I am Natalia Balabanova-Madl, a truth seeker, embodiment enthusiast, and somatic coach. Love and curiosity are my driving forces. I am Russian born and my spirituality is deeply rooted in Russian culture, and part of it is that I like to ask existential questions and look for essence of things.
In Russia I worked as lawyer and project manager for 11 years. I completed various, rural as well as urban, development projects. Although interesting and rewarding, I felt growing personal dissatisfaction, so I took a break in my professional career and went abroad.
The next 6 years I lived and worked internationally. I studied English in Canada and experienced life in a multicultural environment. I went to China, learned some basic Mandarin, enjoyed strolling the streets of Shanghai and founded my own company in the field of language exchange.
In China I also met my love, this brought me to Germany and Berlin is our home, since 2014.
I am very grateful for this journey – it has shaped and enriched my personality. Moving through major transitions in life, I encountered many different people and situations, and I realised that we have all resources that we need in ourselves, all the potential for self-learning and self-healing. It is through our body – not through the mind – we connect to the universal life energy that is guiding us.
I started studying with Joseph Kramer in 2015 and accomplished professional training as Certified Sexological Bodyworker (CSB) in International Institute for Sexological Bodywork (IISB), Switzerland, and in a number of workshops on bodywork, including the “Wheel of Consent” by Betty Martin.
„Somatic Exercises can change how we live our lives, how we believe that our minds and bodies interrelate, how powerful we think we are in controlling our lives, and how responsible we should be in taking care of our total being.“
Thomas Hanna
In our everyday life I often witness disembodiment and distraction. As a Certified Sexological Bodyworker my initial aim was assisting individuals and couples to deepen their connection with their bodies and sexuality. But more than that limited scope, I became fascinated to discover a potential of embodiment as a way of experiencing life through our sensations, emotions and interactions, integrating the body as essential place of change, learning and transformation.
So, I found the purpose of my work in helping others to get in touch with their bodies, wake up the sensations and discover their true potential – in a very practical and enjoyable way. For that purpose, I bring different somatic aspects as breathing, movement, posture, non-verbal communication, and placement of attention to my clients.
Together with my partner, I have been practicing Kinbaku – Japanese Rope Bondage – for over 5 years now. Kinbaku for me is an exciting personal inquiry into the realm of what happens when being forced out of learned patterns and automatic reactions and surrendering to the flow of here and now. I am fascinated by this highly personal creative high tension art of communication between two people coming close, very close together, becoming vulnerable in showing themselves as they are and letting others see them. Practicing the art of Kinbaku deeply influenced how I am as a person and a woman in a relationship. I think this inquiry can go very deep and for the time being I just wish it never ends.
When being challenged in ropes, we respond the same way as when being challenged in life – with our conditioned tendency. How do you react on stress? on pain? on power? Rope makes everything tangible. It allowed me to become aware of my reactions.
And awareness is a first step to change. You can grow out of what holds you back, you can make a change you wish for. I know I did. Learning to feel myself, learning to take time to breathe and direct my attention, I learned that I have a freedom of choice… and that my past schemas are not so powerful anymore. I like to share it by passing on to others.
Based on this experience, I developed a structure for rope bottoms to deepen their experience in ropes and make it more internal, conscious and safe. But far beyond this very narrow application, I strongly believe that the principles and tools are a powerful gift for many people seeking to embody their truth in life.