Tired of exercises that were made for someone else’s body, despite your best efforts? Frustrated with a traditional medical approach that isn’t meeting your needs, while you are trying your best to feel better?
Your body isn’t just mechanical parts. Your symptoms are signals from your body’s inner wisdom that is trying its best to tell you what it needs.
Together we can interpret those signals and get to the root of your issues. We’ll create an individualized program that meets your body’s needs. You’ll feel empowered when you are able to find practices that you enjoy rather than struggle with. Let's awaken your body’s ability to heal itself.
About Us
After nearly 30 years of teaching movement/exercise and 15 years of clinical practice as a doctor of physical therapy I created Inner Awakening to support clients on their inner journey to healing.
I have lived this journey as a patient, clinician, dancer, personal trainer, pilates instructor, yoga therapist and person living with invisible disability. My path revealed an underlying connective tissue disorder that affects every system of the body. Living with hypermobile Ehlers Danlos Syndrome has made me a better therapist, educator and health coach, because I had to find ways to cope– for myself and for the clients I serve. A a result, I’ve become a specialist in:
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- Hypermobility and EDS
- Autonomic dysfunction/dysautonomia and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS)
- Intracranial hypertension and hypotension (CSF leaks)
- Abdominopelvic therapy, the pelvic floor and core
- Joint instability, stabilization and proprioception
- Chronic pain and stiffness
- Hands-on therapies and self-applied techniques to improve pain and ease of motion
- Balance, stability, vestibular and sensory integrationTrauma-informed practice
- Mindful movement-based strategies individualized for each client’s unique and evolving needs, even when complex or misunderstood medical conditions are present
- Person-centered, evidence-informed, biopsychosocialspiritual practice
I am currently researching vagal nerve stimulation at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) and I look forward to exploring how you can:
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- Stimulate your vagal/parasympathetic system to awaken your body’s capacity to rest, digest, restore and recover
- Understand your body’s signals so that you can take informed action to meet your body’s needs
- Feel confident in your ability to access resources and support that you need to optimize your health
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Book Here for a Health Consultation
Read more below in Our services, which include physical and yoga therapy, individualized therapeutic exercise, group workshops, online video library for at-home self-paced practice, online health consults and coaching to awaken your inner guide that will help you adapt to whatever challenges you are facing.
Additional services include:
-Integrative Restoration (iRest) Yoga Nidra
-Dry needling
-Tempromandibular disorder (TMD) or jaw pain management
-Pre/postnatal yoga or pelvic rehabilitation
-Advanced joint mobilization techniques for pain management and/or mobility
Book Here for Physical Therapy
Looking forward to empowering your inner coach with a mindful and movement-inspired practice that works for you!
All the best,
Dr. Catherine Lewan
Speciality Areas:
- Mobility and hypermobility
- Pain Management and pain neuroscience education
- Pelvic Floor, pelvis and spine
- Pre and post-natal peripartum care
- Trauma and post-traumatic stress
- Autonomic regulation and polyvagal theory applications
- POTS and Long-COVID POTS
- Mindfulness, yoga, Pilates, adaptive therapeutic exercise
Services:
- Physical therapy and pelvic physical therapy for women, men, trans and non-binary folks
- Individual Health Coaching
- Health Coaching Groups (TBA- contact me to get on the wait list)
- Online libraries and subscriptions for therapeutic exercise and education (coming soon)
- Individual yoga therapy and group therapeutic yoga workshops
- Professional education for therapists, healthcare and fitness professionals
- Advocacy for underserved or misunderstood populations
Testimonials
If you are looking for a solid, intense workout lead by a positive, passionate, and totally well-informed instructor, you need to attend Catherine Lewan’s classes. As a dedicated yoga student of Catherine’s for over 5 years, I can attest she has positively changed my life. She shows you the way to think about your body in a different perspective and provides the instructions on how to make it better. She has variety in each class, gives excellent queues, hands-on adjustments (at your discretion), and insightful thoughts to help you with truly understanding the practice of yoga. Best of all, she loves life and it shows.
-Carolyn S
“Dr. Catherine – Thank you so much for your incredible patience, kindness, and expertise. I know that I am in good hands.
Dr. Catherine Lewan is very knowledgeable about EDS/POTS, and is always furthering her education on the subject. This makes her a wonderful physical therapist and an excellent problem solver for patients like myself. She teaches me so much about being hypermobile, no other physician has been able to help me like she has. I am better able to manage my symptoms now. I am so thankful for Dr. Catherine.
EDS/POTS
Catherine is an energetic, bright, and passionate facilitator. She makes class fun and enjoyable!
This instructor is great! I will be taking more courses with her. She has the ability to communicate information in an interesting manner. I think this is the best instructor I have ever taken a (continuing education) class with!
– Janet L
Catherine has literally changed my life. I was very limited physically, dealing with chronic pain in multiple parts of my body– I felt stuck, lost, weak, and powerless. Catherine introduced me to pain science, which has opened the door for me to a completely new world– one in which I’m strong and capable, where I understand what is happening in my body and the amazing ways in which our bodies can change and adapt.
Catherine always listens to everything I have to say and works as a “detective” trying to find clues that will help inform my treatment and what my body needs. She has empowered me by giving me multiple sources of information to understand chronic pain and tools to self-manage my symptoms and be independent. She encourages me to work towards specific goals-which keeps me super motivated- and I love how she is very dedicated to making sure I achieve them.
Catherine is extremely smart, committed, and compassionate. I feel so very grateful I found her, and wish every person dealing with chronic pain had access to her gentle, wise, and empowering approach!
“After struggling with POTS and feeling limited by pain related to hypermobility, I was able to confidently leave home for my college of choice with no limitations after working with Dr. Cat. She helped me adapt my workouts so that I could resume weightlifting and running.”
I worked with Catherine when I broke my collar bone. She treated me for the muscles and movement around the break, but also helped me recover areas of strength that I had neglected because I was protecting the area around my collar bone. She helped me discover that I wasn’t using my back muscles properly to carry my baby. Her method incorporated pilates, yoga asana and strengthening exercises in addition to manual therapy. I was very worried about returning to yoga and never thought I would be able to do down-dog again. She helped me feel confident in my body again.
-JJ
Catherine tailors her classes to the needs of participants of all ages and conditions. She uses props to enhance each movement, and modifications that offer me the opportunity to take care of my body using weekly Pilates and Yoga group classes. I also see her in the clinic for treatment of my arthritis, and I have found her expertise, respect for the human body and her personal centeredness to be an extraordinary resource.
Very clear, inspirational and motivational. Passionate about her subject. Great teacher and course!
-Beth B
Catherine is a natural teacher. When I take her yoga class it is as if she is talking to me personally (even when the room is full). She is so in-tune with how the body works – or isn’t working. Catherine tells us to be gentle to our bodies. She eases us into the class with gentle pranayama and then takes us through asanas that always magically warm us up to the climax of the class (modified for different levels always). But this is where her Physical Therapy expertise shines through: Catherine knows the body so well. Her knowledge of the body as well as the anatomy of the pose means that you will experience asana in a new way, every time.
Catherine kept the material fun to learn throughout the whole day! She is an impressive presenter! The whole course was well organized and had great handouts.
– Anna L
