Gstaad Movements by Joan Fontarnau
Massage, Ski, Yoga, Hikes, Retreats.
With over 25 years of experience in healing, bodywork, and sports instruction, I bring a wealth of knowledge and a calm, conscious presence to my massage sessions, yoga lessons, retreats, and ski guiding days.
My journey began at a young age, driven by a passion for riding mountains and waves, skiing, and surfing—interests that remain vibrant today. I became a fully qualified ski instructor and have been a member of the I.S.I.A. since 1998. Based in Gstaad since 2012, I offer my services here as a private ski and snowboard instructor, as well as a snowshoe and ski tour guide.
I trained as a Massage Therapist in 1988 in Barcelona. My studies extended to working with Jean Louis Jacket, an osteopath and my mentor in bodywork and massage, as well as Pichest Boonthumme, a master of Thai massage.
My love for yoga led me to study with A.G. Mohan, a disciple of the legendary yoga master Sri T. Krishnamacharya, along with his wife Indra and their son Ganesh Mohan. I completed my yoga teacher training with them in 2007 and 2013.
Today, I share yoga and guide retreats under the umbrella of Svastha Yoga. My approach integrates my life experiences and further studies in Metaphysics with David Topi, Active Dreaming with Robert Moss, and Trauma with Merete Brantbjerg, creating a unique and holistic practice.
Path to Wholeness
Explore the resources below to delve into my studies, work, and approach to achieving wholeness. These insights offer a deeper understanding of how I integrate diverse practices and philosophies to cultivate a holistic and balanced lifestyle.
David Topí’s Work: Spirituality, personal development, and metaphysics.
David Topí is a renowned Spanish author, metaphysician, and teacher who focuses on spirituality, personal development, and metaphysics. His work revolves around exploring the deeper aspects of human consciousness and spiritual evolution. He combines various esoteric and metaphysical teachings to provide insights and tools for personal growth and self-awareness. Here are some key aspects of his work:
Key Areas
Metaphysics: Topí delves into the nature of reality, and the world we do not see, exploring concepts such as energy, consciousness, and the multidimensional aspects of existence. He discusses how understanding metaphysical principles can help individuals navigate life more effectively and align with their higher purpose.
Personal Development: Emphasizes self-awareness and self-improvement through introspection and conscious living. Provides practical guidance on how to overcome limiting beliefs, emotional blockages, and other obstacles to personal growth.
Spiritual Awakening: Guides individuals on their spiritual journey, offering insights into the process of awakening and the stages of spiritual evolution. Discusses the importance of raising one’s vibration and expanding consciousness.
Energy Work: Explores the role of energy in our lives, including how to work with and manipulate energy for healing and transformation. Offers techniques for energy cleansing, protection, and enhancement.
Impact
David Topí’s work has had a significant impact on individuals seeking deeper meaning and understanding in their lives. His teachings provide a roadmap for personal transformation, helping people to connect with their true selves and navigate the complexities of the modern world with greater clarity and purpose.
Merete Brantbjerg’s Work on Trauma:
Merete Brantbjerg is a well-known psychotherapist and body-oriented trauma specialist. Her work focuses on the integration of body and mind in the healing process, particularly through a modality she co-developed called Bodynamic Analysis. This approach emphasizes the role of the body in trauma and recovery. Here are some key aspects of her work on trauma:
Key Areas of Merete Brantbjerg’s Work
Bodynamic Analysis: Co-developed with Lisbeth Marcher, Bodynamic Analysis is a body-psychotherapy approach that explores the connection between psychological issues and the body’s muscular system. It identifies how trauma is stored in the muscles and how different muscle groups relate to specific psychological functions.
Resource-Oriented Skill Training (ROST): This method focuses on building personal resources and resilience to handle stress and trauma. It emphasizes the development of skills to manage and regulate one’s emotional and physical responses to trauma.
