Greetings!

I’m Pam Cammisa, a body-mind practitioner with a 33+ year background in physical therapy, bodywork, and wellness coaching. I blend hands-on manual techniques with nervous system regulation, somatic practices, and Internal Family Systems (IFS)-inspired dialogue to help you better understand the complexity and nuance of your system so you can respond in new ways. Basically, I help you decode the "language" of your body so you can stop reacting and start responding.

As a Gen X woman, I know the pressure of "doing it all." Somewhere along the way, many of us learned to ignore the signals and "suck it up" even when we were wired, tired, and juggling all the things.

My career has taken me through trauma hospitals, nursing homes, and sports clinics, working with people in pain, injured, overwhelmed, frustrated, and everything in between. I’ve realized that treating symptoms alone was just making the root cause. Real change happens when we listen to the subtle language of sensation.

I learned this the hard way! Being naturally empathetic (and a self-confessed "anxious over-functioner")I used to be deeply affected by others’ suffering and would mentally get in the “sick bed” with my patients. Turns out, that’s not a great long-term strategy! The tools I share now are the ones I use daily to stay grounded and not take everyone else’s hurts home with me.

My approach is science-informed, practical, and collaborative. I’ll help you tune in, make sense of the noise, and build a toolkit for resilience with maybe even a little more moxie in your movement!

EDUCATION Bodywork & Massage Therapy 1984- current- NC Lic. # LMT 13547

Physical Therapy Assistant 1993- current - N.C. Lic. # PTA 00137

CEUs, Workshops, Online education (too many to count, here is the highlight reel)

Holistic approach working with trauma 2015 Esalan approach to working with trauma 2018 Health & Wellness Coaching Certificate 2020 PN1 Nutrition Certification, 2020 Pain Education 2022 Mental Health First Aid Certification 2023 Parts (IFS) Therapy Practitioner 2025 Reconnect for Resilience training 2025

I listen to bodies for a living—whether they’re yelling, giving the silent treatment, or "a lil cranky".

Because your body is always trying to tell you something important.

The Vagus Nerve Highway

Think of your nervous system as a massive information superhighway. About 80% of the traffic is traveling up from your body to your brain. Your heart, gut, and lungs are constantly sending status reports before you’ve even had a chance to think. Only 20% of the messages travel back down.

The 200-Millisecond "Gap"

In just 200 milliseconds—less than the blink of an eye—your body performs "neuroception." This is an unconscious, lightning-fast scan of your world:

Inside: What’s happening in my organs and breath?
Outside: What’s happening in my environment?
Between: What’s happening in my connection with others?

When "Amy" Sounds the Alarm

Once that data hits the brain, it’s processed by the Amygdala (we'll call her "Amy"), your internal threat detector.

The Scan: She instantly compares current sensations to past memories.
The Reaction: If Amy finds a match for danger, she sounds the alarm. This is when your Protective Parts jump into action to do their well-intended jobs.

Why This Matters for You

Because Amy and the Vagus Highway move so much faster than your logical thoughts, trying to "think" your way out of an unregulated state often feels like shouting at a hurricane.

The Body in Overdrive: From Alarm to Inflammation

When Amy stays on high alert, she changes the entire chemistry of your system, forcing you into one of four survival states:

Fight: Irritability, jaw-clenching, and muscle tension.
Flight: Anxiety, restlessness, and a constant need to stay busy.
Freeze: Numbness, "brain fog," and feeling stuck or heavy.
Fawn: Over-explaining, people-pleasing, and "merging" with others.

The "Inflammation Soup"

When you stay in these states, your brain sends a relentless order to mobilize for a threat.

The Police are Roaming: Your immune system sends out pro-inflammatory cytokines like policemen roaming the streets of your body, looking for trouble that isn't there.
The Stress Hormone Cascade: Your brain dumps a steady stream of cortisol and adrenaline into your system, creating what we call "Inflammation Soup."
Chronic Revving: This constant "revving of the engine" leads to fatigue, joint pain, and digestive flares—a prelude to many diseases and ill health.

Turning Off the Sirens

In our work, we don't just ask the "policemen" to go home. We work with the Protective Parts who called them in the first place. By sending new, somatic signals of safety up the highway, we can finally drain the "Inflammation Soup."

By using somatic tools and IFS, we talk directly to the hardware. We help Amy stand down, letting your system know that right here and right now, you are safe to settle and thrive.