April 26, 2025 My Mom Chose Somatic Therapy Over a Beautiful Hike, Go Figure.

April 26, 2025•9 min read

Utah! Almost time to leave!

Towards the end of the trip, Robin and Kathe went to hike around Arches National Park.

My Mom stayed home, so she doesn't have any photos from the hike.

Feel free to google the Park, and you'll see the Arches!

My Mom didn't mind missing the hike, because she had a Somatic Therapy appointment, with Robin's neighbor, Christy Williams Dunton.

My Mom loves trying things like this therapy.

She's more about opening her heart and mind than marching around the great outdoors.

Don't misunderstand, my Mom is sure that other people open their hearts and minds, while hiking around.

But if we were to take the "scales" out, my Mom would tip them towards a new spiritual adventure.

And of course, hiking can be or is a spiritual adventure for some people.

Oy! I feel like I'm hiking around in a circle!

Let's just say my Mom chose a "therapy" session over going on the hike with the girls.

Phew.

Anyway, Somatic Therapy is a body-oriented therapy, that is about releasing trapped energy, and restoring the body's natural ability to regulate itself.

My Mom said that the goal is to come to a sense of calm and well-being.

My Mom says her baseline is calmness and a sense of well-being, so, was this session a real eye-opener or body opener, uh, somewhat?

However, she did like spending the time with Christy and her dogs, and she did consider a few things during the session e.g. that my Mom was holding a lot of energy in her lower body, which probably ties into "sitting on the Bench" for 12 years, and listening to people's stories about their lives, which were never real uplifting happy stories; it was mostly people's grievances and unhappinesses.

There was some breathing and visualizing during the session, to "reclaim" my Mom's own energy, while releasing others' energies.

So, in that sense, it was kind of neat.

Processing others' pain is sort of what my Mom did as a Judge.

Processing it into a decision about their lives.

Now my Mom feels like she is "processing" the "pain" that her horses have dealt with in their lives.

Most of Kristen's (the ranch owner) horses having been rescued by her.

Now my Mom gets to "wash" the energy of the horses' pain away with her hands, while touching, massaging, brushing and speaking gently to them about how beautiful they are physically and spiritually.

She believes that a gentle touch and soothing voice are healing.

For all beings.

The photo at the top of this story is of Penny, Christy's dog.

Penny spent a lot of time near my Mom on the sofa but took to the back of a chaise, later.

Maybe to get away from all the energy getting moved around with my Mom.

The girls left for Salt Lake City at the end of the week's visit, with a great plan in mind.

Make the 4 hour trip to Salt Lake, the day before Kathe and my Mom's flights, to get closer to the airport and good food.

So....they did.

They stayed at a lovely hotel (Kathe's treat, thanks Babe!) and look what was in the hallway of the hotel?

Hotel Horse Energy!

First stop was back to Salt and Olive for another great lunch, and then, have dinner at Valter's, another really great restaurant.

At dinner, the girls toasted each other for having a great time together, and settled down to some very nice food.

Their server Eduardo was the most charming and attentive man.

My Mom said it was so much fun chatting with him, and listening to all of his suggestions for them.

My Mom was in Heaven when he said that the Chef would make anything they wanted.

This photo is of Eduardo putting the final touches on my Mom's meal.

My Mom asked for grilled shrimp over arugula, with bruschetta.

She said it was DELICIOUS.

Eduardo gave my Mom a jar of Valter's honey and a rhinestone pen when they were leaving!

They really did have fun with him and thoroughly enjoyed his attention and warm personality.

This was a wonderful way to end a wonderful trip.

Open a Valter's and Salt and Olive in Tahoe, please!!

Robin visited a friend in Salt Lake City, and Kathe came back to Tahoe with my Mom.

Kathe and John (her husband, now deceased, a.k.a. "Big Babe", see Book 2, "RESCUED" for the Babes, spent many years vacationing in South Lake Tahoe.

My Mom wanted Kathe to see our cabin and to see Lake Tahoe once again.

When they woke up their first day back, (keep in mind that this is late April), snow had fallen!

Welcome back to South Lake Tahoe Babe!!