Paper short abstract:

Presenting a Somatics Toolkit for Ethnographers, in this session I focus on those aspects that actively draw on our bodies' resources for mental and emotional support during our challenging work as researchers in (medical) anthropology.

Paper long abstract:

As medical anthropologists we immerse ourselves in practices of health and (un)wellbeing of others, but how often do we actively take care of ourselves as researchers?

Together with Dr. Ben Spatz from the University of Huddersfield, I am developing a Somatics Toolkit for Ethnographers that facilitates an embodied approach to all parts of (ethnographic) research. This includes engaging with concrete research activities such literature review, fieldwork, analysis and dissemination through the (moving) body, but also utilising the body's resources for mental and emotional support of ourselves as researchers. It is the latter strand of the toolkit that I will focus on during this experiential presentation.

As researcher and movement practitioner I combine insights from somatics, health and wellbeing studies, and approaches to the art of living. How do we look after ourselves in an increasingly challenging work environment, while remaining passionate about what we are doing? How can we reconnect with what is meaningful to us? How can we draw on the treasures of our body-in-movement?

In this interactive session I will briefly introduce the project and some of its background, and then share a taster of some processes and practices that we are developing for the toolkit. We might, for example, work with supporting self-care; navigating emotions (in and after the field!); decision making and problem solving; or dealing with tension towards or within your data. As the time for the session is limited, I dearly invite your reflections, considerations, suggestions and feedback through other means afterwards.