A Featured Company

Somatic Systems, Inc.
(OTC: SMAS)

Overview


An OTCPicks.com Corporate Profile
Somatic Systems, Inc.

 

Somatics System Institute, Inc. (OTC: SMAS) of Northampton, Massachusetts was founded in 1993 by Steven Aronstein, CEO. Over the past 14 years, this privately held Massachusetts Corporation (Schedule C) has trained a small but dedicated core group of practitioners and has provided thousands of one-on-one sessions for people suffering from a variety of muscular pain conditions. SSI offers an informational web site and one of the only places worldwide to find books and tapes and other therapeutic exercise materials for Clinical Somatic Education (CSE). SSI operates the only clinical facility for CSE treatment in all of New England.

Economic experts estimate that pain costs the nation more than $70 billion annually in missed days at work, visits to hospital emergency departments, medications and the use of other medical and healthcare services (source: epharmaceuticalnews.com). Somatic Systems Institute delivers an effective, drug-free approach to pain elimination, especially muscular, the source of the vast majority of chronic pain. Somatic Systems Institute plans to open pain management clinics across the country, using a business model that is a hybrid of Curves and Chiropractic to deliver a drug-free alternative to chronic pain, for musculoskeletal disorders originating from accident, injury, trauma, misuse, repetitive stress and again—including back pain; knee injuries; hip, shoulder and other joint problems; carpal tunnel syndrome; TMJ; scoliosis; bursitis; sciatica; tension headaches; shortness of breath; tendonitis; and more. We will open 5 clinics in the eighteen months and expand to 25 within 5 years, growing to annual revenues of $20 million.

People who pass through the front door of SSI often express amazement at how differently they feel when they walk out the same door. The typical client who enters suffers from some form of chronic and/or severe muscular pain and has tried a variety of other treatment options before finding the Institute. The feeling a client has after completing a session with a certified practitioner is often akin to experiencing a true miracle.

Even the medical world is becoming aware of the lasting results of CSE:

“As a neurologist I frequently see people who are suffering from chronic pain, which limits their movement, therefore further increasing their pain and their need for pain-killers. [Clinical Somatic Education] consistently helped the patients l have referred … achieve lasting relief without depending on medication… I wholeheartedly recommend [Clinical Somatic Education].” - JK, MD, Dipl. ABPN, Head of Neurology

Although there really is no true competition to Somatics in terms of results, there are plenty of other options for those who seek pain relief:

  • Orthopedics
  • Pain and Medication
  • Physical Therapy
  • Chiropractic
  • Yoga
  • Pilates
  • Feldenkrais
  • Massage

For all of the above reasons, Aronstein and his team would like to replicate and expand what has been built over the past 14 years and effectively franchise this model across the country but in a much shorter timeframe. Not only does this business offer an attractive revenue opportunity, but it also changes the lives of those who suffer from intense muscular pain or debilitating injuries.

Process

Thomas Hanna was the inventor of Clinical Somatic Education, a form of health care which offers fast, long-lasting treatment of a variety of musculoskeletal disorders from accident, injury, trauma, misuse, repetitive stress and aging —including back pain; knee injuries; hip, shoulder and other joint problems; carpal tunnel syndrome; TMJ; scoliosis; bursitis; sciatica; tension headaches; shortness of breath; tendonitis; and more. Even many conditions that have been diagnosed as incurable or degenerative, such as some diagnoses
of arthritis or stroke damage, can be treated. For the conditions it can treat, Clinical Somatic Education dramatically exceeds the efficacy of orthopedics, physical therapy, chiropractic, massage, yoga, Pilates and exercise. Clinical Somatic Education has worked where every other treatment has failed, and allows many patients to avoid surgeries, joint replacements, braces, walkers, canes and crutches.

The process a practitioner follows involves a systematic de-contraction of all affected muscles, bringing them back to a relaxed state. During a session, a client lies on a table and follows the simple movement instructions suggested by the practitioner, without causing any discomfort to the client. When the muscles de-contract, the client feels an immediate sense of relief, often for the first time in years. The concept behind CSE is straightforward and operates on basic principles of physics and neurophysiology. Yet today’s modern medical training programs continue to rely on medication and ineffective methods such as physical therapy to relieve muscular discomfort. CSE is truly the key to solving the majority of today’s trauma and stress-related muscular pain.

Business Model

There are three basic components to the SSI business model: professional training courses (40% of revenue), hands-on individual sessions (45% of revenue), and Somatics products: exercise tapes and self-help products (15% of revenue).

Professional Training Courses

SSI provides a three-part, certified CSE training course in the Massachusetts facility.

The traditional schedule costs $8,250/student; the new modular program delivered on a more flexible schedule, costs $9,850/student. This pricing is much lower than analogous training programs offered by Feldenkrais ($13,000), Rolfing, etc. Physical therapy training, Chiropractic college, and other conventional programs (never mind Orthopedic medical doctor training) cost significantly more than this, and require years of full-time classes.

To begin to understand the potential of Clinical Somatic Education, consider the example of a field that has some very similar characteristics — a sub-brand of the Feldenkrais Method, a system of movement therapy that works with musculoskeletal problems. Unlike Clinical Somatics, this Feldenkrais method does not produce clinically dependable results; by comparison, Clinical Somatics is faster, longer lasting, and works more dramatically for more severe cases of pain and dysfunction. Furthermore, Clinical Somatics is understandable by and credible to both yoga practitioners and medical doctors alike. When customers clearly understand or experience the Clinical Somatics difference, they are lifelong “converts” to the brand.

