Somatic Trauma Therapy

Thank you for your interest in somatic trauma therapy sessions with me.

My training is based on Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing® and Babette Rothschild’s model of trauma resolution and is fundamentally informed by Polyvagal Theory as proposed by Stephen Porges, PhD. I am also a Safe & Sound Protocol provider. My practice is heavily influenced by Abigail Rose Clark’s GROWL method and generative somatics, particularly the work of Staci Haines. I am currently working towards a qualification in Jan Winhall’s FeltSense™ Polyvagal Model for the treatment of trauma and addiction.

As a therapist, I aim to continually reflect on the various ways in which capitalism and colonisation perpetuate trauma intergenerationally.

My qualification as a Somatic Therapist is accredited by The Federation of Holistic Therapists and is underwritten by Balens Insurance.

Somatic sessions are £65 for 60 minutes. If you are a LGBTQI+ individual living with a low income, you may access the LGBTIQI+ fund to receive a further 30% off per session.

I look forward to hearing from you!

I’m currently accepting new clients on a waiting list basis — please email to join.

What is somatic trauma therapy and what are its aims?

For those not familiar with somatic trauma therapy, it is a therapeutic approach that places particular emphasis on mind-body integration by working with the nervous system to reclaim safety in the body. We do this by creating a safe therapeutic environment and slowly learning the language of the nervous system. This approach can help individuals discover and acquaint themselves with and make sense of bodily sensations and behaviours in the aftermath of a traumatic incident(s). It is via the safe exploration of bodily sensations that we facilitate the release and expression of emotions from the body. As this happens, we integrate new somatic patterns and new narratives so that post-trauma growth may happen. It’s worth noting that “somatics” or “somatic therapy” is an umbrella term under which many approaches exist in the current landscape of methodologies. My practice focusses specifically on the work of the individuals mentioned above. Please make sure you research what approaches exist and what research backs them up before choosing a therapist to work with.

“Somatic” itself means “of or relating to the body” - from Ancient Greek σωματικός (sōmatikós, “bodily”), and σῶμα (sôma, “body”.)

Who would benefit from this type of therapy?

Somatic trauma therapy can support people who feel ‘stuck’ in patterns of stress, pain, or emotional overwhelm. It may be especially helpful for those living with recurring depression, panic, hyper-vigilance, anxiety, chronic pain, dissociation, or other post-traumatic stress (PTSD) related experiences.

Somatic trauma therapy helps you become more embodied, which can ease symptoms, deepen self-awareness, and transform the way you relate to your body and your life. It can be particularly helpful to those people who feel they understand and can talk about their trauma but can’t really connect to how they feel.

How is Somatic Trauma Therapy carried out?

During a session, everything is an invitation and not an instruction. We will try to ‘sit’ with whichever feelings arise during the session and become curious about what the body has to ‘say’. There is not right or wrong way of doing it. A somatic therapist will help you track and explore these feelings, sensations and emotions in a gentle and safe way in order to safely discharge emotion from your body by using various mind-body techniques. These discharges will gradually happen as your body recognises it is safe enough to do so. It is common to cry, laugh, move and release emotion in a variety of very individual ways. Not everyone will respond or discharge emotion/energy in the same way but it is worth understanding that nervous system discharges are not the same as ‘out of control outbursts' of emotion or ‘opening Pandora’s box’. You will always be in control of your session and be held in a as safe as possible environment. Opening a ‘Pandora’s box’, something so many people (rightfully) fear, is the opposite of what happens during somatic therapy.

What happens during a session?

Every session is completely different as the session is led by what you are carrying on that day. However, you can have a look at this demonstration video to have an idea of what might happen during a session. My YouTube channel also has several videos which introduce people to somatic PolyVagal informed exercises.

What happens during the first session?

The first session is a chance for us to get to know each other a little bit and for you to acquaint yourself with the therapeutic space. It’s also an opportunity for me to get an understanding of where you’re at right now. I will invite you to ‘dip your toes’ into some somatic exercises to explore feelings of groundedness and safeness. If it’s helpful, I will also (in accessible terms) contextualise somatic trauma therapy within current research and therapeutic theory and explain how ‘it’ is supposed to work.

