Dawn Philips

About

Dawn is a Licensed Massage Therapist practicing CranioSacral Therapy, SomatoEmotional Release and myofascial unwinding as the foundation of her sessions. Focused on deepening the body-mind connection and healing from traumas large and small, Dawn helps clients become more embodied and find relief from physical & emotional pain. As a practitioner since 2005, Dawn weaves in the knowledge from many years of hands-on care of the myofascial system with her somatic and trauma-informed studies to meet clients where they are. Dawn founded Haven Holistic + Somatic Healing in Brooklyn, NY in 2017 to bring more awareness to the role of the body-mind connection in healing and offer a supportive space for like-minded practitioners.

My Skills

In the treatment room, Dawn strives to support her clients in deepening their body-mind awareness by working beyond vulnerabilities into a space of increased presence and ease. Using gentle CranioSacral touch, Dawn creates a safe space for emotions to be processed out of the body (SER). Her approach is an integrative talk & touch based practice where skillful, subtle 'dialogue' assists in the re-education of tissue and letting go of what is stored in the body. She has continued to develop this aspect of her practice with studies of Trauma Center Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY), IFS (Internal Family Systems) and a strong intuition from many years of her own recovery & healing.

When necessary, her sessions may blend manual therapy techniques that assist in reducing pain and unlock patterns of holding including myofascial (connective-tissue) and trigger point release, neuromuscular, acupressure and orthopedic techniques. While this occasionally means using deeper pressure, this is generally accomplished with a soft, listening hand to allow the nervous system to reset. Her goal is to let the body be the director of each session, without force, to honor the goals and intentions of her clients. Most importantly, she works towards empowering individuals to become their own health care advocates through education of self-care techniques, encouragement of positive-body dialogue and recommendations from her broad set of resources and knowledge of a wide array of holistic healthcare practices. Dawn has a strong belief that every person needs a team of support, and often refers out to other like-minded professionals. She is most passionate about offering support for clients dealing with anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, addiction and recovery, PTSD, recovery from injury or surgery, as well as those who seek to maintain their well-being through a healthy mind/body connection.

Professional Associations / Memberships

Dawn is a member of The Idea Crucible practitioner support network. She is also currently studying western, Chinese & Ayurvedic herbalism with Michael Tierra's East West School of Planetary Herbalism.