The Thinking Practitioner

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Join two of the leading educators in manual therapy, bodywork, and massage therapy, as they delve into the most intriguing issues, questions, research, and client conditions that hands-on practitioners face. Stimulate your thinking with imaginative conversations, tips, and interviews related to the somatic arts and sciences.

Episodes

4 days ago

151: Finding Balance in an Out-of-Balance World (with Til Luchau & Whitney Lowe)

4 days ago

🎙What does it mean to find balance—when the world around us feels anything but balanced? Til and Whitney explore the many meanings of “balance,” from physical coordination and structural asymmetry to emotional regulation, interoception, and life rhythm. Drawing on neuroscience, somatics, and their own experience as bodyworkers, they reflect on how balance isn’t a fixed point—but a dynamic process of continual adaptation.

Whether you’re a practitioner looking to stay grounded in caregiving roles, or just navigating modern overwhelm, this episode offers practical insights and embodied metaphors to help you stay centered.

✨ Inspired by Til’s upcoming retreat, Finding Balance in an Out-of-Balance World, happening March 2026 in Thailand. Sign up now with a $350 deposit, and use code “thinking” for $100: https://a-t.tv/thailand-retreat-2026/

🔍 Key Topics:

•00:00 – What “balance” means in the body and beyond

•04:20 – Balance as movement, not stillness

•08:00 – Vestibular systems and the emotional brain (Hitier et al., 2014)

•12:15 – Why imbalance is fertile ground for growth (Kelso & Engström, 2006)

•15:30 – The body as metaphor for internal regulation

•18:05 – Interoception as a compass for emotional balance (Mehling et al., 2012)

•22:40 – Is symmetry the goal—or functional asymmetry?

•26:50 – Giving and receiving: how practitioners stay balanced

•31:00 – Tech vs. touch: what really heals?

•34:20 – Work/life balance and showing up for clients

•37:10 – Micro-practices: balance in everyday moments

•40:30 – Retreat as a reset: what stepping away reveals

•44:15 – Closing reflections + details about the Thailand retreat

📚 Resources Mentioned in This Episode

•Hitier, M., Besnard, S., & Smith, P. F. (2014). Vestibular pathways involved in cognition. Frontiers in Integrative Neuroscience, 8, 59. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnint.2014.00059

•Slomo – A short documentary about Dr. John Kitchin’s journey toward balance and meaning. https://vimeo.com/channels/5pointpicks/90655826

•Adachi, Kendra. The Plan: A Step-by-Step Guide to Rest, Peace, and Purpose (2024) – A practical and compassionate approach to designing a life that works for you. https://www.amazon.com/Plan-Step-Step-Guide-Purpose/dp/0593578502

Sponsor Offers:

Books of Discovery: save 15% by entering "thinking" at checkout on booksofdiscovery.com.
ABMP: save $24 on new membership at abmp.com/thinking.
Advanced-Trainings: try a month of the amazing A-T Subscription free by entering “thinking” at checkout at a-t.tv/subscriptions/,.
Academy of Clinical Massage: Grab Whitney's valuable Assessment Cheat Sheet for free at: academyofclinicalmassage.com/cheatsheet
Til’s upcoming retreat, Finding Balance in an Out-of-Balance World, happening March 2026 in Thailand. Use code “thinking” for $100 off: https://a-t.tv/thailand-retreat-2026/

💡 Join the Conversation: Share your thoughts with us! info@thethinkingpractitioner.com

✨ Rate, review, and share! Help others discover The Thinking Practitioner podcast.

🎁 Get the full transcript at Til or Whitney's sites!

Whitney Lowe’s site: AcademyOfClinicalMassage.com
Til Luchau’s site: Advanced-Trainings.com

About Whitney Lowe | About Til Luchau | Email Us: info@thethinkingpractitioner.com

(The Thinking Practitioner Podcast is intended for professional practitioners of manual and movement therapies: bodywork, massage therapy, structural integration, chiropractic, myofascial and myotherapy, orthopedic, sports massage, physical therapy, osteopathy, yoga, strength and conditioning, and similar professions. It is not medical or treatment advice.)

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