create change quickly. Volume 6, “Opposing Gravity”, is a much needed book that describes a variety of diagnostic, professional treatment and self-treatment options for head trauma.
The Marin Center for Somatic Education is a vehicle to help solve the puzzle of chronic pain, to help reverse acute pain and dysfunction, and to help promote self-sensing and self-regulation in ways that both prevent old issues from recurring and new ones from developing. It has proven effective enough for thousands of clients over the years that Suresha felt motivated to share the methods on a wider scale.
Suresha Hill, Ed.S., DOMTP, HSE, BCST
I graduated from Kent State University with a B.S. degree in Elementary and Special Education, an M.S. in School Psychology, and an Ed.S. in the Systems Intervention and Prevention specialty area of School Psychology. My graduate adviser, Dr. Don Wonderly started me on a path of investigation and discovery by introducing his concepts of prevention and a wholistic view of mental health. The Systems Intervention specialty focuses on a comprehensive approach to preventing issues from cropping up in students by replacing the environment that creates problems with one that fosters optimal conditions for learning, including the consideration of parenting and teaching methods.
After working as a school psychologist for a few years and discovering that many learning and behavior issues were body-based, questions arose about the relationship of the body with its own functions and how to facilitate a relationship that resolves the sources of imbalance. My studies approached the system on many levels, beginning with the surface psyche, the emotions, the breath, the subconscious, energetic pathways and musculo-skeletal methods.
Working with injuries in the 1980’s led me to a training in Hanna Somatic Education developed by Dr. Hanna from 1990 – 1992. This Feldenkrais-based work proved to also be a turning point in for many clients who began achieving greater and more lasting results. While exploring the neuromuscular approach for 25 years I began expanding my knowledge base to include osteopathic approaches involving muscle energy, manual therapy, vascular, lymphatic, brain, and visceral techniques.
Seeing the benefit of approaching the body through different doorways led to the study and training in techniques for the brain and spinal cord with Dr. Bruno Chikly, Manual Articular Therapy with Drs. Barral and Croibier, the Visceral Manipulation series with the Barral Institute, Mechnanical Link created by Dr. Paul Chauffeur, and the Biodynamic Cranial Sacral approach with Gary Peterson in which I am now certified. The subtle manipulation of structure through energy in bone as taught by Dr. Fritz Smith in Zero Balancing offered a unique influence to working with fulcrums in a deeper way with clients. The completion of a training in 2013 with Dr. Steve Sanet through he Ontario College of Ontario led to being a Diplomate in Osteopathic Manipulative Theory and Practice.
I’ve also become familiar with workings of my body/mind by being involved in dance, sports, and external martial arts, since childhood. In the 1970’s the inner arts of meditation and spiritual practice were incorporated, followed by Awareness Through Movement, T’ai Chi and Chi Kung in the 1990’s. Self-regulation through self-perception/sensing has proven to be an invaluable way to retain fluidity and balance throughout my system, as well as in support of my clients.
Several books I’ve written on the subject of Somatic Intelligence are available online and on site if you live in the area, or would like to have one mailed to you. They are described in more detail on the page dedicated to them on this website.