Exploring the history of Hanna Somatic Education® brings us to the remarkable life and work of its founder, Thomas Hanna. A visionary philosopher and educator, Hanna developed the field of Somatics and a theory of somatology. As the founding editor of Somatics: Magazine-Journal of the Bodily Arts and Sciences, he recognized the transformative potential of somatic understanding and contributed a wealth of insights into its practical applications. His extensive writings remain an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to explore human potential.
Some of his notable works include:
The End of Tyranny: An Essay on the Possibility of America
Bodies in Revolt: A Primer of Somatic Thinking
The Body of Life: Creating New Pathways for Sensory Awareness and Fluid Movement
Somatics: Reawakening the Mind’s Control of Movement, Flexibility, and Health
Letters to Fred (a novel)
In the early 1970s, while serving as Chairman of Philosophy at the University of Florida, Hanna was introduced to the work of Moshe Feldenkrais, the Israeli physicist and body educator. Feldenkrais’s methods resonated deeply with Hanna’s somatic philosophy. In 1975, as director of the Humanistic Psychology Institute (now the Saybrook Institute), Hanna organized the first Feldenkrais training program in the United States. He continued to study with Feldenkrais for several years and practiced at the Novato Institute for Somatic Research and Training, which he co-founded with Eleanor Criswell Hanna in 1975.
During his extensive work with thousands of clients, Hanna observed recurring postural challenges across all ages and walks of life. He discovered specific techniques that effectively helped people regain control over muscles held in chronic contraction. These methods evolved into what is now known as Hanna Somatic Education.
In 1990, Hanna offered the first formal training program in Hanna Somatic Education. Over an intensive five-week course, he shared the full essence of his work with 38 students, laying the foundation for the method’s continued growth. Tragically, Hanna passed away in a car accident on July 29, 1990, before completing the full training series.
Thanks to Hanna’s clear organization and the dedication of Eleanor Criswell Hanna, Ed.D, director of the Novato Institute, and the associates from the 1990 course, Hanna Somatic Education has continued to thrive. Today, countless practitioners are trained in the comprehensive techniques and theories that form the core of this transformative work.