Meet Somatic Healer, Liz Tenuto
Learning To Let Go, Liz Tenuto, Helps Individuals Release Trapped Trauma & Pain In The Body
Liz Tenuto specializes in somatic exercises for women. She's helped over 50,000 women heal from trauma and long-term physical pain over the last 15 years. Liz is known as “The Workout Witch” due to her ability to get people out of pain. She offers 30-day courses and is best known for her work with hips & trauma release.
Hi Liz! Can you tell us the story behind the name, “The Workout Witch”?
I often meet my students after they have tried going to several doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, or trying acupuncture/yoga. I was able to show students how to reduce their pain in one somatic exercise lesson. My in-person clients used to joke that I am "a witch with healing powers." I loved this and decided to name-brand myself as The Workout Witch.
What are somatic techniques, and why do you perform those types of exercises instead of a typical workout routine?
When you're in pain or healing from trauma and you do more intense workouts, your body is sending threat signals to your brain, leading to more tension, more inflammation, and slowing down your healing process.
Somatic exercises release the tension, trauma, & pent-up survival energy from your body. If you're healing from trauma or from pain, you'll want to do somatic exercises to get your body back to homeostasis & regulate your nervous system before you do other types of fitness.
How have you developed your programs to help women heal from pain?
Photographer: Elena Zhukova
I have a few different somatic certifications, and I taught in person for 14 years. Over that time, I created specific sequences of exercises that were really effective for healing from trauma and pain. During the pandemic, I couldn't teach in person anymore, and created the 30-day courses as a way to continue to help people heal.
How has your personal experience with emotional trauma influenced the prioritization of exercise in your life?
I grew up in a narcissistic family system, and understand the physiological effects of emotional trauma very personally. I was a dancer as a child, so movement and exercise have always been my safe space to express myself and my emotions. Exercise, to me, is much more than a physical practice. It's a way that I heal mentally and emotionally too.
What kind of content can people expect to find on “The Workout Witch” blog?
Educational content. The blog is where we deep dive into explaining how trauma gets stored in your body & how to know if you have stored trauma. We also provide academic sources & book recommendations for people who want to learn more.
How do you design your programs to be personalized to individual body pain and stored trauma?
All of the courses are organized anatomically, which makes it easy to select a course if you're in pain. If you want to release stored trauma from your body but aren't in physical pain, the free your hips course is the one that includes the trauma release. If your whole body is in pain, you'll want to go for the the full body release / 3 course bundle. We have a quiz on our website where you can input your goals, where you feel pain, and if you have any health conditions to get a customized recommendation for your specific needs & goals.
What piece of advice would you give to someone currently struggling with unresolved emotional trauma?
Your body isn't broken & it's not your fault that you're feeling this way. Healing is possible, even if your trauma or pain is decades old. □
Article Credits
Liz’s Instagram: @theworkoutwitch
Liz’s TikTok: @theworkoutwitch_
Liz’s Website: www.theworkoutwitch.com
Liz’s Courses: www.theworkoutwitch.com/collections
Photography Credits
Photographer: Elena Zhukova
