Valerie Schrader

01/08/2025

Perfection is a common theme with clients and something I’ve had to work really hard on.

It shows up in:

🚫 setting impossibly high standards for ourselves we'd never expect someone else to meet.

🚫 feeling like we have to earn rest, time off, a vacation, a “cheat meal”, or splurging on ourselves.

🚫 thinking you have to work a certain amount of hours to be productive and feeling guilty or worried about a boss being mad if you aren't constantly busy.

🚫 believing any mistake you make is the end of the world and fixating on them.

🚫 blaming yourself for things that aren't even your fault or stuff that was unavoidable like you should've been capable of avoiding it.

It all stems from unreasonable expectations set by parents/caretakers.

They taught you that love and approval only came if you met their expectations.

That's their stuff and not yours.

So here's a quick somatic practice to use next time you feel that perfectionism itch…

✨ scan your body and notice where you feel anxious or fearful.

✨ bring your hands to that part of your body and gently massage it while taking slow breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.

✨ connect with your younger self and remind that version of you that you're enough, doing the best you can, and you love that version of you as is.

✨ as a bonus, throw on a fun song and move/dance around being silly and messy. It'll help that perfectionist part realize it's okay to be imperfect and embrace it.

Try it out and let me know how it goes.

If you're interested in doing a deeper dive to nip perfectionism in the bud and you're in Columbus, Ohio join my next Women’s Embodiment Circle starting January 21st Align Yoga & Wellness

We’ll combine somatic healing, inner child work, meditation, and mindfulness practices to release the habits and anxiety associated with perfection, reshape attachment patterns, and set you up to feel good enough now without fear of others' reactions.

Its 13 weeks and a small group space limited to 10 women & femmes so if you'd like a spot grab one here:

https://www.valerieschrader.com/womenshealingcircle

12/17/2024

The Winter Solstice is a great reminder to pause and embrace the healing power of intentional slowness. 🌑

This Friday, we’ll tap into this wisdom together during my Somatic Moon Circle.

Together we’ll:

🌲 Explore the gift of slowness through a blend of restorative yoga and intuitive movement.
🌲 Release what no longer serves us with a somatic cord cutting practice.
🌲 Reconnect with our inner light in a candle-lighting ritual.
🌲 Plant the seeds of our intentions with a pinecone ritual inspired by Yule traditions.

This circle isn't about “just relaxing.”

It’s about intentionally moving at your own pace and feeling how that creates space to breathe and clarity around what’s most important.

I designed this to be a gentle ending for 2024 so we can welcome the new year a little lighter.

If this resonates, join me on Friday.

There are limited spots available - grab yours here:

Somatic Moon Circle: Meditation, Yoga, & Grounding Practices https://www.eventbrite.com/e/somatic-moon-circle-meditation-yoga-grounding-practices-tickets-1088298452969?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=wsa&aff=ebdsshwebmobile

10/14/2024

Fyi this Friday I'm hosting a Dark Moon Circle and we’ll be focusing on wrapping things up for this next cycle.

I've still got space to join if you wanna come!

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dark-moon-circle-tickets-1027668071867?aff=oddtdtcreator

10/08/2024

This came up in a client message yesterday, so I wanted to ask the question because I think a lot of people don't really understand what this means.

When you see or hear the phrase trauma informed what do you think that means?

10/02/2024

One of my clients who attended my dark moon circle 2 weeks ago told me last night that after we did our somatic clearing exercise in the circle the low back pain, she'd had for a while went away and she hasn't felt it since 🥹

More and more research points to the brain-body connection, something most of us know but moments like these make me so grateful for my work.

I know what chronic pain is like, the years I hid it until I couldn't hide anymore after the wrong fall were hell. While the PT I did definitely helped with my injury recovery, it was somatic trauma work that healed my back.

Resolving so much of the s**t I was holding made it possible to hike, dance, do yoga, hell...f**king walk without wanting to scream again.

The moment this client told me of the pain relief with this big smile on her face I instantly went right back to the moment I realized I wasn't feeling pain anymore.

I share so many great moments with my clients, but these moments showcase the ripple effect of healing.

09/17/2024

Question…

I've started a series on my podcast about mother wounds, sisterhood wounds, and witch wounds and using somatic experiencing.

What specifically about these wound would you like to hear addressed?

Also, if you wanna hear the episodes I've already released, I posted the link in the comments.

08/28/2024

I'm my latest episode I’m diving deep into somatic experiencing and embodiment to learn how to use it as a powerful tool for healing trauma and reconnecting with your body.

https://open.spotify.com/episode/37kgsPsF93jYmd0lxn7p8P?si=kmsilDodRRKhalP_-5SBzQ

08/02/2024

I don't know about you but Jeannie and I are ready for some nature therapy!

If you haven't grabbed a spot for this month's Wild & Well there’s still room.

We're focusing on grounding this month and we can all use more of that!

Join here and we’ll see you on the 11th!

Wild & Well

A wellness hike to cultivate mindfulness, reduce anxiety, and create well-being through somatic experiencing, meditation, and nature!

07/11/2024

Get Wild & Well this Saturday -

I hope you’re having a wonderful week and enjoying the drop in temps! With everything going on in the world my friend Jeannie Spencer, founder of the non-profit Gro EcoWellness, and I decided the best way we can support you is through emphasizing the grounding and healing power of nature.

07/05/2024

New Moon in Cancer -

This moon is all about connecting with your dreams and desires on a deeper level. Cancer is represented by the moon. When we think of the moon we think depth. This goes way beyond surface-level desires and dreams. It’s about tapping into what we want and what we’re creatively inspired by when we...

06/20/2024

Solstice & Full Moon Insights Ahead ☀️🔮 -

This is one of my favorite times of year 1. because I’m a summer baby (a July Leo to be exact) and 2. because it’s a time of the year when my garden is flourishing and there’s a sense of abundance in nature.

06/11/2024

Creating clarity and clearing anxiety -

I’m easily distracted and have a running list of things to get done, things I should get done, and other random thoughts like:

06/04/2024

Put a stop to perfectionism and close the loop -

Let’s chat about being able to close the loop of accomplishment and perfectionism because 1. There’s a huge overlap between them and one feeds the other and 2. After years of struggling with these things, I’ve developed some really good hacks to address them.

05/22/2024

Getting to What Matters Most -

I’ve had her for almost 13 years and while she had all the health issues associated with older small dogs, she just got really bad really fast and her vet couldn’t do more than ease her discomfort as I took her home and waited for Laps of Love to come.

05/09/2024

Slowing down and tuning in -

I don’t know about you, but I’ve seen a shift over the last year or two that’s really inspiring. With everything going on in the world and the realization that there’s gotta be a better way to live I’m noticing more new clients coming to me with a similar desire.