Somatic Therapy (Body Centered)

“This is your body, your greatest gift, pregnant with wisdom you do not hear, grief you thought was forgotten, and joy you have never known.” -Marion Woodman. Neuroscientific research shows there is no separation between body and mind. We feel symptoms of anxiety, depression, or trauma in the body: racing heart, churning stomach, fatigue, aches and pains. I use gentle, safe, somatic methods to help clients process experiences and learn simple, effective somatic skills to reduce symptoms.

Emotions are learned physiological reactions to memories from the past. Together, we’ll explore these reactions with curiosity, fully embody them, and integrate them to create new emotional experiences. This process reduces the body’s need to protect itself, which often causes tension and disconnect. As you trust your body more, you’ll develop emotional resilience and foster deeper connections with others. This allows for lasting change in how you relate to both yourself and those around you.

I have training in Somatic counseling from the SEI

Movement and play is the foundation of integration between our spirit and minds. The body gives a specific place for us to experience our lives and selves. We were given our bodies and despite the bumps, dips and trips it is our bodies that bring us to expeirncing our lives more fully and naturally. The body can be incorporated into our work in many ways: through physical movement; play, dream body experiences; body awareness; and internal "parts work".

I primarily use somatic therapy techniques in trauma, body image, and emotional awareness development. Our bodies and minds connect in more rapid ways than direct thoughts, and until we develop our awareness of that connection, we are very likely to misunderstand what our body is trying to tell us which can create more distress than is necessary. This is also important for athletes to strengthen as they train so they can best utilize the skills they are developing.

I am trained in the Trauma Resiliency Model and Hakomi (level one) and believe in the power of integrating somatic awareness and the somatic experience in the therapeutic process.

I believe that the deep wisdom of our body can support us through many of our challenges. By harnessing our movement, sensations, and breath, we can access the parts of ourselves that exist beneath our consciousness. In doing so, we can re-experience ourselves in ways beyond our old stories—and, help us learn, grow, and heal.

What does somatic therapy mean and look like? Implicit memories (the ones without a movie in our head) are stored in the body keep people stuck. These memories can be released and accessed to heal the body and the mind with or without the story being shared or even touched. Together we bring on regulation, safety, with a compassionate witness to have a felt sense of being seen, heard and understood. Internalizing the safety into your body is the thrive of health.

In the indelible words of Somatic Experiencing founder Peter Levine, “Trauma is a fact of life — but it doesn’t have to be a life sentence.” Many of us (myself included!) have experienced getting caught in “the story”, endlessly rehashing the same trauma loop. Yet the reality is, trauma doesn’t *live* in the mind — it’s in the body — so, it’s in the body that the healing lies. I utilize Somatic Experiencing to release trauma and restore the nervous system to empowered equilibrium.

I believe in the wisdom of the body, and support my clients to pay close attention to their present moment bodily experience during therapy sessions. We utilize the body as a resource for bearing feelings, understanding dilemmas and finding creative choices to live more fully. I have trained in embodied approaches to trauma both at the California Institute of Integral Studies Somatics Psychology department and through Sensory Motor Psychotherapy where I completed one year of intensive training.

Somatic therapy incorporates the body, its cues and its wisdom to support processing pain and grief and connect back to yourself and place of safety within. Working somatically additionally supports regulation of the nervous system, the system that is responsible for feelings of safety or fight/flight. My post-graduate training, supervision and consultation focused primarily on somatic psychotherapy.

At The Refuge, somatic therapy focuses on the mind-body connection to process emotions and release trauma. By integrating techniques like body awareness, grounding, and movement, clients learn to recognize and regulate physical sensations tied to stress or past experiences. This approach supports healing, resilience, and deeper self-connection.

I use somatic therapy to help connect clients to their sensations during session. Our thoughts, sensations, and emotions are intricately connected. Often clients are unaware of their sensations, posture and movements. These physical factors have an impact on their wellbeing and provide essential data on the client's functioning. Somatic therapy aims to create more wholeness for clients, and help them clear emotion, settle the mind, and connect with their personal power.

I have completed the Embody Lab Somatic Attachment Therapy certificate program.

Emotions, experiences, and trauma are stored in our body. Our body gives us many signals, but we are so often living listening to the constant guidance of our brain that we sometimes miss these signals. Somatic based therapy aims to help you connect with your body to better process stuck emotions and experiences, and release them for more healing, ease, and peace in your life. Somatic tools utilize mindfulness based strategies and movement to engage in the healing process.

This is not typical talk therapy. Learn to use the body as a barometer for the soul to gain insight into areas where we feel stuck.For those who have never experienced bodily safety, it is possible to discover glimmers within the body of ease through curiosity, and an exploration of what may be possible. Learn to regulate yourself and respond effectively to life’s ups and downs. The body can become a refuge and temple for expansion.

I received my degree in Somatic Therapy. This type of therapy can vary vastly from doing things like identifying what emotions feel like in your body all the way up to activities things like punching pillows to process anger. This modality is especially helpful with emotions that have stuck around for long periods of time or things that feel too overwhelming to talk about. Getting in touch with your body creates a deeper connection to self.

Informed by in-depth studies of Bioenergetics and Alexander Lowen’s work, my approach to Somatic Therapy emphasizes the integration of body awareness to promote deep, holistic healing. This focus enables clients to connect their physical experiences with emotional insights, facilitating a comprehensive path to wellness.

Somatic therapy focuses on the connection between the body and mind to address emotional and psychological issues. It involves using body awareness, physical sensations, and movement to help individuals process and release stored trauma and stress. By tuning into bodily experiences, somatic therapy aims to promote healing and improve overall well-being, addressing both physical and emotional aspects of mental health.

I utilize somatic therapy to bring awareness back to the body and recondition it to release trauma stored deep within the nervous system. Often, our rational mind understands things clearly but another part of us doesn't. Somatic therapy works to put the mind and body in balance, creating a harmonious connection that facilitates healing. By addressing the physical sensations and responses associated with trauma and stress, we can foster a deeper sense of relief and well-being.