Hello, friends!
I don't know how it's already July, but here we are in the hot and humid peak of summer! This season always tends to be a bit slower in my corner of the world as a bodyworker, as many of my clients are staying extra busy traveling, spending time with their kids on summer break, tending to their gardens, and hitting the trails. I always plan for July and August to be a building and planning period, working on projects that can fall by the wayside during the busier seasons.
June was Pride month, and as a proudly queer-owned and allied small business owner and healthcare practitioner, I wanted to do more than just pay lip service to the event. In order to provide the best possible care to my clients and be a better advocate to the LGBTQ+ community, I will be participating in the Philadelphia Trans Wellness Conference facilitated by the Mazzoni Center. I was delighted to learn that this event has continuing education seminars for medical and mental health professionals, as well as the broader community. I am so excited to connect with other allied health providers and integrate this work into my bodywork practice model. If you are interested in participating, registration is still open!
Last month also kicked off an amazing 12-week circus medicine education program with "Circus Doc" Dr. Emily Scherb! I am delighted to be part of a small cohort of PTs, massage therapists, and circus professionals exploring the biomechanics of circus work, movement and injury patterns common among circus artists, and topics relevant to circus medicine, safety, and training. As a former circus professional with a colorful injury history, I am over-the-moon to be able to connect with other passionate movement and healthcare professionals to drive the culture of circus training in a healthier and more sustainable direction. In addition to the specialized circus education, I have also been studying for my CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist) credentials through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. While I already do have a substantial amount of education and experience designing strength and conditioning programs within both the rehab and fitness spheres, the rigor and depth of the CSCS training standards set the bar even higher for working with athletes.
While my own physical training has admittedly taken a nosedive in lieu of training my newly adopted rescue dog (!), the Wissahickon trails have been beckoning, and I am feeling inspired to take myself through a progressive return-to-running program to build back my endurance and prevent overuse injuries all-too-common among endurance athletes (shin splints, anyone?). I'll do my best to share my best tips and exercises, and hopefully soon my dog will be ready to join me on the journey! I am a big believer in integrating movement and fitness into your lifestyle -- that movement should be a joy and an everyday part of our lives, not a chore.
Finally, I just opened up the Root & Branch shop, which is now chock-full of comfy and functional athleisure gear! I have received a lot of requests for tees and tanks since releasing my logo design, and have finally found myself in a place to set this up. I am working through Spreadshop, a print-to-order service that offers sweatshop-free and organic textile options. I wanted to offer stylish and functional gear in feel-good fabrics and designs; I also didn't want anyone to feel like a walking billboard, so I kept my designs simple and free of any text. One of the awesome things about Spreadshop is that your order is fully customizable, so you can reposition the graphic design, add text (perhaps the name of a gift recipient on their stainless steel water bottle?), choose whatever colors suit your fancy...make it yours!
I conceptualized my logo design about 2 years ago, inspired by the intersections of art, movement, and nature. The one-arm handstand is a skill that combines mastery of strength, stability, mobility, endurance, and balance -- all elements of movement that I believe are essential to maintaining function and ease of motion in our daily lives; without all of these elements, our balance is compromised and we will find ourselves compensating one way or another. I believe that an optimal movement practice branches out from a balanced foundation. A tree with strong roots can weather even the most brutal storms.
Wishing you a joyful and affirming summer season, and I hope to see you in the studio soon!
Kaitlin
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