Grounded Touch: The Art of Supportive Assists
for Soma Yoga & Wellness Teachers
About the Workshop
This 1.5 hour workshop invites us to slow down and explore why we offer hands-on assists — and how touch, when given with intention and integrity, can become a powerful tool for presence and grounding.
Instead of focusing on how a pose “should” look, we’ll shift toward how an assist can help a student feel: more rooted, safe, and supported in their own body. Together, we’ll practice simple, embodied assists that cultivate steadiness rather than correction — so our touch becomes an extension of care, not control.
Facilitator: Natalie Somers, E-RYT 500, will guide the session and share her experience and training in simple, grounding, and supportive assists.
Our Collective Intention
To offer touch that helps students feel safe, supported, and more present in their bodies.
What You’ll Learn
How to prepare your own body before giving an assist
The power of intention and energetic consent
Simple grounding assists for common poses
How to use touch to anchor presence and safety
The difference between “fixing” and “grounding”
Who It’s For
New teachers looking to build confidence with touch
Teachers who want to reconnect with the heart of assisting
Anyone interested in offering grounded, compassionate presence
Common Myths About Assists
Myth 1: Assists are for fixing alignment.
Truth: Grounded touch isn’t about correction — it’s about supporting awareness and safety, helping students deepen into their own experience.
Myth 2: I might hurt someone.
Truth: When touch is slow, steady, and consent-based, it’s deeply stabilizing. You’re not forcing — you’re holding space for grounding.
Myth 3: I’m not experienced enough to give assists.
Truth: Integrity matters more than experience. You can begin with simple, grounding assists and your own breath. Presence is the skill.
Myth 4: Students don’t want to be touched.
Truth: Most people simply want to feel safe. Clear consent and steady presence make touch welcome and healing.
Myth 5: If it doesn’t change the shape, it’s not effective.
Truth: Some of the most profound assists don’t change anything visible — they change how the nervous system feels.
Ready to explore the art of supportive, grounding assists?
This 1.5-hour workshop is offered as a professional development opportunity for Soma teachers — a gift from the studio to support your growth and confidence in hands-on assists.
RSVP is required to secure your spot, so we can plan for practice space and materials. Please share your availability using the form below, and we’ll schedule a session that works for most people.