The twists and turns of life that bring us to where we are here and now are threads that weave us all together, offering substance, resonance, coincidence, and connection.

My first love was music. I began playing piano at the age of four, and continued with that creative, passionate discipline through my studies at the Eastman School of Music and New York University, earning a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Music and French Literature.

Throughout the years, I continued as an artistic jack of all trades, delving into music management, floral design, and cheffing. Luckily, I stumbled upon what I found to be my calling in the summer of 1996, and have stayed with the art of deep listening and presence through my hands, heart, body and mind.

Deep and strong yoga practice and certified trainings, graduating from the Muscular Therapy Institute, The Anatomy Trains Structural Integration Program, as well as earning several other advanced certifications through world class teachers (see below) have all heightened my curiosity about the body, mind, and spirit. I am continually intrigued by how we, as creatures who stand up and walk around on this planet, relate to one another. My training at The Coaches Training Institute awakened my understanding of Purpose, Vision, Clarity and Alignment. Advanced training in trauma sensitivity and somatic coaching has brought me to the power, vulnerability and delicacy of the present moment; the wisdom of feeling, honoring and getting to know our pain, fears, shadows, sorrows and longings…and moving from there, to knowing and inhabiting our Best Selves, pains and joys, victories and failures all folded in to one beautiful Being. I believe in the balance of Being and Doing, and in empowering all humans to be the best version of themselves.

I have studied with some amazing teachers:

Tom Myers - ATSI Structural Integration

Hugh Milne - Visionary Craniosacral Therapy

Gil Hedley - Soulful Dissection Laboratory

Judith Aston - Aston Patterning

Ariela Grodner and Yaron Gal - Thai Yoga Massage

Yogis : Tias Little, Rodney Yee, Baron Baptiste, Bo Forbes, and Integral Yoga Institute

Dancers : Kirstie Simpson, Chris Aiken, Neige Christenson, Lani Nahele, Moti Zemelman, and Martin Keough - Contact Improvisation, The Nia Technique: Debbie Rosas, Carlos Rosas, Robin Maltz, Cassandra Volpe Horii, Julianne Corey

Life Coaching: The Coaches Training Institute, Coaches Rising , Pat Ogden, Amanda Blake, Thomas Huebl (trauma informed trainings)

Training with these masters has given me the opportunity to offer work that is steeped in strong technical skills, deep personal practice, and full presence to clients and their questions.

My extensive and trauma informed knowledge of anatomy, physiology, movement, and listening to each person's unique story always informs my classes and sessions.

I am passionate about the inner and outer processes of my clients and students, offering an environment where one can tap into their greatest potential, celebrating a deep sense of center, and a growing understanding of the mind/body/spirit. I challenge my clients to move forward on their aligned life path.

My personal story includes overcoming shyness, failure, divorce, relationship challenges, living with grief, letting go of perfectionism, managing my experience as an empath, healing a terrible skin issue (that brought me much deeper than the skin), among so many other difficult life moments. Fear and complacency have held me back in my lifetime. So have toxic relationships and mistreatment. As I age and grow as a human being, I focus on embracing all of who I am, with my pains, imperfections, victories, creative meanderings, goofiness, razor sharp mind, deep and loving heart, resilience, and more. I aspire to inspire by living my best, fullest, most creative and unique life!

I love my life, and the way I have chosen to live it! I would not be me without my amazing partner, Nelson, as well as family, friends and clients, all of whom have helped make me who I am! I am so grateful.

I am based in Arlington, Massachusetts, offering bodywork, yoga instruction, Co-Active Life Coaching, and special workshops, in addition to leading retreats nationally and internationally.

I can be reached directly at rshawinwisdom@yahoo.com