The Feldenkrais sub-brand currently offers professional trainings consisting of 10 nine-day modules over 26 months. The tuition for each module is $1,300, for a total of $13,000 over two years. This program’s current class has an enrollment of 80 students (as well as twenty Teaching Assistants, who also pay a fee to attend and learn how to become trainers, providing additional revenue in franchises down the line), grossing well over $100,000 in the first nine-day course. Even factoring out revenue from Teaching Assistants, and assuming a 25% attrition rate starting after the very first module (so that only 60 students continue), the program generates more than $800,000 from 90 days of training classes.

Hands-on Individual Sessions

The typical charge for a single hour-long session of Clinical Somatic Education is $100.00 (and $150 for a first time intake, assessment, and session). In rural, lower-income regions, sessions may cost $60 or less, and in larger cities such as New York, the cost may be $125 or higher.

These fees will go up significantly in years to come (and the value to clients will still be high). For example, as a result of consistent marketing and good outcomes, practitioners of the Feldenkrais sub-brand described above are currently able to charge $200 or more per session and maintain a full-time practice; and this is a system that is less widely marketable and produces less satisfactory outcomes than Clinical Somatic Education.

Reference Materials

CD's, Tapes, books, and other self-help products provide a supplemental revenue source. They enhance a client's treatment process, provide options for those who don't have access to or can't afford sessions, and serve as a passive marketing tool.

Market Strategy

As chronic pain continues to spread across the country, people will continue searching for noninvasive
procedures such as Somatics, as witnessed by the steep growth in alternative health options
for pain relief and management: Somatics has worked where every other treatment has failed, and allows many patients to avoid surgeries, joint replacements, braces, walkers, canes and crutches.

Over the past 14 years, SSI has relied upon advertising to other health fields, such as massage therapy. Recently, we have found much success in drawing chiropractors and physical therapists into our training program. We see this market as offering much potential, as they are easy to target and quick believers in CSE methods. We plan to launch regional marketing programs to chiropractors and physical therapists within a 250- mile radius of our facilities, through direct marketing. We also plan to participate in local events to educate the general public about CSE and increase our one-on-one sessions with on-staff practitioners. It is our goal to keep marketing expenses low and highly targeted, as we have not had adequate returns with advertising.


Recent SMAS News:

May 8 - Somatic Systems, Inc. Graduates Its Largest Professional Training Class

Somatic Systems, Inc. (OTC: SMAS) is proud to announce the certification of their largest class of practitioners to date from their Clinical Somatics Professional Training Program. The Graduating Class of 2007 will be the fourth class to graduate from Somatic Systems training facilities. This class' graduation year comes right on the heels of the beginning of the fifth training program, the Class of 2008, with an impressive increase in enrollment by 50%. In fact, all five classes have increased enrollment by approximately 50% over each previous class.

"This is an exciting time for our students to become full-fledged practitioners in the field of Somatics," said Steven Aronstein, Chairman and CEO. "Our growth strategy consists of nationwide expansion of clinical facilities, staffed by the ever-growing population of students in our professional training program. These distinguished new Somatics professionals will help meet the growing demand for the Somatics system of pain management."

Somatic Systems' Clinical Somatics Professional Training Program(TM) is held in three semesters over 28 months. The course consists of 300 hours of supervised in-class education, as well as extensive interim professional support and fieldwork. In addition to instruction in the proprietary and revolutionary pain care techniques of Clinical Somatics, students are trained in kinesiology, anatomy, and neurophysiology, as well as musculoskeletal disorders of the trunk and vertebral column, shoulder joints, neck and jaw, arms, and the hip joints and legs.

Somatic Systems is pleased that ancillary product sales have increased significantly, and that tuition costs of $10,000 per student has brought substantial revenue into the Company. Training activity and student efforts continue to promote consumer awareness of Somatic Systems. In turn, Somatic Systems' sales force is increased to bring additional product revenues.

About Somatic Systems, Inc.

Somatic Systems, Inc. is headquartered in Northampton, Massachusetts. Somatics uses a technique called Clinical Somatics(TM). Somatics trains and certifies clinical practitioners on how to reeducate a client's muscles and recalibrate overused or injured muscles through a simple series of training sessions and prescribed at-home movements. The Clinical Somatics(TM) process uses a series of movements (lasting as little as five minutes a day) that lengthen muscles back to their natural, relaxed state.


February 26 - Somatic Systems, Inc. Enters Into New Branding Agreement for Physical Therapy Equipment

Somatic Systems, Inc. (OTC: SMAS) is pleased to announce that they have entered into a branding arrangement with Astra-Lite Inc, one of the world's leading manufacturers of work tables and equipment for physical therapy, massage, and chiropractic practices, and supplier of equipment to professional sports and Olympic athletic teams and trainers.

Somatic systems uses specialized Astra-Lite tables at all of their clinics and all of their Somatics professional training programs, and is also a retail distributor of their products, with sales to students and the health care practitioners comprising a significant portion of retail revenue. Under the new arrangement, all tables purchased for use and for sale will bear Somatic Systems' name, logo, website, and contact info. This is an important step in the current branding and sales strategy underway at Somatic Systems, as it will help to promote brand identity and leadership in the field.

Astra-Lite tables feature an innovative design unparalleled in the industry. Somatic Systems has worked with Astra-Lite to develop a proprietary design to meet the needs of Somatics practitioners. This patented design uses aircraft technology to combine tremendous strength with low weight and portability, making the equipment a top-seller among Somatics practitioners and professional training students. "Just as Somatic Systems' offers the best methods for pain relief and performance, we strive to offer the best products and services to our customers and students," stated Somatic Systems, Inc. Chairman and CEO Steven Aronstein. "We are pleased to be able to offer these exceptional products under our brand."