Is there any touching involved?

Generally, no. When required, appropriate and consensual touch might be introduced during the sessions but this is not mandatory. For example, I might ask you to push against my hand/foot/pillow/etc when trying to act out a movement/release emotion.

Do I have to commit to a minimum number of sessions?

It is advisable that you reflect about the time and financial commitment you're willing to make. It is particularly important to build rapport with a therapist and spend time creating a safe environment before we start exploring more uncomfortable feelings. For that reason, I'd recommend that you commit to a minimum of 6 sessions and then review every 3 sessions to review your therapeutic objectives and evaluate whether or not you feel like you'd like to continue the therapy. I ask that you commit to at least one session per month.

If you decide Somatic Trauma Therapy isn’t for you, we don’t have to continue the sessions. Some people are more suited to one type of therapy than another and that is absolutely fine. I will also be very happy to signpost you to appropriate organisations or individuals who might offer a more suitable type of therapy for you.

Can the sessions be done online?

Yes, we can work both in-person (from North Junction Street) and online, according to your preference. Both are £60 per session.

Are the sessions confidential?

Our work together will be confidential within the confines of the usual safeguarding considerations which means that disclosure might need to be made if I become aware of serious criminal activity, I believe you are at serious imminent risk of harm from yourself or someone else or that someone else is in danger. I will discuss my client work with my supervisor but clients will never be identified to the supervisor. I encourage you to review my Terms & Conditions for further information.

How does Somatic Trauma Therapy differ from talk therapies like counselling and CBT?

Typical talk therapies such as CBT mostly engage the mind, encouraging people to become aware of unhelpful/unpleasant thoughts and behaviour patterns and work to change them. In somatic trauma therapy, the body is the starting point to achieve healing (this is known as bottom-up approach, as opposed to CBT’s top-down approach). PolyVagal informed somatic therapy cultivates an awareness of bodily sensations, and teaches people to feel safe in their bodies while exploring thoughts, emotions, and memories. Because of this it may be classed both as bottom-up/ top-down approach.

Do I have to relive traumatic events?

No, doing so could be re-traumatising. However, uncomfortable sensations connected with past memories/trauma will come up in the course of our work together but these will always be handled in a safe way to avoid retraumatisation. The focus of the therapy is in facilitating you to release arising emotions from the body.

What do you consider trauma to be?

What's traumatic is personal. Other people can't know how you feel about your own experiences or if they were traumatic for you. You might have similar experiences to someone else, but be affected differently.

Trauma can happen when:

There is too much, too soon, too quickly
There is too much, for too long
There is not enough, for too long
Power and agency have been taken away from the person or collective
The stressors outweigh the resources available to navigate them
When our primal protective instincts, intuitions and responses are thwarted
There is not enough time, space or permission to heal

It is essential that we consider social, developmental, and cultural factors when reflecting on a client’s trauma history. By not acknowledging these contextual factors we do the individual a disservice.

The symptoms of trauma may occur immediately or emerge over time from the compounding stress and challenges of processing and adapting to the experiences of life. Symptoms of trauma emerge as the body and mind attempt to cope with and resolve the stressors.

Ways trauma can happen include:

one-off or ongoing events
being directly harmed
witnessing harm to someone else
living in a traumatic atmosphere
being affected by trauma in a family or community
...

Your experience of trauma might relate to parts of your identity, including if you've been harassed, bullied or discriminated against. If you've experienced trauma and identify as LGBTQIA+, Mind’s information on LGBTQIA+ mental health may be helpful for you.

Is there research evidence that somatic trauma therapy works?

Existing research on somatic trauma therapy is extremely promising and encouraging. However, this field of study hasn’t benefited from research funding in the same way CBT and counselling has but hopefully this will change in the future as we start to understand the benefits this type of therapy has on traumatised individuals.

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