Hold your Ground
A workshop to notice when you shrink and practice what happens when you don't
There's a version of you that knows exactly what she wants to say/do because she's thought about it many times.
But when the conversation starts, or the meeting gets tense, or when you feel there might be a possibility of being disliked, your chest tightens, your breath gets shallow, and a quieter, smaller version of you takes over.
She says yes when you meant no,
softens what she was going to say until it barely resembles what she actually meant,
and negotiates her own needs or desires before anyone even pushes back.
You walk away from these moments with lots of frustration and a sprinkle of shame.
Sometimes feeling angry at the other person, but mostly at yourself.
Because you knew what you wanted to say or do, but something in your body decided for you before your mind could catch up.
You've read about this, probably understand where it comes from, and why it happens. That understanding is real, but it hasn't changed what happens in the moment.
This workshop is where you start changing what happens in the moment.
Saturday, June 6th | 2:00 - 5:00 PM | Early Bird €55 (after May 16th €67)
Slow Down Studio, Eindhoven
What happens in 3 hours
Three hours of practice focused on real scenarios submitted by participants.
Before the workshop, each person shares one of their main challenges in holding their ground. The session targets the common thread identified across the group.
PART 1
Learning to read the relationship between the emotional and physical patterns, and what your body is already doing in those moments. Things that have been happening for years without you catching them.
The breath that stops, and the chest that tightens.
The throat that closes, and the void in your belly.
The legs that want to carry you somewhere else.
PART 2
Move with the impulses (physically, not just mentally) and identify your go-to pattern when the pressure comes.
Pull away
Fold forward
Disappear
Over-resist.
PART 3
Contact practice. In pairs, using a simple physical exercise, you experience what it feels like to hold your ground when someone else's energy is in the mix.
You try backing down, and also try over-resisting. You find the difference in your body between those, and then you practice staying from a centered place.
You experience how it feels to not back down, even when something in you wants to. And you take home these embodied sensations to keep practicing.
Facilitated by Laura Ortiz
I’m a Psychologist and Somatic Coach from Costa Rica, who supports women in reconnecting with their bodies as a source of safety, strength, and direction.
My work sits at the intersection of what you already know about yourself and what your body hasn't caught up to yet.
The women I work with have years of self-development behind them and one persistent question: why does my body keep doing this when I know better? That gap is where I work.
Details
Time & Date: Saturday, June 6th | 2:00 - 5:00 PM.
Place: Slow Down Studio, Marconilaan 2d,5621AA, Eindhoven.
*Parking is available in the building’s garage for free.
Price: Early bird €55, after May 16th €67 (non-refundable).
Included: mats, cushions, blankets…all the things you need for a comfortable time. There will also be tea, water, and a delicious snack during our mid-workshop break.
Come in comfortable clothes, you can move around. No yoga or somatic experience needed.
When you register, you'll be asked one question about your situation. Your answer helps me shape the practice session around what's relevant for the group.
*Only 8 spaces available for a more personalized experience.
