What does the format of a session look like?

Somatic therapy sessions are done seated in a chair or couch depending on your preference. At times you may be invited to stand (when and if accessible) to help with grounding, containment or to access many of the major muscles groups that are activated or perhaps dormant or inhibited in our natural defense responses such as fight, flight and freeze. You will be asked to share an impression of the sensations that you feel in your body, such as tightness, heat, shakiness, expansion, relaxations, shifts in the viscera, etc. I will teach you ways to track or follow these sensations with your awareness and come to a place of potential rebalance. 

What is the emotional experience in a session like?

You may experience a surge or release of emotion or awareness of physical sensation during a session (e.g., crying, laughter, sadness, anger, muscle twitching, muscle tension or muscle release, deeper breathes, yawning, changes in body temperature, or changes to the viscera). These experiences can often be signs of energetic release or repatterining of experience within the nervous system. You may also experience the appearance of memories or images related to current or past experiences. This is normal and even desirable. We will work together so that these experiences stay within the your window of tolerance and are supportive of your current goals and needs.

Can I attend sessions virtually ?

Yes, with the wonders of technology we are be able to meet online. A unique link and passcode will be provided for all virtual sessions.

Do you utilize touch in session?

Somatic Therapy is not a form of massage. I may offer you touch support for the following reasons: grounding, containment, support, mobilization or awareness building. You will always be asked before being touched and have the right and my full support to decline. If you do not feel comfortable with touch or if the session does not call for it, session work will not include touch. If we are working online, I may offer “intentional touch” (ex. the invitation to place your own hand over your heart, abdomen, ect), which can be a way of bringing awareness to an area or specific sensation. Intentional touch may also support to your own experience, even though I will not be physically touching your body. 

What are the risks and benefits of Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy may offer many benefits such as an increase in your ability to self-soothe, feel empowered and feel more resilient. However, there may also be risks as with any treatment that focuses on healing trauma. Such reactions are not uncommon and can be attended to in the course of our work together. 

Although somatic therapy is designed to help you resource and work with manageable amounts of discomfort, you may temporarily experience challenging feelings, images, or thoughts, sleep disturbances, as well as unfamiliar or uncomfortable body sensations. Furthermore, as with any stress reduction treatment, there can be no guarantee that you will reach your goals within a specific time frame as somatic work respects and observes the current capacity of each individual’s nervous system. That said, many people report that somatic therapy has helped them tremendously and has created positive change in their lives. Learning how to reorganize “body memory” is often a vital to learning how to relax and calm your nervous system.

Can you work in tandem with my therapist or other healthcare providers?

If you are working with a therapist or other practitioner that you would like me to keep informed of our work, I ask that you sign a release of information form so that I may share our progress. This can often be helpful in ensuring therapeutic integration as well as continuity of care.

Are sessions confidential?

Everything that you share with me will remain confidential. There are a few reasons, however, that I am required to break confidentiality by law. The first would occur if you were of danger to yourself and had an active plan to harm yourself. In this case I would contact your emergency contacts listed on file and local emergency services if contacts can not be reached within a reasonable amount of time. Another reason would occur if you were planning to seriously harm another person. I would be required to contact the person threatened if possible as well as the police department. Confidentiality will also be broken if I learn of child or elder abuse and will contact protective services immediately. Also, if I learn of a child abuser from a person’s past who is actively still around children, I am mandated to report him or her. 

If you are a minor, I am required to share important information with your parents regarding your emotional health. This is not the case if the information you share would put you at extreme physical risk from a caregiver. If you are under 16 years of age, this would include a report if you are having a sexual relationship with an older peer or an adult. A break in confidentiality would occur along with the same guidelines for adults who due to mental or physical challenges are under the care of a family member or caregiver. 

Why should we work together?

It is a great honor for me to potentially work with you and share my knowledge and training in somatic work. Through lived experience, I understand the power of somatic therapy and body-based modalities in the healing of my own trauma and PTSD. I hope to share skills that will help you reduce stress and disruption in your life. It takes strength and courage to explore greater self-awareness and I feel privileged to support you in reaching your goals.