S2E10: Discussion with Kieran Schumaker on metaphors in teaching and working with clients

Send us Fan MailWelcome back to Fascia and Bones: Unpacking the Mystery.  Some things I love—fascia and bones with a detective mystery. I am a practicing manual osteopath and structural integrator and love working with the connective tissue of the body and the holistic systems of the body. I am also a long-time educator in the field of bodywork and movement. My hope is to share some insights into the fields I practice.In Season 2, Episode 10, I am with Kieran Schumaker (they/them), ATSI, BCSI instructor Neurovascular Release Courses who is coming to teach their classes in September and November of 2026. We are following up our discussion from Season 2 Episode 6 where we are talking about curiosity and mentioned metaphor. Here we are diving deeper into many ways we teach with metaphor as well as how this supports our clients on becoming more embodied.Kier wrote Why we use metaphors:1. To help us feel tissue, finding the right touch or the right layernodule the size of a pea to describe how to feel for the C2,3 nerve rootskidney covered in its fat pad feels like a bar of soap2. To help us understand spatial relationships in a complex systemglide planesstacking the bonestensegrity network3. To describe presence or movement qualityfeels like butterfluid movement4. To help others see what we seeRolfing traditionally uses geometric metaphors, such as cylindershourglass figure5. To name what is frustrating or challengingdropped, collapsed, or fallen archesblocky vastus lateralisjacked up nervous systemSome metaphors we discuss (In no particular order):Imagination—to help us sense, touch, feel, and be present with bodiesRooted—firmly established, deeply feltBack Body—bend, support, not the frontFluid (movement)—like waterStable or Stability—to standGlide Plane (for intermuscular septum)—relationship between two tissue layers, but not like two plates sliding.Grapefruit Sections—muscle compartments in the thighNerve roots Artery branchesUpstream—closer to the Central Nervous System or central vascular system.Beet root analogy—when talking with clients and students about dural restrictions.And now for the podcast discussion with Kier.Class Registration Links:Manual NVR™ Part 1: Head, Neck, and "Roots of Arms" - September 18-20, 2026, Taos, New Mexico (USA) https://learn.neurovascular-release.online/courses/manual-nvr-part-1-sept-2026-taosManual Neurovascular Release Part 2: Lower Thorax, Pelvis, and HipsNovember 13-15, 2026 https://learn.neurovascular-release.online/courses/manual-nvr-part-2-november-2026-taosNovember 16, 2026 Integration and Practice https://learn.neurovascular-release.online/courses/manual-nvr-masterclass-nov-16-2026-taosSomatic Touch © 2023 by Kirstie Segarra is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0