Somatic Therapies

We need our whole being and body to feel a full sense of our humanity and beingness. When we engage the body as an ally, we tap into a whole world  deepening in self-awareness, wisdom, feeling like yourself, and healing. Our experiences and beliefs are stored in the viscera and the cells of the body. This may come in the form of tension, dis-ease, illness, sensations, intense emotions, lack of confidence or negative thoughts about oneself, a feeling of being out of control with your emotions, impulses or patterns that seem self-sabotaging. I offer Somatic Therapies and Somatic Experiencing to support people in resolving trauma, navigating emotions and felt sense, intuition, feeling pleasure, full sexuality and creativity, whole, present, purposeful and expansive.

THE BODY DOESN'T LIE

Our minds can tell stories of what is happening or can rationalize and provide logic. However, we cannot apply logic to our emotions and what the body holds. We may feel or believe something, even though we mentally know differently.

At the body level, we are instinctual mammals.

If an animal gets preyed upon, the parasympathetic nervous system turns on, pumping adrenaline and other neurotransmitters and hormones into the system so that the animal can run, fight, or play dead (tonic immobility). Once it finds safety, it will let the shock, fear, and adrenal response release. As trembling and shaking moves out the energy that served well to protect them, it goes on its way with more insight and confidence, knowing it survived!

Humans are similar. If we used up the energy to protect ourselves, we would naturally celebrate and move forward with strength and ease. However, we often have had to move on quickly from an accident or emotional experience, or are unable to find the connection of a compassionate witness that can provide enough safety for us to truly “shake it off” the way our bodies need. This leaves the adrenaline and other energies stuck in the cells of our body–creating tension, dis-ease, and many other symptoms. We also may have received early messages in childhood that certain emotions like anger or hurt are not allowed to be expressed, or have consequences that would have been more painful.

Using Body-Centered therapies, Yogic Healing techniques, and Somatic Experiencing, we can allow incomplete movements to occur and find organic resolve, leaving you feeling stronger, freer, at ease, and more confident.

EMOTIONS AS ALLIES

Our emotions can be thought of as babies that need attention to be cultivated and develop into useful allies and information. So often, we resist the very emotions that are meant to help us, not hurt us. When some of the emotions are thought of as “negative,” we may push it away and not gain the useful information it can bring. Sometimes, in childhood, we are given the message that some emotions are not allowed or feel unsafe. Working with the body, we can recover the positive potential of our emotions.

I support people with the tools to navigate their emotions and body sensations/impulses with ease and compassion to restore the resilience of the nervous system and feel a sense of empowerment and control in their bodies.

HOW CAN IT HELP ME?

 

Somatic Experiencing + Therapies can support you in the following:

  • resolving and releasing tension + emotions in the body
  • ability to navigate and partner with your body's messages
  • body wisdom, intuition + embodiment
  • feeling grounded and strong in your body
  • renegotiating + healing past traumatic or overwhelming experiences
  • confidence, ease + wholeness
  • resilience to move through life's challenges
  • the sense that you can protect yourself if you need to
  • expansion in your body and in life
  • ability to love and feel pleasure
  • authenticity in your true self
  • ability to feel more of life's possibilities
  • feeling congruent with yourself

Symptoms that can be related to incompleted movements + trauma:

  • tension
  • dis-ease
  • depression
  • crying spells without change
  • worries + anxiety
  • fears + shame
  • quick rage + aggression
  • fatigue
  • dizziness
  • feeling stuck in life
  • repeated injury + accidents
  • lack of confidence
  • negative + critical thoughts towards self or others
  • feeling disconnected, ungrounded + spacey
  • repetitive relationship conflict
  • lack of sexual desire + pain during sex
  • infertility
  • loneliness