Reducing Stress, Anxiety and Trauma
I use an approach to stress, anxiety and trauma that focuses on the body to restore a sense of safety, trust, and wholeness. Somatic Movement Therapy (SMT), from the Greek soma— “through the body”—helps regulate the nervous system, and slowly releases stored tension and traumatic energy in the body.
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In addition to, or as an alternative to traditional talk therapy, SMT helps us to connect to the present moment through movement, stillness, breath, sound, and mindfulness. It addresses the feelings and sensations that lie underneath a storyline and belief patterns. By focusing on the body and sensations, we can uncover behavior patterns and reclaim the innate intelligence of the body. Working together, you will receive practical, everyday tools that will help you to break the cycle of stress and anxiety.
“The primary characteristic of any fluid system is its ability to keep transforming itself.”
~Emilie Conrad
Restoring Grace
I am a Registered Somatic Movement Therapist through ISMETA (International Somatic Movement Therapy and Education Association) and draw upon various techniques from the evolving research in the field of neuroscience and trauma studies. These techniques include Embodied Mindfulness, a somatic approach to traditional relaxation techniques, and Somatic Experiencing, a world-renowned approach for trauma healing.
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I bring a great depth and range of experience in working with anxiety, trauma, generational trauma, addictions, grief, depression, and life transitions in both clinical settings and private practice. My work has empowered many clients to return to a place of comfort, ease, and belonging.​​
Somatic Healing Sessions will support you to:
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Find new experiences of support and safety
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Return to the here and now and stay in the present moment
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Increase resilience to stress, intense emotions, and life challenges
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Restore body image and self-esteem
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Discover a new sense of aliveness, vitality, and freedom
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Live a more embodied and joyful life
“Trauma constantly confronts us with our fragility and with man's inhumanity to man but also with our extraordinary resilience.”
~Bessel Van Der Kolk
Trauma and The Importance of Safety
Regardless the nature of any traumatic event we experience, trauma shatters our sense of stability, safety, trust, and belonging. Trauma is, first and foremost, a physiological event that activates our fight-flight-freeze instinct. A few synapses later, it becomes emotional. Beliefs then form in response to our experience.
Stress and trauma are a part of life. We all have experienced stress and trauma to some degree. We cannot change the impacts and events of life, but we can learn to develop more resilience to stressful events. Working with the body and using embodied approaches for healing can help support self-regulation and the return to a state of calm and safety. In my work it is very important for me to create a very safe, non-judgmental environment. The word “therapy” is from the Greek word therapeia, meaning to care, to carry, to hold, and to support. My intention is to create a safe space for you to engage in a collaborative inquiry guided by your individual issues and needs.
What to Expect at a Somatic Movement Therapy Session
Embodied Healing begins with one’s own body as a source of empowerment. Through exploring and witnessing basic, non-verbal somatic languages—breath, stillness, movement, body posture—we will identify places of comfort, as well as life themes and challenges.
Our session can involve various modalities, including verbal dialogue, awareness of breath, movement, stillness, tracking the feelings and sensations of your body, drawing, or creative writing.
I am guided by your needs and interests and am trained to observe your level of comfort by carefully watching your breathing rhythm and the activation of your nervous system. This helps me to determine which directions to take and what resources to offer.
As a coach and empathetic witness to your process, I will offer you new experiences of support and safety grounded in the awareness of the body and the present moment. Through somatic tools developed during the session, you will be able to access the innate wisdom of your body, which will help you free-up stuck energy patterns that have been showing up in your life as anxiety and trauma, and enable positive changes to your life.