Somatic Systems has described a three-part strategy for expanding the business nationwide, including first increasing enrollment in their three-year training program, and, second, increasing the number of one-on-one sessions in their certified Somatics clinics. The third piece of this strategy is to build retail and online sales of the company's consumer and professional products, including books, CDs, and practitioner equipment. Customers pay between $500 and $1000 for Astra-Lite tables, making these products Somatic Systems' highest priced retail item.


February 22 - Somatic Systems, Inc. Featured in Recent Yoga Magazine Article

Somatic Systems, Inc. (OTC: SMAS) was featured in the January 2007 issue of Louisiana Homes and Gardens, a publication with a circulation rate of 70,000 covering all of Southern Louisiana, including New Orleans.

The article touts the resounding success that Somatic Systems students have had in treating pain with Clinical Somatics. Yoga teachers have found that their Yoga clientele and fitness clients in general have been extremely receptive to Somatics as an aid to their practice and a way to treat chronic pain and injury.

Clinical Somatic Education, while relieving chronic muscle tension and its associated symptoms of pain, decreased functioning, headaches, scoliosis, and more, also gives clients greater control of muscles, which can heighten any athletic or physical performance, including Yoga.

Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota) and Biomoda, Inc. (Albuquerque NM) have agreed to jointly conduct a broad validation study of Biomoda's patented technology, a non-invasive cytology based lung cancer diagnostic assay.

"We have watched Yoga practitioners flock to Somatics for the benefits it offers," stated Somatic Systems, Inc. Chairman and CEO Steven Aronstein. "With the overlap between Somatics and the hugely expanding Yoga, fitness, and wellness markets, the road to increased market share for Somatics is clear as Somatic Systems expands its national presence of clinics, classes, and products."

This article highlights the ways in which Somatic Systems is targeting the thriving Yoga, wellness, and fitness markets with great success. Yoga is quickly becoming one of the most popular fitness and relaxation techniques and is an integral part of the wellness trend in the United States. According to a 2003 Harris Interactive Services Bureau survey, more than half the general population, or 109.7 million people, have at least a casual interest in the practice of Yoga. In the US, the number of fitness facilities offering yoga has gone up from 31% in 1996 to 85% in 2002. More and more fitness facilities are offering services such as Yoga, Pilates, and other wellness products with similar markets to Somatics.


February 16 - Somatic Systems, Inc. to Host Nationally Renowned Fitness Author and Presenter

Somatic Systems, Inc. (OTC: SMAS) is pleased to announce that they will be hosting a day of Tai Chi and Somatics workshops with nationally renowned Tai Chi and Martial Arts author, speaker, and instructor John Loupos at their newest location in New York City. These workshops will present a variety of topics focusing on the ways in which Somatics can help Martial Artists and others improve performance and reduce injuries.

In ongoing collaborations with John Loupos, Somatic Systems has been targeting the sizeable market of Tai Chi and Martial Arts practitioners through successful events that expose this previously untapped market to Somatics. Over 180 million people worldwide practice Tai Chi, and thus far Somatics has been extremely well received by Tai Chi and other Martial Arts practitioners. Past events with Mr. Loupos have contributed significantly to enrollment in the Clinical Somatics Professional Training Program as well as Somatic Systems' other revenue divisions.

"I have found Somatics to be THE most effective means by which martial artists, or others in related fields that require precise movement (yoga, dance, sports, etc.), can quickly and easily regain a level of sensitivity necessary for precision control. That Somatics effectively relieves the underlying causes of muscle and joint pain and improves flexibility is merely icing on the cake," said John Loupos, author of 4 books on Tai Chi and numerous exercise CDs and DVDs. Loupos is a student in Somatic Systems' Clinical Somatics Professional Training Program, graduating this May.

This will be the first event of its kind in New York City, taking advantage of Somatic Systems' new flagship Tribeca location, expanding into additional New York markets, and increasing awareness of and revenues at Somatic Systems' New York location.


February 15 - Somatic Systems, Inc. Announces New Class to Start the Somatics Clinical Training Program

Somatic Systems, Inc. (OTC: SMAS) is pleased to announce that their next Clinical Somatic Education Professional Training Program will begin July 2007. With a cost of approximately $10,000 per student, the Clinical Somatic Education Professional Training Program is the largest product sold by SSI, and sales have been growing at least 50% annually since the first training was launched in 2003. Based on sales data so far, Somatic Systems expects even greater growth in enrollment for this new training.

Somatic Systems trains clinicians in a revolutionary approach to pain relief, while also providing opportunities for employment as the company increases its national rollout of clinical and retail locations. In October, Chairman and CEO Steven Aronstein described a three-part strategy for expanding the business nationwide. The first was to increase enrollment in the three-year training program, which adds the largest percentage of revenue to the company. The second was to increase the number of one-on-one sessions in clinics offered by certified Total Somatics(TM) clinical practitioners and the third was to build retail and online product sales of the Company's reference materials including books, audio products and practitioner tools.

Current growth of the training program is exceeding the company's expectations and is on track to fill the growing, national demand for Total Somatics(TM) treatment services.

Somatic Systems will be graduating two additional classes this May. New graduates and current clinicians will be joining the teacher-training program in order to fulfill the growing demand for the Professional Training Program.


