Somatic
Therapy

Somatic therapy is an approach to healing that works with both the body and mind, grounded in the understanding that our thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations are deeply interconnected. One of my favourite statements to encompass this is, “as above, so below.”
We will engage in traditional talk therapy, but as we move through the session, I will guide you to bring your attention to bodily experiences in order to get a deeper understanding of your overall experience. We will bring awareness to the breath, noticing whether it is deep, shallow, or even stuck. Become more aware of different sensations, narrowing in on where they are present in the body and giving a name to what they feel like. And finally, explore natural movement as movement is medicine.

From a scientific perspective, this work draws on the autonomic nervous system, including the balance between sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) responses. When stress or trauma disrupts this balance, the body can become stuck in patterns of activation or shutdown. Somatic therapy, informed by concepts like polyvagal theory and attachment theory, helps regulate these states by building awareness, increasing capacity for sensation, and supporting the completion of stress responses.

By strengthening the mind-body connection, somatic therapy helps individuals better understand and navigate their internal world. Emotions are experienced physically through changes in heart rate, breath, and muscle tension. Learning to track these signals (interoception) can support emotional regulation and reduce overwhelm. This work takes time, but the result is a deeper attunement and stronger connection to your intuition, self, and others. This enhances presence, flexibility, resilience, boundaries, and the ability to regulate in relationships.