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Julia Sunderland | Somatic Therapist

@mybodysbff

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🫶🏼 become your body’s bff
🧠 somatics for overthinkers
🌸 rebuilding trust between body & mind
💫 astrology, psychology & beyond

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hello new friends, in honor of my birthday today (🎉) I figured I’d introduce myself to the new folks here

I am SO glad to walk this path of self-love with you all 🥰

here’s to career changes, loving our bodies, and aligning our lives with the moon and stars!

Anything else you wanna know? Ask in the comments below and I’ll answer 👇🏼

#SelfLove #bodyimagehealing #bodyimage #somatics #traumahealing by @mybodysbff

1 - Peeing when you need to pee builds your intuition - Listening to your body’s mundane signals (big or small) builds your ability to hear and respond to more subtle signals (e.g. your intuition!)

2 - Your body hears everything your mind thinks - those negative thoughts you have about your body seep into and get stored in your body. Shifting how you think about your body shifts how you feel in your body.

3 - Safety is built in both directions - your body needs to (re)learn that your mind is safe to be with and your mind needs to (re)learn that your body is safe to be with.

4 - the mind holds onto out of date images of the body - this is called the allocentric lock, where the body changes (e.g. gets stronger, changes shape) but the mind is literally locked in the old, out of date body image

5 - updating your body image requires being IN the body - the allocentric lock is broken when we experience the body from the inside (e.g. sensations, feelings, movement) rather than from the external image

if you are healing your relationship with your body, my page is for you!

Comment “unlock” and I’ll send you a free video on how to unlock your body from the allocentric lock 🔒

#bodyimagehealing #HealingEra #HealingJourney #bodyimage #traumahealing by @mybodysbff

NON-NEGOTIABLES 👇

1) a deep belief that my body is not a sin (and reminding myself when i forget that)

2) a prioritization of my body’s boundaries over other people’s desires (even if people misinterpret my boundaries as selfish)

3) recognizing that my body can hear everything my mind says - the good, the bad, and the ugly - and that my body responds accordingly

4) listening TO my body more than I demanding things OF my body

5) balancing a negative body experience (e.g. being hung over) with at least four positive body experiences (e.g. healthy meal, yoga class, massage), just like we do with relationships!

6) notice when I’m sending judgments to other people’s bodies and send them love instead (this has helped me judge my body SO much less!)

7) finding moments of child-like BFF joy with my body - skipping, doing my hair, dancing, playing dress up

just a reminder that i love you and I am here to help you love you too! 💕

if this sounds like your cup of tea ☕️ my page is for you 🫶🏼

#nervoussystemhealing #HealingEra #HealingJourney #bodyimage #traumahealing by @mybodysbff

Literally did my dissertation on objectification because understanding its impact on us is 5-years-of-my-life important!

if this sounds like your cup of tea, my page is for you 🫶🏼

#psychology #somatics #traumahealing #socialpsychology by @mybodysbff

LONG STORY SHORT…

bodies that are seen and treated as objects are easier to oppress

bodies that are dehumanized are easier to take advantage of

bodies that are severed from mind and spirit are more vulnerable to power systems

AND when the world treats our bodies like objects, we learn to treat our own bodies that way too
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RE-SUBJECT-tifying our bodies means rejecting this cultural conditioning

beginning to learn what feels good to our bodies

seeing our bodies as equal partners in life

relearning that our bodies are a safe place to be and inhabit
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if you are new here, I’m becoming @mybodysbff
i love you and i’m here to help you love you too

#BodyWisdom #bodyimagehealing #bodyimage #SelfLove #traumahealing by @mybodysbff

Temples remain holy even after they’ve been defiled
So does your body
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Temples are inherently holy, worthy, revered
So is your body
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Temples are where we meet the divine
So is your body
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The sacredness of your body isn’t conditional, it is inherent
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if you are new here, I’m becoming @mybodysbff
i love you and i’m here to help you love you too

#BodyWisdom #bodyimagehealing #bodyimage #SelfLove #traumahealing by @mybodysbff

On the banks of the Russian River, I turned to pick up sage’s ball. When I turned back, the LOVE OF MY LIFE was down on one knee with a small velvet box in his hand. I said yes before he could even get the question out 😂

It’s surreal to love you and be loved by you @beejaymarx
You make the mundane magical. You are the sweetest treat that I will always want more of. You encourage my outrageous love for everything deep turquoise blue/green - which now includes this precious ring!

