somatic workLet’s try something different
Many of my current clients have said they previously questioned if therapy could work for them. If you are a self-aware individual many popular counseling theories that focus on creating awareness may have left you feeling stuck or hopeless. I utilize bottom-up, somatic techniques that help you actually feel your emotions rather than intellectualizing or avoiding them. This can be a very powerful and transformative process for people who are highly self-aware or weren’t given the space to express their emotions previously.
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Somatic work focuses on rekindling communication between the mind and body. My experience in the medical field taught me that the connection between mind and body is fundamental in creating change in people’s lives. Unprocessed emotions can be stored in the body and present as tension, pain, or an increased anxiety response.
I utilize bottom-up, somatic approaches. Together we will learn to translate physiological sensations and understand the message your body is trying to communicate with you. You feeling on edge while in a meeting with your boss is your body trying to impart wisdom or an unmet need to you. By listening to your body rather than suppressing the sensation you can learn how to metabolize your emotions, gain a better understanding of your body, and more clearly express your needs.
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There are many valid and protective reasons why someone may have had to learn to disconnect from their body. Maybe you have a fast paced and demanding job, chronic pain or migraines, or a stressful family or living environment. All of these circumstances likely feel better when you’re “zoned out.” Being tuned into our bodily sensations, emotions, and needs is not always going to be the top priority. You learning to shut off the communication with your body was important to help you get through your day at some point in your life. But now you have a hard time “turning it back on.” That’s where I can help. We can slowly start to rebuild the communication between mind and body so you can have autonomy over when you would like to feel things and when you would like distance from the body.
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If you are highly self-aware and lean into intellectualizing but tend to come up blank when someone asks you “what do you feel in your body?” Somatic Work can help. Many of my clients can give me a full explanation, or even a powerpoint presentation, of what happened during an upsetting event or situation. However, when it comes to knowing how they feel about a situation or actually allowing themselves to feel rather they suddenly don’t have answers. If your main coping strategy is intellectualizing rather than feeling your emotions Somatic Work may be the therapy for you.
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If you have chronic pain your brain has learned over months or years that being present in the body comes with a cost: pain. Many people cannot afford to feel the full range of their chronic pain day-to-day because it would be debilitating. Being aware of their pain would prevent them from being able to live their lives. Somatic Work can still be transformative for people with chronic pain or health issues. Together we will rebuild safety being present in your body, learn how to check in with sensations you experience, and more accurately report your symptoms to your doctors rather than minimizing them.
Please know that I will always honor your body’s capacity for being present. Some sessions begin by clients stating that today is a “no body questions” day due to the level of pain of fatigue they are experiencing. I understand that with chronic pain and illness your capacity is likely different day-to-day or even moment-to-moment. I will honor your autonomy on the level of work that feels accessible each session. Learn more about how I work with chronic pain, fatigue, and illness here.