Somatic Therapy
"The two most important phrases in therapy, as in yoga, are “Notice that” and “What happens next?” Once you start approaching your body with curiosity rather than with fear, everything shifts." - Dr. Bessel van der Kolk
Working With The Body To Heal
Trauma and chronic stress aren't just held in our minds, they live in our bodies. Somatic therapy is an approach that takes this seriously, working with physical sensations, nervous system responses, and bodily awareness alongside emotional and cognitive processing.
The word somatic simply means "of the body." This approach recognizes that our nervous systems respond to threatening experiences by encoding them physically in patterns of tension, bracing, numbness, or reactivity. That lasting healing often requires working at that level, not just the level of thought and memory.
Why The Body Matters in Healing
Research consistently shows that trauma affects the brain and body in ways that cognitive approaches alone may not fully reach. As Dr. Bessel van der Kolk's foundational work demonstrates, trauma leaves physiological imprints that benefit from body-based intervention.
This doesn't mean talk therapy isn't valuable, it means that integrating somatic awareness can open up deeper levels of healing that complement the insight and meaning-making that conversation offers.
My Training & Approach
My somatic work is rooted in sustained training, not a weekend workshop or surface-level familiarity with the concepts.
For two years, I trained under the supervision of a Somatic Experiencing practitioner. That experience fundamentally shaped how I understand the nervous system, trauma responses, and what it actually takes for the body to feel safe enough to heal. Somatic Experiencing, developed by Dr. Peter Levine, is one of the most researched and respected body-based trauma approaches available, and that foundation is at the core of how I work.
I have also completed training in Integrative Somatic Parts Work through the Embody Lab, a program that bridges somatic awareness with internal parts work, supporting clients in relating to different aspects of their inner experience with curiosity and compassion rather than judgment or avoidance.
Together, these trainings inform an approach that is both methodologically grounded and deeply attuned to the individual because no two nervous systems, and no two healing journeys, are exactly alike.
What Somatic Work Looks Like in Sessions
Somatic therapy isn't a dramatic or physical process. Much of it is quiet and internal. In our work together, we might draw on:
Body awareness — Noticing and tracking physical sensations as they arise in real time
Nervous system regulation — Building skills to recognize and shift your body's stress responses
Mindful movement — Using gentle, intentional movement to discharge held tension
Boundary development — Strengthening your sense of physical and emotional boundaries
Resourcing — Identifying what already helps you feel safer, calmer, or more grounded and building on these resources
Integration — Making meaning of experiences while processing them at a physical and emotional level
Sessions are always paced according to what feels right for you. Nothing is forced, and you remain in control of the process throughout.
Is Somatic Therapy Right for You?
Somatic work can be particularly helpful if you feel disconnected from your body, if stress or trauma shows up physically (tension, fatigue, gut issues, chronic pain), or if you've found that talking about things hasn't fully shifted how you feel in your body.
It's also a valuable approach for anyone who simply wants to develop a more grounded, regulated relationship with themselves.
If something on this page resonated with you, that's worth paying attention to. You don't need to have it all figured out before reaching out. Reach out and we can explore together whether this work would be a good fit for you or not.
Contact me
Interested in working together? Fill out some info and I will be in touch shortly. I can’t wait to hear from you!