Can’t wait to celebrate our love and the community that has supported us all along the way! 🍾

Ring custom made (!!) by @roycejewelry by @mybodysbff

btw, did you know that the bloating you feel in the luteal phase is caused by hormones that increase water retention and slow digestion?

but there are ways to support our bodies during these hormone rollercoasters we call the menstrual cycle!

i create 5 minute somatic routines that make it an easy yes to regulate your mind and show up for your body

Practice each movement for a minute:

1 - pelvic rocking: softens the diaphragm and lower belly while bringing fresh blood flow to the digestive tract and uterus

2 - sun-chasing-moon: massaging your belly in a clockwise direction helps stimulate the digestive tract and soften tension stored in the belly

3 - relaxed belly breath: breath deeply into your belly with each inhale, allowing your belly to take up space, soften and relax; this breath relieves our bodies of the pressure to retract, be small, and hold tension

4 - belly breath feedback: inflate your belly into your hands and gently press your hands into your belly; your hands provide exteroceptive feedback which regulates the nervous system and grounds you in your body

5 - torso twists: twisting from side to side gently massages the internal organs and stimulates digestion

often times our bodies are signaling that they need a little extra love - all we need to do is slow down, listen and attune to our bodies’ wisdom

that’s why I’m here!

Xo, @mybodysbff

#somatics #BodyWisdom #embodiment #HealingEra #EmbodimentPractice by @mybodysbff

you can’t think your way into being self-confident, but you can take bite size steps towards EMBODYING confidence

that’s why i create 5 minute somatics routines that make it possible to embody your way into the life and mindset you want.

Practice each movement for a minute, and repeat as many times as needed:

1 - seated camel: opens the heart space so you can move through the world with your chest and chin held high

2 - cactus openers: lengthens and strengthens the chest and back muscles that are required to sustainably maintain aligned posture

3 - body wipes: brushes off the residue of shame and insecurity that prevent you from shining your light confidently

4 - solar plexus activation: inhale your breath into your hand, press your hand into your inhale and then release to charge up your solar plexus (the home of your personal power)

5 - five pointed star: practices taking up space in a safe environment so you can feel more confident to do so elsewhere in life

you’re mind unfortunately doesn’t have the solution to your insecurities. but your body does.

embody the feeling you desire first to then make it a reality

that’s why I’m here!

Xo, @mybodysbff by @mybodysbff

why is slowing down so scary sometimes?

maybe you learned that constant business keeps your feelings at bay

maybe you feel like your worth is defined by how productive you are

maybe you are worried that if you slow down, you won’t ever be able to get back up

maybe you learned that being still is dangerous

or maybe it’s all of the above

so it’s not crazy if you actually have to practice slowing down. to relearn that slowing down can actually be safe and nourishing and a gear you can shift into.

that’s why I’m here! we can relearn to feel safe in our bodies together

Xo, @mybodysbff

#somatics #BodyWisdom #embodiment #HealingEra #EmbodimentPractice by @mybodysbff

Btw, our bodies were not made to zoom through the sky in metal sardine cans. but we can help our bodies move through the stress and anxiety that comes with airports and flying.

that’s why i create 5 minute somatics routines that make it an easy yes to regulate your mind and show up for your body

Practice each movement for a minute:

1 - heart meridian stretch: runs from the heart down the underside of our inner arms; balances heart meridian to reduce restlessness and palpitations

2 - kidney meridian stretch: runs from the feet up the inner thighs, groin and lower spine; activating this channel balances fiery nature of the heart to prevent panic

3 - squats: lower-body strength movements trigger the release of endorphins, dopamine, and serotonin while lowering stress hormones like cortisol

4 - psychological sigh: breath in twice through nose, exhale once through mouth; lowers your heart rate and clears out carbon dioxide that builds up during anxiety

5 - shaking: discharges excess adrenaline and signals to your nervous system that a perceived threat has passed

and in just 5 minutes you are regulated and ready for the adventure that awaits you on the other side of your flight!

It doesn’t have to be the deepest somatic experience for it to work. It can be less, with intention.

that’s why I’m here!

Xo, @mybodysbff

#somatics #BodyWisdom #embodiment #HealingEra #EmbodimentPractice by @mybodysbff

btw, my mom sent me to a charter school partially because i had such a hard time getting dressed in the mornings

but wearing a uniform isn’t the only solution for clothing indecision!

i create 5 minute somatics routines that make it an easy yes to regulate your mind and show up for your body

Practice each movement for a minute:

1 - turn away from the mirror:
seeing our bodies from the outside reinforces negative body image narratives and judgements (via the allocentric lock); turning away from the mirror allows us to be present with our bodies rather than our idea of them

2 - acknowledge dysregulation:
maybe your heart is beating fast, maybe your muscles are tight; naming “I’m dysregulated” or “my nervous system is in code red” can help our bodies feel seen and heard

3 - bilateral tapping:
bilateral stimulation (BLS) calms the brain’s fear center and taxes working memory so that anxious thoughts lose their intense emotional grip

4 - move with joy:
enjoy your body for a moment - laughing, singing, swaying, dancing - so that your joy and self-expression guide your dressing decision making

5 - mantras:
here are a few of my favorites - “i adorn my body in love” “when i’m comfortable i am confident” “my joy is bigger than judgement”

and in just 5 minutes, your embodied, confident, and ready to go shine your light in the world! It doesn’t have to be the deepest somatic experience for it to work. It can be less, with intention.

that’s why I’m here!

Xo, @mybodysbff

#somatics #BodyWisdom #embodiment #HealingEra #EmbodimentPractice by @mybodysbff