Self-Love Pole
by Therapeutic Bridges
Nurturing radical self-love, embodiment, and somatic healing through the art of pole.
What is Self-Love Pole?
This is a sacred space was born in 2024, as part of Therapuetic Bridges, a psychotherapy practice founded by Shaina Fawn.
Self-Love Pole is guided by principles of trauma-informed care, empowerment and social justice frameworks. This is a place where we come together to celebrate our bodies, our stories, and our worth.
Rooted in the belief that self-love is a radical and necessary act, this community is dedicated to creating spaces where your authenticity is honored and valued.
Through embodied movement with pole and other aerial apparatus, we provide intentional offerings to explore strength, sensuality, play, and vulnerability as a means of nurturing love for the whole self: mind, body, and soul.
Self-love is an internal process that flourishes in the container of community.
Why We Pole
Pole isn't just a workout. It's a practice, like yoga that can have a profound effect on how we feel about ourselves, our bodies, and our lives.
It changes your relationship with your body.
In a world that constantly tells us our bodies aren't enough, pole offers a different story. Research shows that pole dancing promotes body appreciation, self-acceptance, and confidence, and can support a positive body image. One randomized controlled trial published in BMC Psychology found that after just eight weeks, participants in a pole dancing program showed meaningful improvements in body appreciation, mental wellbeing, and sexual self-esteem compared to a control group!
Community is part of the medicine.
Research consistently finds that instructors and peers in pole communities help participants deconstruct unhealthy body ideals by celebrating body diversity and the unique strengths of every body. The sense of belonging that emerges in these spaces is central to the transformation.
Pole builds mental, emotional, and physical strength.
Pole develops coordination, flexibility, strength, and grace all at once. But what practitioners often report and what research is showing, is that it goes much deeper than physical fitness. Studies show that women who participate in pole training experience it as an artistic expression that facilitates a sense of liberation and empowerment, enabling them to assert greater control over their bodies.
It's good for your mind.
Pole dancing has been linked to reductions in depression and anxiety, increases in positive affect and self-efficacy, and reductions in loneliness. A landmark meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Psychology, synthesizing data from over 2,300 participants across dozens of controlled studies, found that dance-based movement consistently reduced depression and anxiety, improved quality of life, and strengthened interpersonal connection. These benefits held up for months after the practice ended.
Workshops and Events
Mini-Retreats
These intimate day retreats offer a concentrated dose of the Self-Love Pole experience: movement, mindfulness, and community.
Workshops
Themed sessions that explore heart opening, sensuality, embodiment, and creative expression through movement. Each workshop is a standalone experience, making them a perfect entry point into the community or a regular part of your practice.
Sound Baths
Sound baths use vibrational sound to calm your nervous system and invite inner harmony. They are a perfect addition to all of our offerings.
Yearly Retreat
Our flagship offering
Once a year, the Self-Love Pole community comes together for a full weekend of deep connection, movement, and renewal. This is the heart of what we do. It’s an immersive experience that will leave you feeling seen, held, and more grounded and connected to yourself.
Trauma-Informed Pole
In Development
For many people, embodied movement is one of the first places they begin to heal. That's a profound responsibility, and we believe every pole instructor and studio deserves support in holding it. Trauma-Informed Pole is a training program being developed to support pole instructors and studio owners who want to show up more fully for their communities by creating spaces where every student feels safe, seen, and supported.
Ready to collab?
Reach out at selflovepoleretreat@gmail.com to learn more about upcoming events or explore how we might collaborate with your space or community.