OTCPicks.com Safe Harbour Statement: Statements contained in this document, including those pertaining to estimates and related plans, potential mergers and acquisitions, estimates, growth, establishing new markets, expansion into new markets and related plans other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements subject to a number of uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from statements made. OTCPicks.com provides no assurance as to the subject company's plans or ability to effect any planned and/or proposed actions. OTCPicks.com has no first-hand knowledge of management and therefore cannot comment on its capabilities, intent, resources, nor experience and makes no attempt to do so. Statistical information, dollar amounts, and market size data was provided by the subject company or publicly available sources believed by OTCPicks.com to be reliable, but OTCPicks.com provides no assurance, and none is given, as to the accuracy and completeness of this information.

Disclaimer: The information, opinions and analysis contained herein are based on sources believed to be reliable but no representation, expressed or implied, is made as to its accuracy, completeness or correctness. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This report is for information purposes only and should not be used as the basis for any investment decision. OTCPicks.com has received six thousand five hundred dollars from the company for SMAS advertising and promotional services. Write or call OTCPicks.com for detailed disclosure as required by Rule 17b of the Securities Act of 1933/1934. OTCPicks.com is not an investment advisor and this report is not investment advice. This information is neither a solicitation to buy nor an offer to sell securities. It should be considered to be an advertisement. Information contained herein contains forward-looking statements and is subject to significant risks and uncertainties, which will affect the results. The opinions contained herein reflect our current judgment and are subject to change without notice. OTCPicks.com and/or its affiliates, associates and employees from time to time may have either a long or short position in securities mentioned. Information contained herein may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of OTCPicks.com.

School



Clinical Somatic Education

Curriculum

The program is conducted in three semesters. The first semester is four weeks or 120 hours in length; the second and third semester are three weeks or 90 hours each. in total, the training course consists of 300 hours of supervised in-class education.

The first semester of the program is concerned with somatic functional problems of the trunk and vertebral column. Students will learn somatic educational techniques that are consistently effective in eliminating fundamental disorders such as chronic back and neck pain, chronic headaches, sciatica, scoliosis, etc. The program includes lectures on kinesiology and the phenomenon of sensory-motor amnesia. Students also learn diagnostic techniques based on recognition of the typical postural disorders of the Landau Reflex, Startle Reflex, and Trauma Reflex. During the first semester, students undergo a written examination on their knowledge of the field of kinesiology.

The second semester focuses on somatic functional problems of the shoulder joints and arms and of the hip joints and legs. Students will learn procedures for eliminating such problems as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitus, frozen shoulders, chronic hip and knee pain, pronated or supinated feet, etc., and attend lectures on neurophysiology. During the second year, students write an examination paper on their knowledge of the field of neurophysiology.

The final semester is largely devoted to expanding the clinical skills of the students and to deepening their understanding of neurophysiology. Students enhance their ability to help clients solve functional problems related to the extremities, walking/gait, balance, and other conditions. Those who successfully demonstrate competence (via examination at our training site) in Clinical Somatic Education to the Clinical Somatics accreditation board (the certifying agency for Clinical Somatic Education&) and who have completed all assignments are certified as approved clinical practitioners of Clinical Somatic Education and become Certified members of the Clinical Somatic Education Socitey.

The program employs team teaching to enrich the student's learning experience. Team teaching provides greater intellectual stimulation and closer supervision during clinical practice time. In addition, between semesters each student communicates with a mentor from the teaching team. Mentoring helps assure that students receive personal attention with regard to assignments, issues with clients, and staying on track for completion of the program by the end of the final semester.

Faculty

The faculty consists of certified Somatic Educators™. Training of Clinical Somatics™ practitioners may only be conducted by certified Somatic Educators licensed to do so by the Somatics Board of Accreditation. Our trainings are conducted by these licensed instructors.

The program employs team teaching to enrich the student's learning experience. Team teaching provides greater intellectual stimulation and closer supervision during clinical practice time. In addition, between semesters each student communicates with a mentor from the teaching team. Mentoring helps assure that students receive personal attention with regard to assignments, issues with clients, and staying on track for completion of the program by the end of the final semester.

Thomas Hanna's influence is profoundly felt in every training, not only because he personally instructed our trainers, but also because his educational methods and philosophy are the foundation for the program.

Trainers

Our faculty are not only fully licensed trainers, but the only licensed trainers in the world. In addition, each member has served or is currently serving as a Training Coordinator for the Novato Institute's training program. All trainers have been continuously active in the training program for over a decade and have been instrumental in developing the training program and curriculum.

Our faculty are certified practitioners of Somatic Education who maintain private practices and offer periodic workshops open to both the lay public and health care professionals. They are members of the Clinical Somatic Education Society.

Karen Hewitt is a certified Somatic Educator trained in the first program ever conducted by Thomas Hanna. She was the first Training Coordinator of the training program after Thomas Hanna. She has an extensive and distinguished background in classroom education, professional training, corporate training, and mathematics education. Karen is a founder and senior member of the Somatics Board of Accreditation, the international organization responsible for licensing and certifying Somatics programs and practitioners. Karen is a founding and Charter member of the Clinical Somatic Education Society, and has been in private practice in San Jose, California since 1990.

Susan Koenig is a certified Somatic Educator, and is also a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist. She is past Vice-President of the American Massage Therapy Association - California Chapter. Susan maintains a private practice in Berkeley, California.

Phil Shenk is a certified Somatic Educator. A former martial arts instructor, Phil began his somatic endeavors in 1973 with the practice of Tai Chi. He is a past Vice President of the American Massage Therapy Association - California Chapter. Nationally Certified in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork, Phil has been in practice in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork since 1980.

Marilyn Warnock is a certified Somatic Educator trained in the first program ever conducted by Thomas Hanna. Marilyn has been in practice in northern California since 1990. She was instrumental in founding the Clinical Somatic Education Professional Training Program.

