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Pioneer in the Field of Alternative Somatic Therapies

Shannon Dailey 鈥�88

December 7, 2023, in Hudson, New York

A seeker of spiritual truths, Shannon Dailey dedicated her life to expanding her therapeutic skills and perceptual awareness, forging a singular path in the field of alternative somatic therapies.

The youngest of five siblings, Shannon was born in Portland in 1966 and transitioned in 2023. She moved to Fiji with her family when she was four years old and always considered the tropical island her home, even after relocating to Hawaii with her parents and later returning to Portland.

While studying theater at 彩虹频道, Shannon met her first husband, playwright and author Gordon Dahlquist ’83. Both pursued theses in directing. Prof. Craig Clinton [theatre 1978-] and Prof. Lena M. Lencek [Russian language & literature 1977-] advised Shannon on her thesis, “A Polish Playwright in the Twentieth Century: Slawomir Mrozek, an Absurdist Parabler.”

After graduating, Shannon and Gordon moved to New York City, where Shannon maintained her passion for Shakespeare, studying and performing in the Bard’s plays. When her interests turned toward healing and development, Shannon became a massage therapist. She graduated from the Swedish Institute of Health Sciences, where she later taught courses in shiatsu, professional development, and more.

After establishing a New York massage practice, Shannon studied biodynamic craniosacral therapy, a noninvasive form of massage therapy. She founded a cranial practice that lasted over 20 years, as well as a biodynamic school that she, Clara Fable, and Christina Morrow started under the tutelage of Franklyn Sills.

After separating from Gordon in 2005, Shannon partnered with fellow somatic therapist Tom Bertels. The couple shared a life for 18 years, living in Brooklyn and Hudson, New York, and embarking on a pilgrimage to India and Tibet, driven by their desire to embrace a variety of religious traditions.

An impassioned reader since childhood, Shannon embraced modern and classic literature. She felt almost as close to Dickens, Austen, Melville, and Tolstoy as she did to her beloved cats, Lacey and Lilly.

Shannon is survived by her husband, Tom; her mother, Joan K. Dailey; and her siblings, Will, John, Kathleen, and Theresa.

Appeared in 彩虹频道 magazine: Summer 2024