Somatic Therapy & Coaching
Anchored in Regulation.
A Rediscovery Into the Core of Who You Are...
As a closeted empath and Highly Sensitive Person (HSP) throughout my upbringing and into my early 30s, I felt a deep connection with my body, felt and experienced a lot, but assumed everyone experienced it the same way. Terms like “embodiment” and “felt-sense” seemed foreign to me.
For most of my life, I didn’t realize that what I felt was not just my own emotions, but also information from my environment and from others, such as their emotions, feelings and moods.
I had a big journey to overcome with boundaries and unhealthy co-dependent behaviours. After many years of inner work and discovering healthier ways to show up in life with my sensory skills, I started to understand that I couldn't exist in isolation, and that only through healthy ways of connection could I actually start to thrive from an authentic and congruent state. But mostly, that feeling my body was OK, and that feeling life through my body was precious to me.
Along my journey, I came across many phrases and concepts, such as interoception, pendulation, regulation, and resourcing. While I knew that they were pointing to something I wanted for myself, they were elusive and felt foreign in my experience. The books, podcasts, and social media posts were attractive but seemed like unteachable lessons… that was until I started on my own somatic-therapy journey.
Being self-resourced is no longer a concept, but now a beautiful and sustainable tool I can use when life throws wiggles my way. This is my hope for you, too.
So, I'm curious, have you come across the terms like somatic or embodiment and thought, "That sounds intriguing, I'm not quite sure what it means or how it would feel"?
Ok, let's start here...
What is Embodiment?
From a somatic lens, embodiment is the practice of living "inside" one's body, characterized by a deep, felt sense of physical sensations, emotions, and movements rather than merely analyzing them from an intellectual perspective. It involves shifting from a state of disconnection (or being "stuck in the head") to becoming present and attuned to the body’s innate wisdom, which serves as a foundation for healing, self-regulation, and enhanced well-being.
What is Somatic therapy?
Somatic therapy bridges the connection between body and mind, adopting a centred-approach to mental health. It aims to release trauma and stress stored physically through methods like breathwork, movement, and body awareness, rather than relying solely on traditional talk therapy. This approach acknowledges that past experiences, particularly trauma, can become "trapped" in the body, influencing both physical and emotional well-being. It focuses on processing sensations, posture, and movement to calm the Autonomic Nervous System and healing for issues such as PTSD, anxiety, and chronic pain.
Key principles:
Mind-body connection:
Recognizes the deep interconnection between thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations.
Trauma storage:
Acknowledges that trauma is not just mental but also manifests in body tension or pain.
Body as a resource:
Understands that the body can reveal clues to emotional distress and serve as a pathway to healing.
Is Somatic therapy right for you?
Somatic therapy may be suitable if you're dealing with physical symptoms of emotional stress or unresolved trauma that traditional talk therapy doesn't fully address. Somatic techniques like noticing and exploring, then describing sensation, imagery, behaviour, affect, and meaning can emphasize the vital link between your physical body and mental health.
What can it help with:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Anxiety and Depression
- Chronic Pain and Stress
- Complicated Grief
How it differs:
Unlike talk therapies, like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which concentrates on thoughts, Somatic therapy prioritizes the body as a primary tool for healing. While it can incorporate talk therapy, the main focus is on physical awareness, employing a "bottom-up" approach that begins with bodily responses rather than higher brain functions.
So, let's try something...
What did you notice?
What, if anything, feels different than before you started this exercise?
Does anything feel settled or more spacious?
Can you stay with this awareness throughout the next little while?
It's OK if you don't. While it's the goal to increase internal awareness, it's a process, and taking it at a pace that matches safety and sustainability is an individual unfolding.
Book a free consultation today to explore if this could be one of the right paths for you.
"The most powerful form of nervous system regulation isn't a technique.
It's who you allow to stand beside you." ~ Deb Dana, Rhythm of Regulation
Each 50 min-session is priced at $89.60 (incl. GST).
