Fat energy is much stronger than muscle energy. ⁠

What happens when you explore fat as a dynamic fluid rather than resist or repress it?⁠ ⁠

— Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen

What is Fat?

Fat is not just what we've been taught to control or shame.

Fat is a protective myelin wrapping around your nerves, insulating the pathways of sensation and response. Fat is what allows your brain to float safely in cerebrospinal fluid, cushioning it against shock. Fat is stored in the central nervous system itself, enabling thought and feeling.

Fat is protective, intelligent, and adaptive.

Fat can be hard and cold when we armor and freeze. It becomes warm and fluid with movement and soft touch. Fat holds memory, emotion, sensation; it's a communication system between your body and your nervous system.

And yet, fat is one of the most shamed, judged, controlled, and rejected parts of ourselves, especially for women.

This workshop invites you to explore the soft body as a shadow system: the parts we've learned to hide, reject, or armor against. Through somatic inquiry, clay, and compassionate dialogue, we'll give form to what the fluid, nourishing parts of you have been carrying in the shadows.

What you learn

• Embodied self-knowledge - discover parts of yourself through sensation, not just thinking

• Reduced shame - shadow loses its power when it's witnessed and named

• New inner dialogue - learn to speak with (not at) the parts of yourself you've rejected

• Somatic tools - practices for sensing and befriending the unknown in your body

• A tangible companion - take home your clay sculpture as an ongoing dialogue partner

• Community witnessing - experience being seen without judgment

Who this is for

• You're curious about shadow work but want an embodied, gentle approach

• You sense there are parts of yourself you don't know yet

• You want to work creatively with difficult emotions or hidden aspects

• You're interested in somatic work, Jungian psychology, or embodied practices

• You want to explore self-discovery through art and clay

When: 27th June | 7 pm CET / 6 pm UK
Duration: 2.5 hours
Where: Online (Zoom link sent upon registration)

Sliding Scale Pricing: €25-40

What to prepare:

• Air-dry clay or polymer clay (approximately 500g)

• A workspace where you can get a bit messy

• Comfortable clothes you can move in

• Journal and pen

• Small clay tools (optional - your hands are enough)

• Wet wipes or a damp cloth for cleanup

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need experience with clay or art? No. This is not about making "good" art. Your hands know things your mind doesn't. We work with the clay intuitively.

What if difficult emotions come up? The container is designed to be safe and paced. You control your own process. We establish "too much" signals and you can always pause, step back, or work at your own depth.

Is this therapy? No. This is an exploratory workshop. If deeper material surfaces that needs therapeutic support, we can discuss resources.

What kind of clay should I get? Air-dry clay or polymer clay both work well. You'll need approximately 500g (1lb). Available at most craft stores or online.

Will I have access to the recording? Yes. The recording will be available for 2 weeks after the workshop.

What if I can't make it? Contact me about future workshops or private sessions, or get a recording.

What You'll Experience

This workshop creates a safe, embodied container to explore your relationship with the soft body through sensation, movement, and clay.

Part 1: Somatic Inquiry

• Ground in your body and establish safety

• Explore fat and fluids through Body-Mind Centering®

• Discover what lives in the soft body that you don't usually acknowledge

• Move from the fluid body's own intelligence

Part 2: Sculpting the Unseen

• Work with clay to give form to what you've discovered

• Let your hands reveal what your mind doesn't know

• Create a tangible representation of what the soft body carries

Part 3: Dialogue & Integration

• Speak with your sculpture, discover what this part needs, what it protects

• Practice in small groups with gentle witnessing

• Receive daily practices for continuing the relationship with your creation

This workshop weaves together

Somatic work - working through the body, not just the mind

Jungian shadow work - exploring the unconscious and wholeness

Body-Mind Centering® - understanding embodied anatomy through body systems and movement

Somatic Art Practice® - using creative expression as a bridge between inner and outer worlds

Compassionate dialogue - learning to speak with (not at) the parts of ourselves we've rejected

What the participants say

"Today, this truly felt—more than ever—like a ‘space where everything is allowed,’ and that was incredible: to be myself, to do or not do, to listen inwardly, to allow myself to pause and slow down. It was deeply supportive.

Also, some of the things you said—like how even when you’re in your head, you’re still in your body, still feeling—helped dissolve that split between mind and body.

And the dialogue between different parts of myself—the wild one and the controlling one—it felt good to acknowledge both, to honor their wisdom, and to feel gratitude.”

- Tatiana (Commercial editor)

"I'm so grateful for meeting you and our small group. The sessions were a breath of fresh air for me.

Since then, I see things differently, including myself. The rushing has gone, and my energy has increased. I wouldn't say life became easier, but my internal programming - how I look at everything - has changed. There's more neutrality and beauty now.

What changed after the sessions: my gaze became different. My language became different. Not just words, but gestures, breathing, silence.

The most valuable thing - your guidance, your attention, the material itself, and how you presented it.”

- Larisa (Massage specialist, teacher, somatic practitioner)