Support

Students are provided year-round support and guidance as they work to complete their interim assignments and practice their clinical skills. In addition to general availability of the entire faculty, every student is assigned a single faculty member as a personal mentor, to provide the opportunity for consistent, one-on-one assistance and support. Furthermore, Somatic Systems Institute is open and available year-round for in-person and remote meetings, consultations, and support, as well as text books, training materials and practitioner tools.

Students automatically become Student Members of the Association for Clinical Somatic Education, Inc., the non-profit organization that is the official professional support and public education agency for the field of Clinical Somatic Education. Student Membership offers benefits valuable to students-in-training, including special marketing materials such as promotional brochures, discounts on annual conventions and conferences, web site tools for support and community, the latest CSE news, and involvement with the CSE community.

Student Benefits

Students benefit from the year-round support and membership resources described above. During semesters, students enjoy the benefits of the Hampshire College campus and the Five College area, as well as the synergy of a residential training program.

Graduation Benefits

Certified Graduates of SSI's program automatically become Certified Members of the Clinical Somatic Education Society. Their names will be listed in the Society's roster of certified practitioners provided to the public. Certified Members have full support of the Society, which develops, researches, and sponsors Clinical Somatic Education resources, courses, standards, etc. to support its members in benefiting the public and promoting public welfare.

Certified Graduates are life-long alumni of the Somatic Systems Institute, entitled to participate in a variety of support, internship, marketing, and co-marketing programs operated by the Institute.

Alumni Privileges

Certified Graduates automatically become lifetime members of the Somatic Systems Institute, entitled to participate in a variety of support, internship, marketing, and co-marketing programs operated by the Institute.

Active membership offers members a number of benefits, including advanced notice of upcoming events and trainings and notifications of special members-only bookstore sales. Additional, alumni members are able to participate in special events at the institute, and alumni events and support and study meetings.


Clinical Somatic Education Society

Certified Graduates of SSI's Clinical Somatic Education™ Professional Training Program automatically become Certified Members of the Clinical Somatic Education Society. Certified Members enjoy extensive professional benefits:

  • Certified practitioners' names will be listed in the Society's roster of certified practitioners provided to the public, including a searchable directory on the web.

  • Active members have full support of the Society, which develops, researches, and sponsors Clinical Somatic Education resources, courses, standards, etc. to support its members in benefiting the public and promoting public welfare.

  • Members benefit professional and personally from the Society's promotional efforts; marketing materials such as low-cost professionally developed brochures; web listings of Certified Members workshops and other events; individual web pages and service directories for members; a complete online community including professional message boards and discussion groups, calendars, and an Association projects manager; annual conventions; and a variety of other services that enable practitioners to maintain relationships with the Clinical Somatic Education community worldwide.

Internship Program

Certified practitioner graduates of our training program can apply for the opportunity to work in our offices as they build their new practices, work with us on public and continuing education programs, workshops, and other important projects - to help build their practices, skills, presence, confidence, competence, and advanced skills.

Group Practice

Certified practitioner graduates of our training program have the opportunity to operate their practices at the Institute, benefiting from our marketing and public education, and potentially joining us as paid trainers in upcoming programs.

Reunions

Graduates can take advantage of period meetings with their classmates, to brush up on their skills, support and network, share new skills, and reconnect with this important community.

 


OTCPicks.com Safe Harbour Statement: Statements contained in this document, including those pertaining to estimates and related plans, potential mergers and acquisitions, estimates, growth, establishing new markets, expansion into new markets and related plans other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements subject to a number of uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from statements made. OTCPicks.com provides no assurance as to the subject company's plans or ability to effect any planned and/or proposed actions. OTCPicks.com has no first-hand knowledge of management and therefore cannot comment on its capabilities, intent, resources, nor experience and makes no attempt to do so. Statistical information, dollar amounts, and market size data was provided by the subject company or publicly available sources believed by OTCPicks.com to be reliable, but OTCPicks.com provides no assurance, and none is given, as to the accuracy and completeness of this information.

Disclaimer: The information, opinions and analysis contained herein are based on sources believed to be reliable but no representation, expressed or implied, is made as to its accuracy, completeness or correctness. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This report is for information purposes only and should not be used as the basis for any investment decision. OTCPicks.com has received six thousand five hundred dollars from the company for SMAS advertising and promotional services. Write or call OTCPicks.com for detailed disclosure as required by Rule 17b of the Securities Act of 1933/1934. OTCPicks.com is not an investment advisor and this report is not investment advice. This information is neither a solicitation to buy nor an offer to sell securities. It should be considered to be an advertisement. Information contained herein contains forward-looking statements and is subject to significant risks and uncertainties, which will affect the results. The opinions contained herein reflect our current judgment and are subject to change without notice. OTCPicks.com and/or its affiliates, associates and employees from time to time may have either a long or short position in securities mentioned. Information contained herein may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of OTCPicks.com.

Testimonials



Testimonials

Steven Aronstein

In college, Steven Aronstein became debilitated by chronic pain throughout his body, weakness, gastrointestinal problems, and fatigue to the point of immunological & cognitive impairment. At the age of 19, he found himself with less health and function than most 70 year olds. Steven was officially diagnosed by specialist hospitals with fibromyalgia, a chronic illness of the nervous system and joints.

Unlike depression and other psychiatric disorders, this illness met very different criteria:  For example, studies and tests have shown that depressed patients consistently underestimate their ability to perform tasks, while fibromyalgia patients consistently overestimate their abilities.  In other words, patients suffering the way Steven did find themselves rapidly becoming a shadow of their former selves, despite their best efforts and intentions, and regardless of any other circumstances. 

