From company jobs to therapeutic massage therapist and motion educator, we take a dive into Diana’s world and the way she remodeled her personal life by means of motion training and instruments that served her all through her personal therapeutic journey and serving to others.

On this interview, Diana shares her insights in regards to the significance of self-massage, respiratory, and meditation, and the impact they’ve on total properly being and well being.

In regards to the creator: Interview led by Erin Wen, Tune Up Health content material author. Erin works as a Osteopathic Manipulative Therapist (OMT) and motion specialist for over 15 years. She has a background in classical ballet that ultimately led her to grow to be a yoga teacher. She can also be a licensed Yoga Tune Up® teacher and presently provides a number of therapy modalities together with osteopathic manipulation, pelvic flooring and being pregnant help, and motion trainings and workshops. 

Interview with Diana Duncan

Erin: Do you thoughts sharing a bit about your background and the way you turned a bodyworker and instructor?

Diana: I began out in company work and shortly realized I didn’t prefer it a lot and determined to do some touring. Humorous sufficient, in 1997, I made a spontaneous choice to go to therapeutic massage faculty with out ever having a therapeutic massage earlier than. I used to be dwelling in New York Metropolis on the time and I couldn’t afford a therapeutic massage! Two of my pricey girlfriends had gone by means of the method and I simply dove in with out actually understanding a lot about it or if I used to be even going to get pleasure from it.

Erin: What was the inclination you had in the direction of therapeutic massage faculty?

Diana: I had a historical past of jobs that have been sedentary and I knew I needed a brand new change in my life that concerned motion. I requested myself: “What can I do that can hold me shifting?” So I began doing therapeutic massage till my daughter was born. After that we prioritized the unity of the household as a result of my husband traveled on a regular basis, I may solely observe therapeutic massage on the facet. Round 2014, I made a decision to take my boards once more and return to doing full time bodywork. Whereas I loved therapeutic massage I felt there was one thing lacking in the way in which I used to be treating my purchasers.

I had a kind of “a-ha” moments after I took a yoga class in a studio the place the instructor used tennis balls in a sock. I ended up shopping for a dozen of these for all my purchasers! I assumed…I want to search out some type of coaching that can take me to the following degree with this! I began asking academics and somebody launched me to The Roll Mannequin Technique, Jill Miller’s first guide which then led me to all her trainings.

Erin: How did you begin involving motion together with your purchasers after you realized ‘one thing was lacking’?

Diana: I had all the time practiced yoga and pilates. So I pursued skilled coaching with Stott Pilates.  This helped me to  incorporate motion work into my sedentary way of life I had in the mean time and helped me with my therapeutic massage purchasers as soon as I bought again into observe.

Erin: How was your expertise implementing what you realized within the Tune Up coaching to your purchasers?

Diana: I positively struggled originally instructing the Yoga Tune Up (YTU) practices and discovering my voice as a instructor as a result of the Tune Up coaching articulates Yoga Asana in a approach that  could seem very completely different from most yoga trainings.  Jill’s work put science and motion to issues I used to be feeling and sensing in my very own physique.   With my college students the TUF coaching gave me instructing instruments that felt very grounded. Instruments I may apply inside the context of their lives and desires.  I used to be capable of give my college students a deeply sourced motion expertise and training that would assist them not solely with stretching or mobility however the training helped me to speak how and why their motion patterns matter of their every day life.  It’s been my expertise that when college students get into this work, dive into self therapeutic massage and motion, they get these eye opening moments that astonishes them and that’s so a lot enjoyable to see.  

Let go of imposter syndrome.

– Diana Duncan

Erin: How do you prioritize whether or not you provide therapeutic massage or motion to your purchasers? Do you suppose one is extra necessary than the opposite?

Diana: I had a very onerous time with this as a result of as a lot as I needed to encourage the significance of motion, many consumers would typically choose to only be cared for on the desk. And I fully associated and understood the necessity to simply be held and supported by means of contact. So then I noticed that mannequin wasn’t functioning. Now I provide longer classes the place purchasers obtain each or they arrive in twice every week for various companies.

