Somatic embodiment, Community Workshops & Artistic Integration
ConTact C.A.R.E is a body-based approach to understanding how the nervous system and skeletal structure respond to impact, pressure, and perceived threat. Developed in Aotearoa, the practice recognises that the body stores experience in bone, muscle, and connective tissue — often long after an event has passed.
At Body Island, we work with ConTact C.A.R.E as both a therapeutic modality and a creative methodology. It informs how we rehearse, how we collaborate, and how we structure performance. Rather than prioritising narrative or psychology alone, we begin with the physical reality of balance, compression, flinch response, and reciprocal support.
Our workshops are grounded, practical, and consent-based. Participants learn how to read physical cues, apply pressure safely, understand leverage and skeletal alignment, and develop awareness of how survival responses show up in the body. The work is suitable for dancers, actors, athletes, community groups, and those interested in sustainable body practices.
In artistic contexts, ConTact C.A.R.E deepens partnering, strengthens ensemble trust, and expands the vocabulary of movement beyond aesthetics. In community settings, it offers tools for resilience, regulation, and embodied awareness without requiring personal disclosure.
We believe the body holds intelligence. Our practice supports people to work with that intelligence rather than override it.
Workshops can be delivered as short intensives, embedded festival programmes, educational modules, or community engagement alongside live performance.
What We Offer
Artist training intensives
Community workshops
Festival engagement programmes
Educational modules
One-on-one clinical sessions
Who It’s For
Performing artists
Tertiary institutions
Indigenous communities
Athletes
Creative collaborators
With extensive backgrounds in both sport and dance, we bring years of experience in teaching and training. Our therapeutic expertise encompasses a wide range of modalities such as Alexander Technique, Reiki, Remedial Massage, Yoga, Atua Healing, Somatic therapy, Spironics, Tai Chi, Qi Gong, Kempo, Personal and Sports Training, and Structural Alignment.
Nancy and Kelly possess a profound understanding of the body, gained through rigorous dance training, which forms the basis for their passion and ongoing exploration of the Flinchlock Release® method.
Initially utilized for our own injuries and enhancing dance performance, ConTact C.A.R.E has evolved to address personal trauma and various challenges like car accidents, sexual assault, birth trauma, addictions, post-operations, falls, and allergies.
Simple + Safe + Sensible
+ Self Evident
What our clients say:
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“Kelly has a rare talent for physical therapy. Over a series of contact CARE sessions, she helped me unwind and release many old injuries, physical and emotional patterns. Each session was unique and I was fascinated to feel the rapid shifts and changes we achieved together. The results from each session were cumulative and permanent. “
— KT
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After seeing Nancy I have cancelled my appointment with the specialist surgeon for shoulder pain (no longer in pain) shoulder and back pain all gone. Knee pain has reduced significantly to minor discomfort now and then. I no longer take pain medication or anti-inflammatory drugs and most significantly the brain fog from a traumatic brain injury has changed and it is not as challenging as before, which is an unexpected pleasure. Totally recommend this practice, it is gentle and very effective.
— AA
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My session was extraordinary. On a physical and mental level. My hip, foot and a few head knocks have been seen too. My pain has subsided and body is connecting to my head. I will be continuing to see Nancy for other injuries that I have accrued over the years.
— Deb Frame
Nancy Wijohn
Advanced Practitioner
& Foundation Instructor
Kelly Nash
Advanced Practitioner
& Foundation Instructor
OUR Foundation Course
The ConTact C.A.R.E Foundation Course is designed for hands on people who wish to learn a way of working with the body to support both themselves and others. Complementary work for all health professionals interested in a new approach to working with impact injuries and trauma.
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Learn ConTact C.A.R.E Flinchlock® Release, a Martial Arts-based discipline, created in NGATEA New Zealand, by Dale W. Speedy (6th dan Blackbelt Kiaido-Ryu) and Kym Summers.
Gain the foundational knowledge to understand what ConTact C.A.R.E® is, how it works, and learn skills to find and release Flinchlocked bones yourself.
Gain a certificate upon completion which goes towards further training in ConTact C.A.R.E.
Learn the treatment protocol of ConTact C.A.R.E Flinchlock® Release, to provide clarity for both practitioner and client by removing the body tensions that are overlying the actual injuries, making it easier to identify and work with them.
Engage in the practical study of what we call SKELETAL SENSORY SHOCK.
Learn specific exercises to grow your confidence in the use of the technique and a variety of easy to use strategies for the use of ConTact C.A.R.E
Course manual included as hard copy.
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ConTact C.A.R.E recognises the skeleton has it's own self-defence system which automatically and independently engages when bone is impacted by surprise.
When this happens, an individual's balance centre shifts to accommodate the perceived extra weight. It is a SENSORY impression of weight. It is felt, therefore it is acted upon by the entire body mass.
The bone 'spiral contracts' at the impact site creating a super sensitive over-contractive area around it that feels super strong, the rest of the body must then compensate with a counter- weight to maintain balance, (this is the felt stress). The client is feeling the compensation workload but NOT the cause of it.
ConTact C.A.R.E Practitioners are trained to locate and release the hidden CAUSES of what is being felt by the client.
The ConTact C.A.R.E technique/formula releases the spiral contraction so normal function may return.
Simply put the only question in the ConTact C.A.R.E Practitioner's mind is, "where's the BONE that's causing that."
We are skilled in seeing what does NOT move in a sea of movement. Extra-ordinary movement is created by extra-ordinary STILLNESS.
The clinical experience is non-intrusive and gentle, the techniques safe and effective.
Consultations are carried out with the client fully clothed.