Elena Lake on Learning Subtle Bodywork

Elena Lake was a math major at MIT who later transitioned from her software engineering career into bodywork. We talk about her journey, and the role of perception in bodywork.Episode Outline — Elena Lake: From Engineering to Regenerative Touch00:00:00 Introduction and Early Background 00:01:00 Trauma, Mental Health, and Limits of Talk Therapy 00:02:00 First Encounters with Touch and Somatic Relief 00:03:30 Massage School as a Foundation, Not a Revelation 00:10:00 Qualities of Touch, Trance States, and Sensory Depth 00:12:00 Advanced Touch Perception 00:14:00 Lineages of Somatics and Extreme Sensitivity 00:18:00 Developing “Regenerative Touch” 00:21:00 Awareness, Attention, and Where People Live in Their Bodies 00:23:00 Practice as Research and the Role of Presence 00:25:00 Models of Pain: Continuity, Tangles, and the Camel’s BackYou can find out more about Elena through her website.If you’re convinced of the role of the nervous system in perpetuating pain and other symptoms but are having weak results pursuing it on your own, feel free to reach out to [email protected]. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit essays.debugyourpain.com