About me

I am passionate about:

  • Supporting people’s Pain and Wellbeing

  • Creative Practice and Movement

  • Movement and Wellbeing Research 

  • Movement Education

As a Movement & Wellbeing consultant based in Hampshire, I specialise in health, wellbeing and movement. My academic and industry experience has informed and inspired my work with the community, culminating in a PhD in Somatic Practice, Movement and Pain. Other areas of my study include a BA (Hons) in Education Studies, a Masters in Dance Practice and a PGCert in Qualitative Research Practice.

With 8 years research experience and 6 years teaching experience within different contexts, I am well equipped to work with a range of people within the community. Throughout my career, I have conducted funded research projects and wellbeing workshops in primary schools and the community focusing on self-expression, creative reflection, dance and various forms of movement.

As part of my PhD, I worked internationally with practitioners and participants in the USA to study how Somatic Practice and movement can impact the everyday lives of people experiencing pain. Furthermore, I engaged with professionals within the NHS to gain further insight into how we support people’s pain and mental health through movement practices.

Being at the forefront of movement and wellbeing research has given me the opportunity to share academic and practice-based knowledge with the community, something I am deeply passionate about.

Practice Principles

  • By having a sense of our own breath and how it functions, we can begin to notice how our body responds in the moment.

  • By bringing awareness to our skeleton and how we move our bodies, we can understand ourselves in much more detail to respond to pain or discomfort.

  • Through movement and body awareness we can listen to our bodies. Simply resting allows time and space for ourselves.

  • When we engage with our bodies in a way that considers the fluidity of the moving body, we can understand how our internal body systems relate to our overall wellbeing.

  • Touch is imperative to who we are as human beings, not only for our emotional development but for our physical development. Touch encourages a response from within the body.

  • Whether movement is minimal or expansive, noticing the ways that we move can highlight preferences and habitual movement.

  • Exploring rhythm through improvisation can bring about a sense of body and movement awareness.

  • Movement economy refers to different ways of moving through the space. We can therefore explore ways of moving that differ from habits.

  • As we stretch and extend our bodies in a way that feels comfortable, we can promote a positive relationship with how our bodies are feeling.

What is Somatic Practice?

‘Somatic practices are approaches to movement that involve ‘the use of sensory motor learning to gain greater voluntary control of one’s physiological process’ (Hanna, 2004).

Somatic Practices offer a way of exploring the mind-body connection in a safe and supportive environment. This specific relationship between how our body feels and our wellbeing can introduce a different way of perceiving and experiencing yourself in the moment.

Developed over many years, somatic practice has evolved to include a wide-range of body based practices that are all underpinned by a core belief: The Body holds a Story. 

The Breath- Excerpt of Movement Film created as part of my PhD Research.

What Might a Session Look Like?

As each session is tailored to your experiences, your wellbeing and what you want to achieve, it’s important to develop sessions with your goals at the centre of your experience.

Although each session may be different, the structure is similar and led by you, how you feel and what you notice.

I follow a simple structure to encourage self-awareness and an acknowledgement of your experiences: Notice, Explore, Reflect, Take Away.

Notice
We start by noticing how you're feeling and how you're moving in the space.

Explore
Through simple movement experiences, we explore different ways of moving, sensing into our bodies and responding.

Reflect
We consider what you noticed and what that might tell you about your own wellbeing.

Take Away
You'll leave with ideas, and experiences that you can incorporate into everyday.

Recent Projects & Publications

Recent Projects:

  • Move Well Project as part of Integr8 Dance Company (2025)

  • PhD in Movement, Pain and Wellbeing, Birmingham City University (2020-2025)

Publications:

  • Stevens, M. (2025-2026) Move Well Research Project: Impact Report

  • James, M. (2023) Living in and through our bodies: somatic principles that support the experience of pain and discomfort. Research Catalogue: https://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/2241940/2241941

  • James, M. (2021) Breath Awareness for Dancers in Higher Education: Somatic Practice as an alternative approach to Movement Education, Makings Journal

  • James, M.(2021) Self-regulation and the Subjective Self, Journal of Dance, Movement and Spiritualities

  • James, M and Stockman, C.(2021) Sartre and Somatics for the pedagogy of movement in Contemporary Dance, Journal of Dance, Movement and Spiritualities

  • Williamson, A and James, M. (2021) Bio-Somatic Dance Movement Naturotherapy: The Occiput, Scapulae and Sacrum- Fulcrums of Support and Reorganisation, Journal of Dance, Movement and Spiritualities

  • Williamson, A and James, M. (2021) Post-Newtonian Anatomy and Physiology: The gravitational and parasympathetic experience in Bio-Somatic Dance Movement Naturotherapy, Journal of Dance, Movement and Spiritualities

  • Williamson, A and James, M. (2021) Sympathetic holding and Parasympathetic release: Vagal tone and beta, alpha and theta in Bio-Somatic Dance Movement Naturotherapy, Journal of Dance, Movement and Spiritualities

  • James, M. (2019) Art-based Research in Dance, Unfleshing the Unconscious