This was definitely Steven’s situation: Ultimately, this condition necessitated medical leave, and he moved in with his family, as he was bedridden and unable to take care of himself, much less drive a car long distances or hold a job.  He didn’t have the strength or energy to exercise anymore, and his weight dropped to 125 pounds.

He continued to fight against it and look for answers.  He sought out every medical and alternative approach he could find, and did research for whatever hours of the day he had the strength and focus.  Staying in New York afforded the best and most extensive options.  Medicine, vitamins & supplements, physical therapy, many varying forms of Chiropractic, Feldenkrais, Alexander Technique, Cranio-Sacral technique, Rosen Method, Body-Mind Centering, shiatsu, meditation, massage, martial arts, Asian medicines, psychological counseling, and many, many other efforts all failed to help at all or, occasionally, offer more than temporarily partial relief.

Steven read Hanna’s book about Clinical Somatic Education, and found an explanation for virtually everything he had been experiencing, and conclusions that reflected the best, most advanced research he had come across.  Both Doctors and alternative practitioners didn’t know anything about it, and there were no practitioners to be found anywhere within 3,000 miles.  Finally a practitioner surfaced 200 miles from New York, and Steve found the first real improvements in his condition in 3 years of searching.  With most practitioners located in California, his progress was uncommonly slow:  However, with persistent travels to California, he gradually improved, and found himself symptom free within another 3 years. 

It has been ten years since then.  Whereas then Fibromyalgia was a strange, newly discovered syndrome, now there is a whole field of study dedicated to it, and support systems galore.  While support groups and medical “experts” continue to discuss and treat fibromyalgia a chronic, life-long illness and disability, Steven has remained fully cured and functional to this day.

Karen Hewitt

A car accident in which Karen slammed on the brakes to avoid hitting a cyclist led to a chronic knee problem.  The pain gradually worsened, until she had to avoid almost any exercise, including walking up the stairs.  Knee surgeries only made the condition worse.  Thirteen years later, she had to alternate between crutches and a wheelchair.  Due to her immobility, she had gained a great deal of weight, which doctors now blamed for the knee problem.  When she was told about Hanna’s clinic, 2 hours north of her, she scoffed:  Despite his 8 month waiting list at the time, her doctors had never heard of Somatics, and she wasn’t interested in a quack.  She read some of his research and findings, and realized that Hanna’s work was not only entirely western and biological in nature, it was more scientific and rational than most of the approaches and understandings her doctors had employed.

In the first few minutes of the first session with Karen, Hanna found the problem.  The musculature of her right side, hip, and shoulder was frozen in spasm for what he estimated had been about 11 or 12 years (he was off by one year).  He measured and showed her that there was a 9-inch difference in the reach of her right and left arm.  No doctors had seen, measured, or diagnosed this.

The treatment Hanna prescribed for this required 50 minutes.  By the end of that very first hour he ever spent with her, Karen got up from the table, walked out of Hanna’s office without crutches, and walked down the stairs for the first time in a decade.  Shocked, she ran back up and down the stairs repeatedly.  Hanna had her come back for one more session to address some minor imbalances in her back muscles, to avoid any future back problems (which Karen of course did without hesitancy).  Her knee has been pain free, and her side and the rest of her body fully functional, in the 15 years ever since.  Like most all other recipients of this work, regardless of her weight and age, she has gone on to enjoy increased flexibility and freedom from pain she never imagined.

Karen asked Hanna where she could go to learn how to do this, and he explained he was the only one who did it.  She asked him again, and he said that he had more writing and developing to do.  Three years later, when he announced the first training in Clinical Somatic Education, Karen was one of the first to apply.  Karen trained with Hanna, and when Hanna died right after that, it was Karen who organized his students and who was took over operation his program.  She is the first, longest-serving, and most centrally involved trainer and director in the Clinical Somatic  programs, and has now dedicated her time to implementing Hanna’s original program at Somatic Systems Institute.


Kathy Kerber

I was born with scoliosis and a left leg that was ¼” shorter than my right leg. I was lucky that my scoliosis was an “S” curve, which meant that my spine was somewhat balanced. I wore a ¼” lift in my left shoe to even out my hips. From the age of 12 through the age of 18, I kept an annual appointment with one of Chicago’s top orthopedic surgeons. He took X-rays and measured any variance in the spinal curves. I watched with bated breath each year to find out if it had gotten worse since the year before, knowing that if it got bad enough, I would either be put in a body brace or have to undergo surgery to straighten my spine: neither sounded like an acceptable option. Luckily, I did not have to undergo either of those treatments. I was sure it was because I took his advice and joined the swim team in high school.  He said that swimming was the best sport for my condition. He also prescribed that I lie on my left side for 30 min. each day, but that just wasn’t possible during my school years. Talk about determination, at my first swim practice, the coach told us that the warm-up was 80 lengths. I looked up at her and asked, “without stopping?” and she said yes. I had never swum more than one length in my whole life. I pushed away from the shallow end and proceeded to swim competitively for most of my high school years and then swam for exercise in college. I never suffered any back pain.

