What is Somatic Psychotherapy?
“This is your body, your greatest gift, pregnant with wisdom you do not hear, grief you thought was forgotten, and joy you have never known.” – Marion Woodman
Somatic psychotherapy approaches the healing process by understanding human beings through an integrated mind/body/spirit perspective. Through the inextricable link between thought, emotion, and bodily felt experience, somatic psychotherapy understands that a change in one area of experience can have an effect upon another. For example, feelings can affect thoughts as thoughts can affect feelings, thus the ways in which behaviors, habits, and life experiences come into being through this dynamically interconnected system.
Somatic psychotherapy works with the interdependent aspects one’s being: the emotional, biological, spiritual, thinking/conceptual, and relational through approaching the human experience from an integrated whole. Somatic psychotherapy is recognized for its applications for trauma work as the body is seen as the doorway in which to change the deep reactions that can remain after a traumatic experience occurs. These fight/flight/dissociation responses which emerge to automatically protect us can inhibit us over time and manifest as anxiety, depression, and addictions, etc.
By working with the body during psychotherapy, we are able to work directly with the nervous system through reconnecting the vast and powerful intelligence of the body with the mind and spirit for new patterns of healing to occur. In our work we build compassionate awareness of bodily sensations and use trauma-informed approaches to develop presence, reconnect with oneself and others, and to find an integrated state of well-being and wholeness.
Who may benefit from Somatic Psychotherapy?
The latest research in neuroscience, polyvagal theory, epigenetics, and the treatment of trauma has found somatic psychotherapy to be the groundwork for effective clinical practice.
Somatic psychotherapy can be helpful for a wide range of areas such as changing limiting patterns, navigating life transitions/changes/loss, exploring life purpose(s), improving relationships, and getting to the root of anxiety, depression, and addictions.
What does a Somatic Psychotherapy session look like?
Somatic psychotherapy is similar to other forms of psychotherapy where a safe, non-judgmental, and supportive therapeutic alliance provides a strong foundation for therapeutic work. Some techniques in our work together can include building a relationship with the physical body through sensation awareness and tracking, breath work exercises, incorporation of yoga postures or physical movement, guided meditation/practices of mindfulness, and grounding exercises based upon a client’s particular therapeutic needs.
Jovahna offers a free 15-minute initial consultation over the phone. Please contact her for fee inquiries, or if you would like to set up an initial consultation. Some reduced fee sessions are available based upon financial circumstances.