Somatic Psychotherapy & Counselling
My approach is trauma-informed, attachment sensitive, nervous system informed, decolonial, and holistic. I collaborate with individuals to determine what direction, pace & interventions best suits their specific needs and intentions for therapy.
Somatic therapy prioritises the inherent connection between our bodies and our minds, and approaches therapy and healing from a holistic lens that honours the wisdom of our bodies.
Our nervous systems store memories from past experiences, including times when we felt safe or unsafe, and times when we felt connected or disconnected. Somatic memories of unsafety or disconnection can create a feeling of anxiety, tension in the body, and unhelpful automatic responses.
Somatic psychotherapy works by integrating both cognitive and embodied information, memories, and wisdom. Using talk therapy we explore stories, experiences, and thoughts, whilst also integrating awareness of the nervous system and the felt sense within our bodies. Somatic psychotherapy encourages people to become more aware of their body’s response to stress and equips them with self-regulatory skills and psychoeducation to respond in more helpful ways.
Therapy can support people in developing coping skills, building resilience, being more present through strong emotions, and reducing the effects of stressful states on the body.
Fees
50 minutes sessions $140 online & in-person
Sliding scale rates are available upon request for those who require them. This needs to be discussed in advance of sessions, and will depend on availability in my quota of subsidised places.
Is therapy for me?
We all want to experience health, wellbeing, and ease in our bodies and minds, but life can be tricky, and having individualised, focused, and holistic support can help. Some people come to therapy to focus on particular concerns, and some people come for overall support and reflection.
Therapy can be useful for anyone who wants to learn more about themselves, to develop interpersonal skills and communication, navigate change, explore their creativity, identity, their gender, or sexuality. Therapy can support people who might be feeling stuck, or people who are facing major challenges such as grief, loss, anxiety, depression, trauma, illness.
Whether it is repairing early attachment patterns, navigating major life events, or reassessing habits and beliefs, having tailored therapeutic support can assist you to feel more in control, and more comfortable within yourself.
Therapy allows you to tend to the parts of your life and experiences that need attention, and cultivate ways to nurture, grow and move forward in your life with more clarity and purpose.
What happens in a therapy session?
All sessions are tailored to your individual needs and preferences.
Traditionally psychotherapy is a talk-therapy, so sessions will start with discussion around any particular concerns or intentions you may have for therapy. The somatic or body-based aspects can be incorporated over time to expand awareness and learn to check in with your felt sense as we explore different experiences and emotions.
Depending on what you feel comfortable with, we might include mindfulness techniques, embodied practices, or regulation techniques. It’s important that you set the limits and always holds agency over what is or isn’t explored in the sessions. Therapy looks different for everyone; some people will go to therapy briefly and some people will go to therapy for years.