A few months before my 24th birthday, I had my first “back attack.” It was the morning of my sister’s wedding. I bent over to pick up a piece of lint on the floor and my back seized up into a spasm that was so bad that I could not breathe. I was terrified. I could hardly move. I didn’t know what to do. I was a bridesmaid in the wedding and I had to be there. Alas, like most of us who encounter back pain, I soon discovered painkillers. I called my doctor and with the help of a few pills, made it through the ceremony standing as straight as a flagpole. Smiling in the photos afterward was really tough.
Throughout my 20s and 30s I suffered a series of back spasms. The pain started on my lower left side and eventually seized the muscles around my rib cage. My doctor’s prescription amounted to bed rest until the muscles let go and muscle relaxants. I often laid there, unable to move much because of the pain, feeling my heart slow down from the muscle relaxants, wondering if they were such a good idea… The pain was so intense that I had to crawl to the bathroom and could hardly lift myself onto the toilet. These episodes typically lasted 3-5 days. I wondered if I would be in a wheelchair by 40.

Sometime in my mid 20s, I went to see a new doctor, a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine, and he said that he also had scoliosis and had just learned to live with the pain. But, he also thought that I might find some relief if I went through some intense physical therapy. For two months, I went to physical therapy twice/week. The only relief was the stretching machine, where my shoulders and hips were strapped in and my body literally pulled apart. That felt good, but the pain came right back once I stood up afterward. I laughed to myself when they gave me the ultrasound treatments, what a joke. The exercises that they gave me did not work, but I did them religiously. The biggest problem, they told me, was that I drove 45 miles to work each way and it was hurting my back to be bumped around in the car that long everyday. I remember leaving physical therapy feeling better and then getting in the car, driving to work, and then barely being able to pull myself out of the car when arriving at work. After getting out of my car, I could not stand up straight. The pain was awful. It often took several hours before I felt like I was able to stand up straight. And, then, as it suddenly arrived, the pain would all of a sudden disappear, sometimes for several months. But, it always came back.

In my early 30s, I started managing my company’s trade show program, traveling around the U.S. and then to Europe, managing booth installation and dismantling. On these trips, I often suffered from severe spasms and I could not call in sick. One day while I standing in front of a mirror in my hotel room, putting on makeup, I felt a pain develop in my back and watched as my left hip started raising itself, until it was effectively 2-3 in. higher than the right hip. The image I saw in the mirror was a deformed body. And, the pain was unbearable. I remember getting down on the floor and doing exercises, yelling at my back and telling it that I was not going to get up off the floor until it let go. Several minutes later, the pain eased enough to leave my hotel room and go to the convention floor. I felt extreme pain with every step. My hips were still way out of alignment, but I had to go on. Those days required standing most of the day. By the end of the day I was beside myself with pain and exhaustion. By this stage of my life, I had learned to live with the pain and I steered clear of muscle relaxants. I had resigned myself to a life with intermittent periods of intense pain.

I started mountain biking at age 34. Of course my doctor warned against it, warning that the jarring would damage my back. But, I found mountain biking to be an exhilarating sport, and over time, I noticed that my back spasms had begun to decrease. I was not sure if it was because of mountain biking and being in top physical condition. I did not do any special back exercises during that time and I never did stretching exercises.

I learned about Clinical Somatics™ at the age of 39, quite unexpectedly. My husband and I were redoing our front and backyard landscape and one afternoon I noticed that the outside of my left thigh became numb. All of a sudden, I could not feel the fabric of my sweatpants against my skin. It was strange. I felt no pain, no tingling, no redness, no swelling, just surface numbness. I didn’t even feel any back pain. I called my doctor. She said that it’s not an emergency, as long as there is no loss of strength. She said if it’s not gone the following week to call for an appointment. I went in the next week and the nurse practitioner prescribed 100 mg of Norflex, to be taken every 12 hours for 15 days. She said if it’s not cleared up in 4-6 weeks, I should see an orthopedic surgeon that they recommend. She said that she saw no sign of neurological dysfunction.

Three days after this appointment, I walked into a Clinical Somatic Educator’s office, per a friend’s recommendation to see if she could help with the numbness. She looked at my posture and asked about my history. I told her about my scoliosis. What she then told me shocked me. She explained to me that scoliosis is not something you are born with, as the spine is not developed enough when you are born. Scoliosis develops as you take the tumbles in life and general traumas to your body that we all experience. Most likely there was some accident or fall I had taken before the age of five that caused my condition. She also told me that I did not have a shorter left leg, that my scoliosis had my entire trunk off balance and that I would not have to wear a lift in my shoe ever again. At first, I thought I was hearing the ravings of a quack. Then, she told me that she’d fix my scoliosis during the first one-hour session. I did not believe that it was possible. So, she took a black marker and marked the vertebrae so that I could take a before/after view of my back. The markers clearly illustrated my “S” curve. She then systematically de-contracted all the small muscles that attach the vertebrae to the large muscle groups. To my surprise, I looked in the mirror and saw that my “S” curve was no longer there. My spine was perfectly aligned. It was a miracle. And the process was entirely pain free. She suggested two variations of an exercise, called arch and flatten, that I was to do twice/day to lengthen the muscles in my back and abdomen. She told me that I’d need 4 sessions all together. These sessions were for:

  • Green light reflex
  • Trauma reflex
  • Startle reflex
  • Whiplash, tight jaw muscles, bunion pain

Results: During every session, as the muscles would de-contract, I would feel a rush of heat energy flow through that part of my body, almost like that area was awakening from a deep sleep. I also noticed that by adjusting my spine, eliminating my rib cage tilt, and aligning my hips and legs that my clothes fit differently. I was able to wear one size smaller in jeans, as my real body shape was now somehow smaller. But the biggest difference to me was felt in the simple act of walking. I felt much more at ease in my body and it felt good to walk. In fact, I remember after one session, going down to the beach and just enjoying the sensation of walking. My hips and entire trunk were loose and it felt like I was walking on air. Also, within two weeks of my first session, the numbness in my leg disappeared. I even felt my overall mood change. I just felt happier and didn’t find myself worrying as much. I also found that I no longer woke up in the middle of the night to urinate. A good night’s sleep is such a blessing.

