It all started when…
ABOUT KARYN.
Karyn Clark is founder of Evolve Life Somatics, and was one of the first people to train in the UK with Martha Peterson of Essential Somatics as a Clinical Essential Somatics Educator, qualifying in 2016.
Karyn is now a member of the Essential Somatics Faculty, she teaches the Essential Somatics ‘Fundamentals Immersion Course’, and is part of the ‘Essential Somatics Movement Teacher Training’ (ESMTT) team. Karyn also teaches the Neuroanatomy and Neurophysiology module of the Clinical training.
Karyn has a BSc in Chiropractic having graduated from the McTimoney college of Chiropractic in 2004. Once qualified she has worked as the senior chiropractor and owner of a multi-disciplinary clinic offering a wide range of treatments, classes and workshops.
Karyn discovered Essential Somatics by chance, coming across Martha on YouTube demonstrating a somatics movement. The intrigue was enough for Karyn to sign up onto a course Martha was running in 2013 in the UK. After just one day on the course Karyn was hooked. Her experience from that day was the start of a life-changing journey and although she had suffered with intermittent back pain since her teens, the main thing that Karyn experienced was the realisation of how stressed she had been in her body for a number of years.
“I felt like a tightly coiled spring that had just been unraveled, and until that point I actually hadn’t realised that my body felt that way and that my mood often reflected this tension. It had been a stressful few years having a young family, a business and family illness. It was as if my body and brain had finally been freed, needless to say this was the start of a new journey in rediscovering myself, and embracing Essential Somatics.”
Karyn is based in Hertfordshire and predominantly works with clients 1:1 teaching Clinical Essential Somatics. She also teaches a number of classes, workshops and day retreats. The day retreats she teaches combine Essential Somatics movement with outdoor fitness and adventurous activities such as kayaking or Stand Up Paddle boarding. As a personal trainer, and having a background in Outdoor Education and Adventurous Activities, Karyn firmly believes that Essential Somatics is the foundation upon which to build our life, particularly when it comes to health and fitness.
“When we are able to find greater freedom in our movement we are able to create greater freedom in our life, and this comes with many opportunities. This experience is different for everyone, for example, if you have suffered with chronic muscular pain for many years you may not think you will ever free of it, that freedom from pain may lead you to question what else is actually possible to achieve within your life? When we are able to be less emotionally stressed we often find greater physical health and new possibilities. Having used Outdoor Education for many years as a tool for personal growth, I have seen many times how accomplishing something in one area of our life can have a hugely beneficial effect on other areas of it.”
When she’s not busy working Karyn loves to be active and you can often find her out on the water Wakeboarding, Stand Up Paddle-boarding or Kayaking, out with her family walking with her border collie or in the Gym. Karyn is a keen body builder and started competing at the age of 40 having found her own freedom.