Somata Therapy

Client Success Story | Jennifer's Journey

"When I first came to Somata, I was struggling with constant neck and back pain. I work at a desk all day and back then by the end of the day I felt stiff, sore, and exhausted. I was struggling to be active as I wanted to lose the baby weight I had been carrying for years but I couldn’t stay consistent because everything just seemed to hurt.

A colleague recommended I try massage and told me that Nissa at Somata helped her. I noticed a difference after the first session. Nissa explained things differently, giving me a new perspective on how to care for myself. After a few months of regular massages, I started noticing significant changes. My back didn’t hurt everyday, I noticed that the changes I made at my desk made me sit taller and have more energy during the day and for the first time in years I was able to go to the gym and feel good.

Two years later, I'm 50 pounds lighter, exercising is a way of life for me and I actually enjoy my job again because it doesn’t hurt to sit at my desk anymore (disclaimer I have a standing desk and highly recommend it, as was recommended to me by Nissa ;)

I am so grateful to have had the support of Nissa and her team at Somata and would highly recommend them!”

Thank you, Jennifer, for trusting us to be part of your journey. Stories like yours remind us that reducing pain isn't always the end goal, sometimes it's the first step toward creating a life that feels lighter, stronger, and more fulfilling.

🍂 Thanksgiving is a good reminder of just how much there is to be grateful for. 🤎

The people who make us laugh.
The meals shared around the table.
The traditions we look forward to every year.
The walks, hikes, games, adventures, and everyday moments that make life feel full.

And the body that allows us to experience all of it.

We often don't think about everything our bodies do for us until something isn't working the way it should. But every day, our bodies are moving, adapting, recovering, supporting us, and allowing us to participate in the things we love.

✨ This Thanksgiving, we're grateful for:

• The strength to stay active
• The mobility to move through life with ease
• The ability to explore and experience new things
• The people who encourage us to take care of ourselves
• Our clients who trust us to be part of their wellness journey
• The incredible community we get to call home

Your body is a pretty amazing thing.

Take care of it. Challenge it. Move it. Nourish it. Give it the support it needs to keep doing what you love.

Because there's a lot of life worth showing up for. 🍁

From our Somata family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving! 🧡

You take approximately 20,000 breaths every day.

The question is: are those breaths helping you thrive, or simply helping you survive?

When we're stressed, overwhelmed, in pain, or rushing through life, our breathing often becomes shallow, rapid, and chest-dominant. Over time, this can contribute to increased
muscle tension, heightened stress responses, poor sleep, fatigue, jaw tension, headaches, and a nervous system that struggles to shift out of "fight or flight."

Breathwork is the intentional practice of using your breath to influence your nervous system, mental state, and physical wellbeing.
Research has shown that specific breathing practices can help:

✔ Reduce stress and anxiety
✔ Improve focus and mental clarity
✔ Enhance sleep quality
✔ Lower resting heart rate
✔ Improve emotional regulation
✔ Support recovery and performance
✔ Create a greater sense of calm and resilience

One of the most powerful things about breathwork is that it is completely free, accessible anywhere, and available to you in every moment.
If you're curious about incorporating breathwork into your wellness routine, here are a few excellent free resources:

🎧 Spotify
• Breath, Body, Soul: Guided Breathwork & Meditation Practices

📺 YouTube
• Huberman Lab: How to Breathe Correctly for Optimal Health, Mood, Learning & Performance
• Breathe With Sandy

Sometimes the most powerful tool for changing how you feel isn't another supplement, treatment, or productivity hack.
Sometimes it's simply taking a better breath.

Did you know your body has an internal clock that influences everything from your energy levels and hormones to your sleep, recovery, digestion, and mood?

This clock is called your circadian rhythm—a natural 24-hour cycle that helps regulate when you feel awake, alert, tired, and ready to rest. When your circadian rhythm is supported,
you tend to sleep more deeply, recover more efficiently, think more clearly, and experience more stable energy throughout the day.

🌅 Morning Habits That Support Your Circadian Rhythm
• Get outside within 30-60 minutes of waking and expose your eyes to natural sunlight for 5-15 minutes.
• Move your body with a walk, stretching, or light exercise.
• Eat a protein-rich breakfast to help signal wakefulness and support energy production.
• Try to wake up at the same time each day—even on weekends.

🌙 Evening Habits That Support Better Sleep
• Dim lights 1-2 hours before bed.
• Limit screens or use blue light filters in the evening.
• Avoid heavy meals, alcohol, and caffeine close to bedtime.
• Create a calming bedtime routine such as reading, gentle stretching, breathwork, or a warm shower.
• Aim to go to bed at a consistent time each night.
Small daily habits can have a powerful impact on your nervous system, recovery, immune function, and overall wellbeing.

Your body wants to work with you—it just needs the right signals. ✨

Need a massage appointment that actually fits your schedule? 🌙

We’ve opened up more evening Massage Therapy appointments at Somata — making it easier to fit your care around work, family, and everything else life brings.

