What is Somatic Psychotherapy?

Somatic psychotherapy works directly with the body’s expression of mental and emotional concerns. Even when we can’t consciously remember an event or put an experience into words, our body holds its own story. Maybe the jaw clenches, or the shoulders move slightly, or the breath catches in the chest. Somatic psychotherapy views physical signs like this as entry points into understanding, processing, and ultimately shifting what’s going on for you. 

The aim of somatic psychotherapy is to reconnect the mind and body, and help you let go of emotional pain on a physical level.

What does Somatic Psychotherapy look like?

There are many types of somatic psychotherapy. I primarily use Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, a gentle modality that addresses the implicit memories and neurobiological impact of traumatic events and attachment. In session, this can look like:

• Encouragement to notice your body sensations in the moment

• Exploring how body sensations might be connected to thoughts, emotions, or memories

• Using mindfulness, movement, breath, and other physical tools to regulate emotions and the nervous system, expand your capacity to be with inner experiences, or reprocess unconscious patterns and past events