why try somatic counselling therapy?

Somatic therapy is an approach to psychotherapy that recognizes the deep connection between the body (and it's systems), the mind, the emotions, and lived experience.

Emerging research in psychology and neuroscience suggests that stress and trauma are not only processed cognitively, but are also held in patterns of tension, sensation, and physiological response within the body. Because of this, many people find that meaningful healing involves more than insight alone — it also includes listening to and working with the body.

The somatic approach offers a way of working that honors the body as an essential part of the healing process, rather than something separate from our thoughts and emotions.

what is the Somatic approach?

The Somatic approach to psychotherapy is grounded in a holistic view of the individual.

In this approach to therapy, the client is supported to sit with, hold and feel into all parts of themselves, rather than just what's happening mentally and emotionally.

We observe and explore what is happening in the body alongside the rest of your experience. We do this because in truth, what we feel mentally and emotionally often has its roots within the body.

What I mean by that is that our bodies tend to have the initial experience through a felt sense in real-time, and the emotions and mental perspectives (or stories) follow. Our bodies are like filters for life experiences, and for many of us, what they're saying goes unnoticed or misinterpreted.

It is common in this day and age to be caught up in the mind, and ignoring or missing cues from the body... while truly our bodies are an honest compass about what's really going on for us - one that isn't swayed by the various conditionings in the mind.

If we get into the therapy room and spend the entire time in the mind expressing about the past or telling stories, we can miss what actually wants to be felt and expressed on other levels of our being in the here and now.

So, when we bring the body into the therapeutic space and focus on it as a guide in the therapeutic process, we suddenly have more of our innate intelligence on board and present with us that can help us to find the path to our own healing.

I am trained to support you in listening to your bodily signals so that you can be supported in recognizing what you truly need to find balance in yourself once again.

What it really comes down to is that nothing you've struggled with has been only in your mind. It has been somehow experienced in your body and your relationships with others and the world around you. Thus, to have lasting impact, healing needs to include these elements of your experience too.

what somatic therapy can support

While each person’s experience is unique, somatic therapy is commonly used to support people who are experiencing:

• Ongoing stress, anxiety, or nervous system overwhelm

• Trauma or post-traumatic stress responses

• Feeling “stuck” despite insight or long term traditional talk therapy

• Chronic tension, fatigue, or stress-related physical symptoms

• Difficulty identifying or regulating emotions

• A desire to reconnect with the body and inner sense of safety

• Healing of relational pain, hurt and betrayal that tends to exist beneath other presentations

By working with bodily awareness, many people find greater emotional regulation, increased resilience, and a deeper sense of self-trust.

what happens in a somatic therapy session?

In somatic therapy, sessions often include guidance to notice sensations, breath, posture, and movement alongside thoughts and emotions.

Rather than reliving the past, the focus is on what is happening in the present moment — allowing the body to reveal what it needs at a pace that feels safe and supportive.

This may involve grounding practices, tracking physical sensations, exploring emotional responses through bodily awareness, expressing as needed, and learning ways to support the nervous system both inside and outside of sessions.

in closing...

If you’re curious about exploring therapy in a way that honors both your inner world and your embodied experience, somatic therapy can offer a path toward greater clarity, balance, and reconnection with yourself.

I am passionate about creating a warm, welcoming and accepting space for you to sit with and examine yourself in all the ways necessary in order to find clarity. Humans are multifaceted and complex beings, and the therapy space is, in my view, a space wherein you get to explore all of it with the support of a compassionate other. With deep reverence for the human journey...

Warmly,

Alley