I am a Somatic Therapist with over a decades worth of experience working with people in recovery from physical and emotional trauma, including survivors of domestic and sexual violence, those in recovery from substance misuse and those with mental health challenges. Over the years I have used CBT, DBT and person-centred talking therapy to support my clients, however more recently, as I have discovered on my own journey through trauma recovery, I have come to use Somatic Therapy more and more, and in particular Somatic Experiencing.

 

Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a body-based therapeutic practice developed by Dr. Peter Levine to address trauma and stress-related disorders, including Complex PTSD (C-PTSD). The core idea behind SE is that the energy (or charge) of an unresolved traumatic event, or series of events, gets stored in the body, and manifests into physical sensations such as chronic tension, pain, emotional dysregulation, syndromes and disorders.

 

Through gentle inquiry into what is arising in the present moment, I will support you through a process to release this charge, by tuning into bodily sensation, arising emotions, images, memories and movement in the body; and thus release pain and tension, and resolve dysregulation, to support your system to feel more regulated, well and whole.

 

Somatic therapy is helpful for anyone who has knowingly experienced a traumatic event or events, and also for those who do not know their history but nonetheless are experiencing challenges. These may include, but not exclusively: chronic pain, sleep disorders, anxiety, any kind of syndrome (such as chronic fatigue syndrome, EDS etc) and anyone who has challenges with boundaries, feelings of safety and those who wish to experience more joy in their lives.