And with the end of the year approaching, now is a great time to check your extended health benefits. If your plan resets at the end of the year, unused Massage Therapy coverage may not carry over.

Whether you’ve been dealing with neck and shoulder tension, headaches, back pain, tight muscles, stress, or simply know your body could use some attention, we’d love to welcome you.

✨ New clients welcome
🌙 Evening appointments available
🙌 Registered Massage Therapy
📍 Somata | New Glasgow, NS

📅 Online booking available

Our newer therapist currently has availability and evening appointments tend to fill quickly as we head toward the end of the year!

Use the benefits you’ve been paying for — and give your body some care in the process.

Book your Massage Therapy appointment at somata.ca

Massage Therapy, Chiropractic and Whole-Person Wellness Studio in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia | Somata Experience personalized massage therapy, chiropractic care and acupuncture in New Glasgow at Somata. Embrace wellness and nurture your well-being today. Book your session now!

✨ Welcome to the Team, Daniel! ✨

We're excited to introduce Daniel, the newest member of the Somata Therapy team!

Friendly, easygoing, and passionate about helping others, Daniel brings a genuine love for learning, personal growth, and developing his skills as a Registered Massage Therapist.

Before graduating from Eastern College, Daniel worked as an Early Childhood Educator in New Brunswick, where he developed a passion for working with and supporting others. His caring nature and ability to make people feel comfortable continue to shape the way he approaches his practice.

Daniel believes in the importance of understanding each person's individual needs and creating a welcoming environment where clients feel heard, supported, and comfortable throughout their care. He is passionate about continuing to expand his knowledge and skills to help clients work toward their personal wellness and movement goals.

Outside the studio, Daniel enjoys staying active, looking after his health, and spending time on hands-on hobbies like Rubik's cubes and juggling!

We're so happy to have Daniel join our team and look forward to introducing him to our community. Daniel has availability in the evenings, be sure to book through our website.

https://somata.ca/

The World's Greatest Stretch: One Movement. Four Big Benefits.

If you spend your day sitting at a desk, struggle with tight hips, deal with recurring back pain, or want to move better in sport and exercise, the World's Greatest Stretch deserves a place in your routine.
This movement combines a lunge, hip opener, thoracic spine rotation, and hamstring stretch into one powerful sequence.

✅ For back pain: Improves mobility through the hips and thoracic spine, reducing the tendency for the low back to compensate.
✅ For tight hips: Targets hip flexors, glutes, adductors, and hamstrings—the muscles that often become restricted from prolonged sitting.
✅ For desk jockeys: Helps reverse the effects of hours spent seated by opening the front of the hips and encouraging better posture.
✅ For athletes: Enhances mobility, movement efficiency, and rotational control, helping your body generate and transfer force more effectively.

The goal isn't to stretch harder—it's to move better. When your hips and spine work together the way they're designed to, everyday activities and athletic performance become easier and more efficient.

Try 3–5 slow repetitions per side, focusing on controlled breathing and quality movement.

Need help figuring out which mobility exercises are right for your body? Our team can assess your movement patterns and create a plan tailored to your goals.

🌿 The Power of Nature & Breath

Sometimes, wellness doesn’t require an appointment, a workout, or another thing on your to-do list. Sometimes, you just need to step outside.
We are so fortunate to live in an area that has beauty in nature conveniently close. Trenton Park, the Samson walking trail and even Melmerby Beach (aka The Merb) are great ways to get
movement in while enjoying the breath of the trees and water. Leave your phone in your pocket, slow your pace, and take a few intentional, deeper breaths. Notice the trees,
the sounds around you, the ground beneath your feet, and the rhythm of your breathing.

🌱 Time in nature combined with mindful breathing can be a simple way to:

• Reduce stress and mental fatigue
• Encourage relaxation and nervous system regulation
• Support mindful awareness and presence
• Get your body moving
• Create space to reset and recharge

Try this today:
Head out to the park or trail for 10–20 minutes. Walk slowly, breathe deeply, and let yourself be present in your surroundings.

Your body needs movement.
Your mind needs moments of stillness.

And sometimes, nature provides both. 🤍

🌿 Get outside. Breathe. Move. Reset.

🌿 Take Care of the Body That Takes Care of You

Your body carries you through everything.

It gets you to work, helps you stay active, lets you play with your kids, explore new places, enjoy your favourite activities, and show up for the people you care about.

But how often do you stop and take care of the body that does all of that for you?

Self-care isn't always about slowing down. Sometimes, self-care looks like moving your body, building strength, getting enough rest, eating well, taking a break when
you need one, and giving your muscles and joints the care they deserve.

✨ Taking care of your body can help you:

• Maintain strength and mobility
• Support recovery and reduce muscle tension
• Keep doing the activities you enjoy
• Manage the physical effects of stress
• Stay active and resilient as life changes

You don't have to wait until something hurts to start paying attention.

Your body works hard for you every single day.

🌱 Take care of it. Move it. Nourish it. Rest it. Listen to it.

Take care of the body that takes care of you. 🤍