from market to medicine: why our healing requires a solidarity economy

we live in a capitalist patriarchal white supremacist world that constantly tells us we are on our own. through subtle and not so subtle cues, we are made to believe that our survival is an individual effort, and that our personal well-being is something we must purchase, hour by hour, in a competitive marketplace. if you are queer, neurodivergent, or living with chronic pain and the exhaustion of a hyper-vigilant nervous system, you already know the toll this worldview takes on your body. it asks us to mask our differences, ignore our pain, and treat our energy as a commodity to be sold until we burn out. on a somatic level, our nervous system hates capitalism too.

but when we look at nature and what actually sustains life, a different pattern emerges.

in her book The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World, Indigenous botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer invites us to look to the land to understand how wealth is truly created. she writes:

[In a gift economy] wealth is understood as having enough to share, and the practice for dealing with abundance is to give it away. In fact, status is determined not by how much one accumulates, but by how much one gives away. The currency in a gift economy is relationship, which is expressed in gratitude, as interdependence and the ongoing cycles of reciprocity. (Kimmerer, 2025)

the serviceberry tree does not hoard its fruit. it produces an abundance of sweet berries, offering them freely to birds, insects, and humans. the tree doesn’t ask for a credit card before it drops its fruit, yet it does not starve. the birds eat and scatter the seeds, ensuring new generations of trees. it teaches us that thriving is possible only if we nurture strong bonds with our community and the land that sustains us. the currency of the Mother Earth is circulation, not extraction.

artificial scarcity in difficult times

right now, we are living through deeply financially challenging times. inflation is high, work is precarious, and for many in our community—especially students, social workers, artists, and those navigating systemic barriers—just meeting basic monthly needs is a struggle. i feel it too. i left my well-paying public sector job due to burnout. and building a small sliding scale based somatic practice in this economic landscape feels quite unstable.

our capitalist economic system thrives on making us feel empty, disconnected, and afraid, so that it can sell the solutions back to us. when we apply this dehumanizing market mindset to healing work, somatic care becomes premium luxury reserved only for the wealthy. the most natural thing, healing touch, has become yet another service to be purchased! yet, the people who need this support the most—those bearing the brunt of systemic oppression—are the least likely to access it.

as a politicized somatic coach and bodywork practitioner, i refuse to accept that model. for my work to be rooted in politicized somatics, my business structure must reflect my politics. our individual well-being is intrinsically tied to our collective well-being. we cannot truly heal in isolation while our most vulnerable community members are left behind.

co-creating an economic justice framework

to break away from this model of individualism and isolation, i ground my work in the principles of economic justice and solidarity economy. these frameworks prioritize human rights, equity, and social bonds over pure profit (Pinto et al., 2026). in a healing context, this means moving toward a sliding scale honor-system. this is not charity, which maintains a hierarchy between giver and receiver. instead, solidarity recognizes that we are equals who simply have different capacities at different moments. while we might have the means to support others at this time, we might be a one unexpected expense away from needing the support of others.

by structuring my 1:1 somatic sessions and community events around this framework, we keep the gift in motion:

• the solidarity rate (75-100 €): designed for those navigating significant financial hardship, lower-income jobs, or tight student budgets. your financial reality should not inhibit you from accessing a safe space to unmask, regulate, and heal.
• the middle rate (110-150 €): for those with moderate financial stability who can cover basic needs but find a flat premium rate unsustainable for consistent, long-term somatic practice.
• the contribution rate (150+ €): for those who enjoy higher income and financial security. acknowledgment and redistributing of economic privilege are vital for systemic healing. if you have inherited wealth, stable investments, or a high-earning job, choosing this tier actively pays it forward, helping me to have a steady income while someone facing financial barriers can receive the exact same care.

our community events follow this exact same logic. when you book a spot at our queer play parties or cuddle parties, or somatic workshops, you will see options for regular and supporter tickets, and you can ask for a discounted ticket.

trust, fluid capacity, and a seed of generosity

this sliding scale is based on trust. you know your economic reality better than anyone else, and i trust your self-assessment. you don’t need to show me proof of your financial capacity or income. and your rate does not have to permanent: it can flow in either direction based on your changing economic reality. you can pay less now, and more in the future, and vice versa.

the potential of this gift economy became tangible to me just recently. a dear friend generously gifted me $150 to help fund my travel to a trans women’s somatics retreat in the US this July. due to safety concerns regarding travel to the US right now, i made the difficult decision not to attend. when i reached out to let her know, she insisted i keep the $150.

i felt moved by her generosity, so instead of using this money just for my daily expenses, i am paying it forward, so her gift could seed something new… that’s why i have started a community donation fund for Pride Month to offer completely free 1:1 somatic sessions for those queer people who cannot pay for them at all, but who need them the most.

an invitation to solidarity: our Pride Month donation fund

as Pride Month is in full swing, i am inviting you to help me grow this gift and our collective capacity to care for each other. this is a call to action for allies, accomplice organizations, and well-off queer folks with stable resources.

every time you contribute 75 € to this fund, you are paying for one full somatic coaching or bodywork session for a financially marginalized community member. here is my commitment to you: i will meet your contribution by matching it with 75 € of my own labor.

this way, your 75 € donation creates a full 150 € session. your money quite literally builds a safe somatic container where a trans person can map out their transition steps, an Autistic person can learn how to unmask safely, and someone navigating chronic tension can experience relaxation in their body.

when you come to my coaching session, join a cuddle or play party, i invite you to shift your mindset. look at the fee or ticket price as an active investment in our community’s collective health and liberation. thank you for practicing reciprocity with me and helping our mycelial network thrive. we need each other and i need your support to hold our community.

bank details

• beneficiary: Transformation Embodied OÜ
• account number: EE572200221087103958
• details: Pride Month donation

references

Kimmerer, R. W. (2013). Braiding Sweetgrass. Milkweed Editions.

Kimmerer, R. W. (2025). The Serviceberry. Milkweed Editions.

Pinto, P. D., et al. (2026). The role of solidarity finance in sustainable local development. MDPI, 13(8).

Ungar-Sargon, J. (n.d.). Healing as Justice.

ready to begin your transformation?

book your first coaching or bodywork session today!