In the end, I had seven sessions with My Clinical Somatic Educator, five occurring over a period of four weeks. I also had two sessions about three months later. After that, I never had another appointment.
Besides the sessions, she prescribed a series of exercises for my particular weak areas and suggested several exercise tapes that I should follow to maintain my body. I found that there were particular exercises that I learned to do when I felt pain from overworking my body, such as the heavy-duty gardening work we were doing. If a pain developed in my lower left side of my back (my main trouble area), I would go into the house, lie down and within 20 seconds, I could free that muscle group, get up and be as good as new. To finally have control over my muscles was a dream come true. Today, six years after my first Clinical Somatics™ session, I have not one back spasm.

Another surprising thing happened during this period of my life. I had developed asthma (and was told by my new allergist that I had had it all my life) in 1997 soon after the death of a family member. I soon after found myself under the care of an allergist who prescribed 5 different medications, three of which were inhalants that I was took twice a day, while also monitoring/measuring my breathing.

Sometime after my Clinical Somatic sessions in 1999, one day I forgot to take my asthma medication and about one week afterward, it occurred to me what had happened. I also noticed that I wasn’t wheezing. I called my allergist for an appointment and after performing his usual battery of tests with a surprised look on his face he told me that he could detect no sign of asthma. Amazing. I don’t know if Clinical Somatics™ had anything to do with it, but the timeliness of it all was difficult to disregard.

I continued to do my exercises for many months after my Clinical Somatic  sessions and found that the arch and flatten exercise even helped me with uphill mountain biking. I don’t know how a back exercise can affect the large muscles in your legs, but it did and I noticed a substantial increase in leg power. I also found that I didn’t become short of breath as easily. I had finally found a way to manage my back pain, maintain my body, and live a life with no fear of aging.

 


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Disclaimer: The information, opinions and analysis contained herein are based on sources believed to be reliable but no representation, expressed or implied, is made as to its accuracy, completeness or correctness. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This report is for information purposes only and should not be used as the basis for any investment decision. OTCPicks.com has received six thousand five hundred dollars from the company for SMAS advertising and promotional services. Write or call OTCPicks.com for detailed disclosure as required by Rule 17b of the Securities Act of 1933/1934. OTCPicks.com is not an investment advisor and this report is not investment advice. This information is neither a solicitation to buy nor an offer to sell securities. It should be considered to be an advertisement. Information contained herein contains forward-looking statements and is subject to significant risks and uncertainties, which will affect the results. The opinions contained herein reflect our current judgment and are subject to change without notice. OTCPicks.com and/or its affiliates, associates and employees from time to time may have either a long or short position in securities mentioned. Information contained herein may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of OTCPicks.com.

Management



Steven Aronstein, CEO

Steven Aronstein is a certified Clinical Somatic Educator trained in the second somatics program ever conducted. He has practiced in Western Massachusetts and the Northeast for 12 years. He also has a 10-year professional background in computer development and consulting, including large-scale software development projects for the New York Knickerbockers basketball team and the Calvin Klein company.

Karen Hewitt, VP of Educat ion

Karen is a founding member of the Clinical Somatic Education training program has been in private practice in San Jose, California since 1990. She is responsible for establishing and directing the most fundamental components of the original somatics training curriculum. Ms. Hewitt has a 30-year distinguished background in classroom education, professional training, corporate training, and mathematics education. She has worked for public schools, remedial programs, and for a wide variety of large and small corporations in management, training, and customer support capacities.

 


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Disclaimer: The information, opinions and analysis contained herein are based on sources believed to be reliable but no representation, expressed or implied, is made as to its accuracy, completeness or correctness. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This report is for information purposes only and should not be used as the basis for any investment decision. OTCPicks.com has received six thousand five hundred dollars from the company for SMAS advertising and promotional services. Write or call OTCPicks.com for detailed disclosure as required by Rule 17b of the Securities Act of 1933/1934. OTCPicks.com is not an investment advisor and this report is not investment advice. This information is neither a solicitation to buy nor an offer to sell securities. It should be considered to be an advertisement. Information contained herein contains forward-looking statements and is subject to significant risks and uncertainties, which will affect the results. The opinions contained herein reflect our current judgment and are subject to change without notice. OTCPicks.com and/or its affiliates, associates and employees from time to time may have either a long or short position in securities mentioned. Information contained herein may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of OTCPicks.com.

Contact


Somatic Systems Inc.
32 Masonic Street
Northampton, MA 01060-3038
Phone: 877-586-2555
Fax: 413-586-2552

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Website
www.somatics.org


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Disclaimer: The information, opinions and analysis contained herein are based on sources believed to be reliable but no representation, expressed or implied, is made as to its accuracy, completeness or correctness. Past performance is no guarantee of future results. This report is for information purposes only and should not be used as the basis for any investment decision. OTCPicks.com has received six thousand five hundred dollars from the company for SMAS advertising and promotional services. Write or call OTCPicks.com for detailed disclosure as required by Rule 17b of the Securities Act of 1933/1934. OTCPicks.com is not an investment advisor and this report is not investment advice. This information is neither a solicitation to buy nor an offer to sell securities. It should be considered to be an advertisement. Information contained herein contains forward-looking statements and is subject to significant risks and uncertainties, which will affect the results. The opinions contained herein reflect our current judgment and are subject to change without notice. OTCPicks.com and/or its affiliates, associates and employees from time to time may have either a long or short position in securities mentioned. Information contained herein may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express written consent of OTCPicks.com.

 

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