Talk therapy focuses primarily on discussing thoughts and emotions through verbal communication, while somatic therapy emphasizes the body's role in processing emotions and experiences, utilizing techniques like movement, breathwork, and touch to address stored trauma within the body; essentially, talk therapy is more focused on the mind while somatic therapy integrates the mind and body connection.

Supportive Somatic Therapy is designed in a way in which you’re not required to talk in detail about the past woundings you’ve encountered. Rather we use an overview of the experience as means to elicit activation (or body sensations) to help us tap into where the brain and body are holding unresolved trauma or emotional energy.

Common body responses experienced include: muscle tension, trembling, tingling sensations, changes in breathing patterns (deep breaths, rapid breathing), feeling of heaviness or tightness in the chest, sensations of warmth or coolness, muscle twitching, shaking, sighing, yawning, and a sense of release or relaxation as tension is released from the body, often accompanied by emotional expressions like crying or laughter. After a session concludes, you might feel a little more sensitive than usual and sometimes might even feel a little worse - this can be because what we had previously not been aware of in our feelings or body, is now more on the surface where we can notice it. You might like to give yourself more space after a session, try and get an earlier rest that day or get some support with our self-care resources.

Reasons why past and current clients sought me out is: (1) they feel they have reached a plateau with their talk therapy journey - they have the mental perspective to see what is wrong but are stuck at changing the behavior and/or their mind is feeling clearer but their body symptoms have not changed, (2) medically they have taken all the different tests and are supposed to be “ok” but are not feeling that way at all, (3) they identify as being very “heady” people who are very analytical and feel very disconnected with their body, (4) they are aware that they have traumatic experiences (but might not remember them) from when they were in the womb, post-natal, or while still very young, i.e. pre-verbal, and (5) they are following a hunch that there is something more underneath what is showing up emotionally or physically, but are not sure what.

As bound trauma energy is released, your nervous system’s capacity (ability to organically and effortlessly manage stressors) increases. Energy that was being siphoned off to simply manage your symptoms is now newly available for use by other body processes. Clients have reported improved digestion, fear and anxiety reduction, an increased sense of physical and emotional balance, expanded resiliency and resourcefulness, a heightened sense of vitality, and a new capacity to more easily connect with and interact with others.