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Many of us move through our teaching lives switching rooms in the same house. We shift between roles. We improvise. We carry a private mix of doubt, intuition, brilliance, and care. In this episode, Shawn sits down with longtime colleague and former student Dr. Amanda Heim, saxophone professor at Gettysburg College, to revisit how somatic work shaped her teaching and the artistic lives of her students for more than a decade.

Their conversation moves through memory, identity, agency, and the quiet transformations that happen in applied lessons. Together they explore:

• how teaching feels like walking through different rooms of a house
• why shifting between modalities (theory, choir, applied lessons, recruiting) creates cognitive load
• how somatic language demystifies the body and normalizes the musician’s lived experience
• the story behind Amanda’s 13-year injury-free studio
• why improvisation is actually advanced preparation, not lack of preparation
• the role of self-belonging in artistic confidence
• the hidden cost of never saying “good job” to ourselves
• imposter feelings as a somatic pattern, not a personal flaw
• how students learn agency, identity, and autonomy through embodied pedagogy
• what happens when we finally celebrate our own work

This episode offers a rare look inside two careers shaped by Alexander Technique, Body Mapping, and nervous-system-informed teaching. It also opens a door into the deeper conversation emerging across the field: what changes when belonging starts inside the body rather than outside it?

Becoming mBODYed is a production of and copyrighted by mBODYed, LLC, 2024. www.mbodyed.com
Follow me at https://www.instagram.com/mbodyed/ and https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566020594221
The intro and exit music is Dark Matter by Carlos Velez, recorded by Tosca Duo on their CD Dimensions.
A link to Carlos’s music is available at
https://composercarlosvelez.wixsite.com/carlosvelezmusic/about-me.

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summary

In this bonus episode of the Becoming mBODYed podcast, Shawn introduces the concept of somatic archetypes as survival strategies that help individuals navigate their experiences and emotions. The discussion emphasizes the importance of understanding these archetypes not as fixed identities but as fluid patterns that reflect how our bodies have learned to cope with various situations. By exploring each archetype, listeners are invited to recognize their own patterns and the underlying tenderness within them, ultimately fostering a sense of belonging and self-acceptance.

takeaways

• Somatic archetypes are survival strategies, not labels.
• Belonging must first be biological before it can be cultural.
• Endurance is often mistaken for integrity in our lives.
• Burnout is a protective mechanism, not a failure.
• The imposter syndrome arises from a lack of internal safety.
• Disconnection serves as a protective response to overwhelming feelings.
• The seeker archetype often escapes into knowledge rather than presence.
• Integration involves allowing all parts of ourselves to coexist.
• Awareness of our patterns gives us the choice to evolve.
• Self-belonging is essential for healing and growth.

Chapters

00:00
Introduction to Somatic Archetypes

05:16
Understanding Survival Strategies

10:14
Exploring the Over-Efforter Archetype

15:27
The Burned Out Artist

20:15
The Imposter Syndrome

23:48
The Disconnected

27:04
The Seeker

31:50
The Integrator

36:49
Guided Reflection and Conclusion

Becoming mBODYed is a production of and copyrighted by mBODYed, LLC, 2024. www.mbodyed.com
Follow me at https://www.instagram.com/mbodyed/ and https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566020594221
The intro and exit music is Dark Matter by Carlos Velez, recorded by Tosca Duo on their CD Dimensions.
A link to Carlos’s music is available at
https://composercarlosvelez.wixsite.com/carlosvelezmusic/about-me.

Send us a text

Summary

In this Pre-season opener of the Becoming mBODYed podcast, Shawn welcomes listeners to the new season, focusing on the themes of burnout, creativity, and the importance of rest and regulation. The conversation highlights community updates, upcoming courses, and the significance of somatic practices in fostering a sense of belonging and self-awareness. Shawn emphasizes the need for honest conversations in education and the arts, encouraging listeners to reconnect with their bodies and creativity.

Becoming mBODYed is a production of and copyrighted by mBODYed, LLC, 2024. www.mbodyed.com
Follow me at https://www.instagram.com/mbodyed/ and https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61566020594221
The intro and exit music is Dark Matter by Carlos Velez, recorded by Tosca Duo on their CD Dimensions.
A link to Carlos’s music is available at
https://composercarlosvelez.wixsite.com/carlosvelezmusic/about-me.