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My StoryÂ
Hi, I'm Casey!
My name is Casey Kang Head. I am a 3x survivor of acute lymphoblastic leukemia & stroke survivor.
I have personally been through a lot of trauma. Early on in my childhood with a physically and mentally abusive mother and stepfather. That led to making decisions in my early 20’s that didn’t serve me. I put myself in relationships with men that repeated a lot of those patterns I learned as a child. After that I was diagnosed with cancer at 31, after a long battle which compassionate care was accessed through a letter to the FDA and drug manufacturer, I am here. As you can imagine unpacking all the trauma that I had been holding on to for 30 plus years was not easy. Doing just that led me to Somatic breath work. The progress I was able to make in the short amount of time made me realize that I could use this modality to help others just like it helped me which is when I became a SomaticsIQ breathe work therapist.
I am Trauma Informed coach using somatic movement & breathwork with survivors so they heal and are able to reclaim their life and learn how to live healthier to ensure they are stronger physically, mentally & emotionally so they don’t live life in fear.
Author of “Finding Your Way Back to Heart Center; Cancer Treatment Ended Now What?, Personal trainer, Yoga instructor, Yoga for oncology certified, Yoga for Trauma, Cancer Exercise Specialist, PN Level 1 Nutritionist, SomaticsIQ Therapist, Restorative Yoga, NICABM Trauma Certified, Happiness Certified, Level 1 Reiki Healer and lifelong learner.
Currently I reside in Santa Barbara and am a dog mom to Lily Bear.
What is Somatic Breathwork,
and how is it different?
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For example, Wim Hof focuses on cold plunges and strengthening the immune system through hormetic stressors. Holotropic breathwork (Stan Grof) focuses on an intensely paced 3+ hour breathwork journey designed to recreate altered states of consciousness, sometimes even mimicking an near death experience.
The short and sweet version is: Somatic Breathwork is designed to help us turn off our analytical mind so we can reconnect with the innate intelligence of our body. It encourages clearing out stress and stagnant energy through emotional expression, often resulting in feelings of relaxation and mental clarity. You're in control of how intense your journey is and you always have your foot on the gas pedal to decide how deep you go into the experience (which is vastly different than Wim Hof and holotropic breathwork, which are done at a set, rigid pace).
To go a little bit deeper, this approach we use is often referred to as a "bottom up" approach (and often seen in Soma+IQ breathwork, EMDR, and other somatic therapies). While many psychologists and therapists today use a "top down" approach (such as CBT, DBT, and other forms of talk therapy), which focuses on changing a thought or habit in the mind first, then integrating it into the body. Instead, the bottom up approach focuses on transforming bodily sensations and feelings first, then integrating that into the mind thereafter. This is often why many individuals who have been in talk therapy for years find this breathwork style to be so powerful and transformative, as they start to learn that they need a more tailored approach for their body's needs.
When we are stressed, everything is impacted our mindset, how we process emotions, anxiety and even fatigue. Somatic Breathwork will make you feel:
- Clear and Focused
- Calm and Peaceful
- Reduced Stress and Anxiety
- Improved Mood
- Improved Sleep
- Increased Productivity
- Ability for Nervous System Regulation
