Being asked to move and breath with intention, with my therapist, was altogether uncharted territory and a huge worry of “Am I doing it right?”. “Will I look stupid?”.

However, I soon discovered that somatic therapy wasn’t forced or awkward at all. It was collaborative, supportive, and entirely paced by me. I could always slip back into talk therapy if needed. Indeed, that was part of the integrative work. This made the experience feel safe and respectful of my boundaries. Somatic therapy has since become a powerful tool in my healing journey. It helped me reconnect with my body and release long-held tension, paving the way for a more resilient and integrated sense of self. 

We often take it for granted that we’re fully connected to our bodies, assuming everything runs smoothly without really noticing how our body behaves. I used to think the same until I discovered that trauma could change the way our body responds even when we’re not aware of it. It’s amazing how much our body has to communicate with us, through tension, shifts in our breath, or unexpected reactions that we simply overlook/ignore, that get louder. In my work with somatic trauma therapy, I help people tune in to those subtle signals, so they can truly understand and reconnect with their bodies. This journey of rediscovery can open up a whole new level of awareness and healing that you might not even have imagined. 

While my approach builds on somatic work inspired by Peter Levine’s ground-breaking research, it is distinct from Somatic Experiencing. Levine’s intensive three-year course is dedicated exclusively to tapping into the body’s natural responses to trauma. In contrast, my three-phase model integrates those core somatic principles with other proven modalities, including psychodynamic insights and cognitive techniques. This comprehensive, adaptable approach is rooted in a deep understanding of nervous system threat responses and effective regulation. It’s designed to help you build healthier patterns for emotional regulation and resilience that fit seamlessly into everyday practice, all within a safer, supportive space. This blend allows me to tailor the healing process to your unique needs, offering somatic principles that integrate easily with various therapeutic approaches, ensuring that you can focus on healing while I manage the complexity behind the scenes.  

Over time, I’ve witnessed the benefits first-hand in my own practice, training as a somatic trauma therapist using the trifasic trauma model, as part of my already integrative qualification and work. I simply cannot imagine not using being able to offer this approach.

In somatic therapy, these two concepts refer to different starting points for healing: 

• Bottom-Up Approaches: These focus on the body first. You work directly with physical sensations, such as your breath, posture, and movement, to help calm your nervous system and release stored tension. The idea is that by helping your body feel safe and relaxed, your mind will gradually follow. Techniques like gentle movement, grounding exercises, and mindfulness of bodily sensations are examples of a bottom-up approach. Essentially, you let your body’s innate wisdom guide the healing process and build new, healthier responses from the ground up. 

• Top-Down Approaches: These begin with the mind. They rely on cognitive strategies, talk therapy, and conscious reflection to understand and reframe your experiences. When you change the way you think about a traumatic event, that new understanding can eventually influence how you feel physically. This approach emphasises perspective shifts, understanding personal narratives, and using insights gained from talking therapy to help regulate the body. 

   

Both approaches are valuable, and I blend them to create a path to healing. By addressing both the mind and the body, you can develop healthier responses to stress and trauma, building resilience from both the top (thoughts, beliefs) and the bottom (physical sensations, neural responses). 

Case Example: “The Silent Throat”. 

Consider a client who, as a child, was discouraged from speaking up. Now, when they face situations that demand self-expression, whether in personal relationships or at work, their throat seizes, preventing them from speaking. This physical constriction is a somatic manifestation of long-held trauma from when they were silenced as a child. if you were often silenced as a child, this might show up physically, as a tight, constricted throat that prevents you from speaking up when you need to.  

Somatic trauma therapy offers gentle, body-based techniques to help you release this stored tension and reconnect with your inner voice. 

Using the three phases of healing… 

Phase 1: Safety and Stabilization. 

Creating a safer, supportive environment for your healing. I help you build a sense of safety in sessions through grounding techniques and gentle sensory exercises. This is where we begin to make sense of your body’s stress signs. We focus on regulating your nervous system with simple breathwork. For example, you might be guided to place your hand on your throat, notice any tightness, and take slow, deep breaths. This practice helps your body feel a sense of expansion and safety. 

Example: When you feel anxious, try placing your hand on your chest and breathe slowly and deeply. Over time, such practices help your body learn to respond to stress with calm rather than panic. 

Phase 2: Trauma Memory Processing. 

Gently revisiting and releasing painful memories held in the body, in small, manageable doses. We don’t dive into overwhelming memories all at once. Instead, we work in tiny fragments. You might gently recall a feeling of being unheard while staying focused on the calm sensation of your breath. Working with the Throat Sensations I may guide you in a visualization where your throat is like a delicate bud ready to bloom. With each slow breath, imagine the bud slowly opening. Pairing this visualization with a gentle hum or soft, controlled vocal sound can help “unstick” the tension, much like an animal shaking off stress. 

Example: If recalling a painful memory makes your chest or throat feel tight, try shifting your attention gently between that discomfort and a part of your body where you feel more at ease. A little movement or a soft vibration may help the tension begin to melt away. 

Embedding your new experiences into everyday life and building healthier ways of handling stress. With regular practice of these techniques, like deep breathing and grounding, your nervous system begins to form new, healthier connections. This rewiring teaches your body to support expression rather than shut it down. Gradually, you’ll work on applying these techniques in real-life situations. As positive experiences accumulate, old feelings of shame or fear are replaced by a growing sense of empowerment and confidence. 

Example: A client who once froze in stressful situations finds that by practicing regular deep breathing and grounding, they begin to respond more calmly, and their body chooses a healthier resource quicker. Over time, they feel more comfortable engaging in conversations and expressing themselves in relationships.