Podcast: Clean Language, Metaphor, and Working Through Trauma with Nick Pole

To celebrate the fact that I’ll be learning a new modality called ‘Clean Language’, I wanted to take a moment to introduce you to this beautiful practice. I first discovered it back in February of 2024 and was immediately taken aback by it’s effectiveness, simplicity, and elegance. To do this, I wanted to share this conversation I had earlier in the year with the author and practitioner, Nick Pole who’s work served as the entryway for me into this practice.

To set the stage, Clean Language is a style of questioning which allows me as a practitioner to create a ‘clean’ space for you, the client, to somatically explore your sensations in a way that is free from my interpretations or bias. This serves as an environment for you to come more directly into contact with your experience and to listen more directly to your sensations expressed through the medium of metaphor. I, as a practitioner then continue utilizing this specific form of questioning to invite you to unpack said metaphors and gain new insights into your unique unfolding.

The goal with learning clean language as a massage therapist is to begin the work of bridging the illusory gap between our minds and bodies. I think the most effective use of massage is the illumination of these aspects of ourselves as being interdependent. That’s to say, what’s happening in our minds is expressed in our bodies, and vice versa. I believe that massage offers a wonderful opportunity to connect with ourselves on a deeper level, and with the aid of clean language, we’ll have the means to interpret what that could mean for our continued journey through life.


I’m very excited to begin this work and and confident that it will help me serve you more holistically. I hope you enjoy this conversation and are open to taking this journey with me!