Somatic Therapy
Somatic therapy is a holistic, body-centered approach for the healing of trauma and other stress disorders.
'Soma' is the Greek word for 'living body' and the study of somatics recognizes that trauma and high levels of stress affects every part of our being, not just our emotions and thoughts. It involves our body; muscle tension, digestive issues, insomnia, heart palpitations, headaches, numbness in the body, unexplainable and chronic pain AND it involves our minds; mood, thinking, and the ability to interact with others. This literally means, "It’s not all in your head!"
Somatic therapy utilizes the wisdom of the body as a starting point for healing by inviting each client into awareness of the physical sensations and movements that are always happening and how they relate to our emotional landscape. Through this new lens of sensation awareness the body is able to resolve stress and dysfunction by allowing the nervous system to restore to its innately healthy state.
If you've tried other therapies without much change,
a body-centered approach may be a good fit.
What to Expect
Every session is a unique co-creation and you can expect a warm welcome, and a comfortable, safe space infused with love and intention. We will sit either in cozy chairs, on floor cushions or you may be on the massage table, whatever feels best for you. With time and trust a healing plan is created. Perhaps the plan involves somatic art sessions, a series of bodywork, or perhaps deep listening with somatic experiencing or meditation. Most importantly, in each and every session you will be met with deep compassion and a partner in healing that believes freedom from the suffering of stress, pain and trauma is possible.
Every session builds on the last as the light of your soul shines a little bit brighter and the pain of trauma begins to fade...
Sessions
Each session is an organic creation and is an expression of your unique healing path. Here are some of the key modalities that may take place in your Soulful Session.
Somatic Experiencing
Somatic Experiencing (SE™) is a body-oriented therapy that gently guides you to develop increasing tolerance for difficult bodily sensations. This resolves symptoms of stress, shock, and trauma that accumulate in our bodies. When we are stuck in patterns of fight, flight, or freeze, SE helps us release and recover, improving the ability to transition from stressful to relaxed states of being with more ease and fluidity.
Somatic Art
Somatic art is an embodied therapeutic approach which engages the felt senses in the body. Through drawing and painting you create shapes and movements that facilitate the telling of an inner story that cannot easily be put into words but can be expressed through creativity; it is the nonverbal expression of inner states of being. This approach is never about the visual end product but is instead about tracking body sensations, experiencing the release of emotions and discovering reliable inner resources.
Soma Structural Integration
Soma Structural Integration (SI) is a multifaceted manual therapy that incorporates bodywork, somatic movement education, reflective journaling and unique assessment models, all focused on expanding mind-body. Because both physical and emotional trauma is stored in the body tissues as rigidity, releasing this tension and aligning the body has incredible effects. Through the series of sessions, you are able to realize a more fluid and easeful way of being in your everyday life.
Mindfulness & Meditation
Mindfulness and meditation are practices that encourage us to slow down, sink in and be curious instead of judgmental. Mindfulness invites us to be fully present in each moment of our day, recognizing where we are and what we're doing in a fully embodied manner. Meditation allows us to take our mindfulness practice a step further. It asks us to suspend our judgment and unleash the curiosity about what's going on in our minds and encourages us to approach our experience with compassion towards ourselves and others. Learning how to incorporate these practices into everyday living expands our sense of freedom and roots us in the present moments.