You deserve to feel at home in your body

You deserve to feel safe, powerful, and confident in your skin.
You deserve to experience the freedom of unrestrained pleasure.
You deserve to do more than just survive.
You deserve to heal and thrive.

Hi, I'm Sol! I’m a somatic sex educator + counselor, embodiment facilitator, abortion doula, and sensual movement guide, here to empower you on your journey of body liberation and healing. It is my passion and my purpose to help you release your shame, reconnect to your body, and reclaim your power.My practice is grounded in holistic, politicized, trauma-informed, and healing justice frameworks, and acknowledges that we’ve all experienced trauma and disconnection from our bodies under oppressive structures and systems. I aim to center and uplift the experiences of queer, trans, disabled, and racialized folks, sex workers, non-monogamous, kinky, poor and working class people, and folks of other marginalized experiences—though I warmly welcome survivors of all identities and backgrounds.

• Get to know me

about me

Hi, I’m Solana!
(they/them/theirs)I’m an unapologetically queer, nonbinary, disabled human, trauma survivor, healing practitioner, and advocate for body liberation + pleasure. I am a facilitator of somatic bodywork, sensual movement, embodiment, and sex + kink education. I am a fierce supporter of reproductive justice and an abortion companion for pregnant folks in need. For over a decade, I’ve been honored to work with and hold space for other survivors in various settings—from volunteer crisis counseling to medical advocacy, from sexual health workshops to sensual dance classes and beyond.My practice is rooted in the deep belief in the body’s innate capacity to heal, and centers clients’ self-determination, agency, and consent. The core of my work is empowering survivors to come home to their bodies using a variety of grounded holistic and pleasure-centered somatic tools. In a world that oppresses and cuts us off from our sensual selves, prioritizing pleasure + connection to the sacred body are radical acts of self-love and care.While I primarily work with individuals and small groups, I recognize that individual healing and wider societal change are interdependent. My approach to somatic healing acknowledges both the systemic roots of trauma and embodied experiences of oppression; and though nothing can replace the work of community care and large-scale revolution, I believe each person’s healing journey is a seed for collective transformation and liberation.

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statement of accountability

For transparency, here is my positionality:
– I am a white settler on the unceded lands of the Potawatomi, Ojibwe, and Miami peoples (colonized as Chicago, Illinois)
– I’m a citizen of the United States since birth, and a native English speaker
– I identify as queer, nonbinary, chronically ill, disabled, neurodivergent, non-monogamous, and kinky
– I’m on the aromantic and asexual spectrums
– I became a single parent to my (now adult) son at age 17
– I’m a relationship anarchist and a political anarcho-communist, and a police and prison abolitionist
– I live with C-PTSD, severe anxiety, and depression
– My family is from a mixed-class background, and I’m currently in low socioeconomic class
– I have Czech, German, Scotch-Irish, and Lithuanian Jewish ancestry
– I was raised in and escaped Evangelical Christianity, and now practice Naturalistic Pantheism
– Fun silly facts: I’m an E/INFP; Pisces sun, Taurus moon, Cancer rising; Enneagram type 4, wing 5, Socionics type IEE, and a Manifesting Generator in Human DesignThe intersections of these various identities I hold—both privileged and marginalized—do not define me, but they all deeply inform the way I move through the world. They also influence how I show up as a healing practitioner; and I recognize that as a white person who is currently housed and employed, I have the potential to unwittingly and unconsciously do harm—particularly to Black, Indigenous, and other people of color, immigrants, and unhoused folks. I am committed to examining and dismantling my own privileges, and being actively anti-racist in my approach to creating safer healing spaces. I’m always available for feedback about how I can show up in a more equitable and just way.

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lineage of knowledge

I humbly acknowledge the peoples who have created and passed down the healing modalities I engage in, and am mindful of the ways that I use those practices from which I have no direct cultural lineage. Though the teaching of those modalities to other cultures was directly encouraged by their creators, I strive to be cautious in my application of such tools, and to honor rather than appropriate their sacred lineage.I have learned, practiced, and facilitated my somatic healing work primarily from a place of lived experience. As a multiply marginalized trauma survivor myself, nothing has better prepared me for holding space as a practitioner than the experiences I’ve been through, identities I hold, and healing work I’ve done for and with myself. I do not claim to be an expert in these or any other disciplines. However, I recognize the importance of proper training and ethical standards when it comes to working with the body, trauma, and sexuality. Here are a few of my relevant learning and professional growth experiences:Certifications + Trainings:
– Embodied Healing—the Somatics & Psychology of Trauma, Healing, & Embodiment // Embodied Philosophy
– Healing Sexual Trauma: A Professional Training in Trauma-Informed Care // The Breathe Network
– Wild Soul Movement Facilitator // Elizabeth DiAlto, WSM
– Sex Educator Cornerstone Series // Planned Parenthood
– Abortion Companion Certification // Chicago Women’s Health Center
– HIV + STI Counselor Certification // Chicago House and Social Service Agency
– Certified Domestic Violence Professional // State of Illinois
– Reiki Master-Teacher // MSI Healing
– Ayurvedic Head Massage Practitioner // Dr. Karen Wells
– Somatic Sex Educator Certification (In Progress) // Institute for the Study of Somatic Sex Education
– Intimacy Coordinator Certification (In Progress) // Intimacy Professionals Education Collective + SAG-AFTRAWorkshops + Courses:
– Working Affirmatively With LGBTQ Survivors of Sexual Violence // Brandon Bigby, LMFT
– Mandatory Reporting, Abolition, and Trans and Disability Justice // Transgender Law Center
– LGBTQ+ Inclusive and Affirming Sex Education // Spark*ED
– Wheel of Consent // Dr. Betty Martin
– Kink, BDSM, and Mental Health // Maria Carrington, LCSW
– Sexuality and Disability // University of Minnesota
– Foundations of Harm Reduction // Harm Reduction Coalition
– Healing the Nervous & Attachment Systems Through BDSM // Andrea Glik, LCSW
– Understanding the Neurobiology of Trauma // Resilience Chicago

say hello!

If you have questions about my work, are interested in hiring me, would like to collaborate on a project, or have another business inquiry (podcast interview, speaking event, writing, or workshop), please fill out the form below.
If you’d like to leave a testimonial or feedback, click here!I try my best to respond to most inquiries within 1-2 business days. Please note that as a disabled, chronically ill single parent who does this work alone, it may sometimes take up to two weeks to respond to non-urgent messages. Thank you for your understanding.