what is the purpose of somatic therapy?
somatic therapy is an approach to counselling which focuses on the body experience. the purpose is to create a safe relational container for therapeutic healing and resourcing which ultimately strengthens the client's system to be able to hold and process their life experience.
where does Relational Somatic Therapy originate?
this approach is based on the most up to date research in the therapeutic field, including but not limited to...
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Peter Levine's Somatic Experiencing
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Stephen Porges' Poly Vagal Theory
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Daniel Siegel's research on the brain
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Allan Schore's research on Regulation
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Louis Cozolino's research on Neuroscience
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Bessel Van Der Kolk's research on Trauma and Stress
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Pat Ogden's research on the Sensorimotor system
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My teacher Mariah Moser's 35+ years in the field
...and many others.
are you able to accept my government
benefits coverage?
yes! I am officially registered and can accept payment through your benefits coverage plan. learn more about my pricing and sessions here.
You will receive an invoice after our sessions which you can submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement.
what makes somatic therapy different than
talk therapy?
what makes somatic therapy different from talk therapy, is that as the counsellor, I am listening to so much more than your words or the intonations in your voice - I am attuning to you and your system, and thus feeling somatically what you share and what's happening in the field between us and around us. this approach to therapy is energetically sensitive, and pays attention to the nervous system state and relational field, while also exploring with sensation based language what your body experience is telling you about what you are saying and feeling.
how will we know if we're a good fit to work together?
well, we can start by getting to know one another a little bit during a 20 minute consultation call. sometimes it takes a bit of time, maybe 2-3 sessions for the client to know if the counsellor is a good fit, while other times there is a natural knowing from the start. ultimately I think it depends on how you feel in relation with me, and whether you can sense the potential of our shared therapeutic container and my ability as a counsellor to hold space for you.
please note: there are absolutely no hard feelings if you feel I'm not the right fit for you as a counsellor. I understand that it's important to find the right individual to enter this kind of relationship with.
what if I don't have much of an established
connection with my body?
if this is the case for you, somatic therapy could be an excellent support in building your connection between mind and body. one of the earlier tasks of this work is to explore to what degree you have already established this connection, and then over time, we work to build the connection up. we do this through building a sensation based vocabulary to support you in expressing your somatic sensations, and by consistently returning to the body throughout the session. over time, by tending to the connection through intentionally tuning in, the bridge between mind and body is strengthened. this is also supported through my own embodiment as the counsellor, and the relational field we inhabit together.
do you do trauma work?
yes, I do trauma work! as I explain in my bio, I have a trauma history myself, and somatic therapy is a large part of what supported me in healing. I am ultimately thankful to have had first hand experience of how trauma can be resolved through somatic therapy, as it slowly established an understanding of somatic work within me long before I began studying this modality. in trauma resolution work, the most important thing is to take our time, go slowly, and get a thorough understanding of how trauma has impacted your system. rather than trying to heal the trauma itself, in somatic therapy, what we do instead is create a strong container of resources around any traumatized parts, so there's more stability in the system. if you are looking to work with trauma resolution, let me know in our consultation call and we can talk more about the process. my relational somatic therapy training taught me thoroughly about how trauma works, what happens in the system and how to support it.
do you do hands on somatic work?
yes! I do hands on somatic work for in-person sessions. there has to be a certain level of connection between myself and my client before I will offer hands on support, but in time, it is a wonderful tool for deepening the impact of somatic work. it can look like...
gentle support such as...
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a foot or arm gently pressed next to yours so you know you're not alone
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hands on your containment muscles (outer arms and outer thighs) which supports you in feeling contained (great in moments of distress)
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my feet on top of yours while we sit across from one another (great for somatic discharge of trauma, which often shows up as a shaking in the legs)
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a hand on the top of your head to support energy in moving up and out
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a hand on the back of your heart
or it may show up in boundary work...
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my hands available to meet yours in practicing pushing away or claiming your space, as well as other boundary and proximity exercises
This is always explored with great care for the sensitivity my clients may have with touch. I myself was previously very sensitive about the proximity of others and know this well.
Consent is essential and a gentle approach is always prioritized.
I will always honour the bodily autonomy of my clients to the utmost.
what makes you different as a somatic counsellor?
as a somatic counsellor, I am different because I work with somatic modalities explained throughout this website. I am primarily supporting you in building resource in connection with your body in order to foster resilience and clarity, rather than just mentally and verbally talking through your experience to find resolution.
how frequently should I see you for session?
this depends entirely on you and your needs! generally some level of regularity is beneficial for therapy. I would suggest at least one session per month, however we can also do weekly or bi-weekly. whatever feels most supportive for you!