I do suppose motion and self-massage is by much more instructive than somebody touching you. It’s a very highly effective instrument for self-knowledge and understanding about your self. I’ve a shopper recovering from surgical procedure who has misplaced some proprioceptive abilities and we’re engaged on recovering a few of these abilities again by means of meditation, yoga nidra, and ball rolling.

However I do suppose that desk therapeutic massage has its time and place. I typically do craniosacral on my purchasers to achieve these deep states of peace and quietness that may be so therapeutic and rewarding.

Erin: What impact do you suppose these ‘deep’ states of being have on the physiological physique (i.e. ache, surgical procedure restoration, trauma)?

Diana: The direct neurological actions that happen to get to that thoughts state are very a lot supportive of immune operate, decreasing irritation, decreasing stress, anxiousness, and reducing cortisol ranges. It additionally provides that window of feeling ‘protected’ within the physique which may promote therapeutic and letting go.

Erin: What’s the distinction for you between self-massage and receiving therapeutic massage?

Diana: When I’m receiving a therapeutic massage, I’ve much less management of the state of affairs. As a lot as I like deep tissue therapeutic massage, I really feel upregulated and my coronary heart price responds in a approach that I do know shouldn’t be precisely enjoyable. After I do my very own deep tissue work with therapeutic massage balls, I’m able to mood the pressures and pause issues in the event that they really feel overwhelming. I get pleasure from being able to determine for myself.

Erin: What’s your finest tip for academics?

Diana: Watch your college students, they may all the time inform you what they want and what you should enhance to speak to them. They’re one of the best academics, removed from any coaching that I’ve taken.

Erin: How did self-massage aid you get well out of your earlier accidents/accidents?

Diana: I’ve had 2 main accidents – I broke my tibia and fibula and I had 2nd and third diploma burns from a fireplace damage that affected 80% of my legs and toes. Recovering from these accidents took a whole lot of time and I needed to study to actually maintain house for myself. Though there have been a number of components of my physique that have been motionless, the therapeutic massage balls helped me keep cell in areas I may transfer. I knew even when I couldn’t roll, I may relaxation on a ball and breathe.

As soon as issues bought higher, I used the balls to assist restore my mobility and with my burns, to assist with scar tissue therapeutic and fluid drainage.  Remedy ball therapeutic massage coupled with motion training has helped me resolve continual points in my physique and the largest motive is as a result of it’s so gratifying so  I’m able to be constant.

Erin: What’s the motion modality that you simply discover essentially the most environment friendly?

Diana: I’ve began energy coaching for myself as a result of I understand how necessary it’s. I’m presently doing a Energy Coaching for Yoga Academics with Kathryn Bruni-Younger and have been incorporating modalities of breath with energy coaching. I imagine the mixture of all of it, together with meditation, rolling, energy and motion are all so complimentary and important for dwelling.  I really feel like for me essentially the most environment friendly modality is what my physique wants that day. Somedays its self therapeutic massage, some days its energy different instances its simply relaxation, breath work, Yoga Nidra. All of it will get married collectively, I don’t know what to name it anymore!

Erin: What are your prime self-care instruments?

Diana: My Coregeous ball and my Yoga Tune Up® Remedy Balls, they go together with me in all places I am going!

Erin: What’s one thing that you understand now that you simply wished you knew while you began training?

Diana:  Let go of imposter syndrome.  I now believe that my choices are pretty much as good as anybody else’s when it comes to serving to any individual resolve an issue. There are such a lot of progressive methods to assist individuals.  In any case of my accidents and therapeutic cycles,  I now know that there are such a lot of issues that work, it’s not only one factor.

Erin: High suggestions for stress aid?

Diana: Respiration, respiratory, and extra respiratory. I didn’t know something about respiratory till I met Jill and I really feel it’s such an entire complete physique expertise. Diaphragm Vacuum is considered one of my favourite actions; it provides me nice peace and restoration.

Erin: Do you’ve got any upcoming trainings?

Diana: Sure! We now have a  Roll Mannequin® Technique Practitioner Certification arising in June in Austin, Texas. I can be instructing with Sandy Gross.

Discover Extra Motion & Restoration Sources

→ Comply with Diana Duncan on Instagram for knowledgeable insights.
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