Trauma and the Body: Brantbjerg’s work highlights how trauma affects the body, particularly the muscular and nervous systems. She teaches how to recognize and release bodily tension and patterns that result from traumatic experiences.
Grounding and Centering Techniques: Utilizes techniques to help individuals stay grounded and centered, which is crucial for managing trauma responses. Encourages awareness of bodily sensations to foster a sense of safety and stability.
Psychomotor Skills: Develops specific psychomotor skills to enhance bodily awareness and control, which can aid in the recovery from trauma. Focuses on how movement and posture can influence psychological states.
Self-Regulation and Co-Regulation: Teaches methods for both self-regulation (managing one’s own emotional and physiological states) and co-regulation (using relationships to achieve stability and calm). Emphasizes the importance of safe, supportive relationships in the healing process.
Notable Contributions
Integration of Body and Mind: Brantbjerg’s work is notable for its deep integration of physical and psychological aspects of trauma. Her approach recognizes the body’s role in storing and expressing trauma and provides concrete methods for addressing these issues.
Focus on Resources and Strengths: Rather than only focusing on the deficits or problems caused by trauma, Brantbjerg emphasizes building on the individual’s strengths and resources. This positive approach empowers individuals and supports sustainable healing.
Impact
Merete Brantbjerg’s work has had a significant impact on the field of trauma therapy, particularly in the area of body-oriented psychotherapy. Her approaches have been widely adopted by therapists who seek to incorporate a more holistic understanding of trauma into their practice, recognizing the importance of the body in the healing process.
Her focus on resource-building and practical skills for managing trauma has empowered many individuals to achieve greater resilience and well-being. Through her teachings and writings, she has contributed to a broader understanding of how trauma affects the body and how body-based techniques can facilitate recovery.
How Merete Brantbjerg’s Work Bodynamic Analysis builds energy on the hypo given parts?
Merete Brantbjerg’s work within Bodynamic Analysis focuses on addressing and building energy in “hypo” parts of the body—areas that have reduced or limited energy due to past trauma, stress, or developmental issues. “Hypo” refers to body areas where there is diminished muscle tone, sensation, or emotional expression, often as a result of the body’s protective mechanisms.
Key Concepts in Merete Brantbjerg’s Approach:
Understanding Hypo States:
Hypo states in the body manifest as areas where there is underactivity or numbness. These can result from chronic stress, trauma, or adaptive strategies developed early in life.
In Bodynamic Analysis, hypo states are viewed as areas where the person has unconsciously restricted energy to avoid feeling certain emotions or to protect themselves from overwhelming experiences.
Building Energy in Hypo Areas:
Awareness and Engagement: The first step involves bringing mindful awareness to these hypo areas. This might include guided exercises that gently encourage the person to notice sensations, movements, and emotions in these underactive parts.
Titration: A key principle in Brantbjerg’s work is to work in small, manageable steps, or “titration.” This helps in gradually building energy without overwhelming the person or triggering a re-traumatization.
Muscle Engagement: Specific exercises might be used to engage the muscles in hypo areas. This could involve subtle, repetitive movements that are easy to perform and designed to gradually “wake up” the muscles and tissues.
Self-Regulation Techniques: Brantbjerg often integrates self-regulation techniques to help individuals manage any discomfort or emotions that arise as energy begins to flow more freely in hypo areas. This can include grounding exercises, breath work, and techniques for calming the nervous system.
Emotional Integration:
As energy is built in hypo areas, previously suppressed emotions and memories may surface. Brantbjerg’s approach includes working with these emotions in a contained and supportive manner, allowing for the integration of these experiences into the person’s present awareness. This emotional integration is key to healing, as it helps the person reconnect with parts of themselves that were previously disconnected or shut down.
Empowerment and Resilience:
The ultimate goal of building energy in hypo parts is to restore a sense of wholeness and empowerment. By gradually reactivating these areas, individuals can regain access to a fuller range of emotions, sensations, and movement, leading to increased resilience and vitality.