Beyond Talk Therapy: What Somatic Work Can Offer You
One of the most common comments I hear when I first meet with therapy clients is, “I want more than talk therapy.” Clients are often specifically seeking me out because of my unique approach. I offer a truly holistic and dynamic therapy experience, blending spiritual psychology, somatic practices, and relational healing practices.
If you are craving more than talk therapy, this blog post is intended to support you to discover how somatic therapy and somatic work can help you release stuck patterns, reconnect with your body, and finally experience lasting change.
You’re Doing "the Work,” But Something Still Feels Off
It can feel daunting to find a therapist—especially when you’re a high-performing, ambitious, soulful person. You’re looking for a unicorn therapist because—let’s be honest—you aren’t going to work with just anyone. You want next level support from a fellow soulful, ambitious, high-performer who also incorporates somatic work into therapy.
You don’t want to just talk about your issues. You want more. You know that your mind isn’t the only part of you in the therapy room. You have been in talk therapy and very much benefitted from it but, at this point, you want to incorporate body-centered work and somatic healing into your therapy journey.
This is where I come in! You can read more about my story and my therapy approach here to see if it jives with where you’re currently at. I offer therapy in Connecticut and incorporate a unique blend of somatic work, spirituality, and relational and interpersonal work into my clients’ therapy journeys.
Why Talk Therapy Alone Isn’t Always Enough
Your instincts are right: talk therapy alone isn’t enough to heal underlying trauma.
I want to be clear: I’m not against talk therapy. I incorporate it into my work as a therapist, but it isn’t the stereotypical “problem of the week” kind of talk therapy. It is intentional and focused talk therapy that is in alignment with clear goals that my clients set during the intake portion of our journey together (this typically takes 1—3 sessions, depending on the client).
There is so much value in working with someone who is deeply, actively, and truly listening to you as you vulnerably share. Here’s why: As the therapist calmly and actively listens to you, it can down-regulate your nervous system. There is a sense of safety you can begin to feel as you feel heard, which is called co-regulation. Dan Siegel writes about this extensively in his book The Developing Mind.
So, while intentionally focused talk therapy is helpful, it can also have its limitations. This is because trauma lives in our bodies. Trauma is, essentially, the experience of the emotional brain hijacking the rational brain, and sending alarm bells to the nervous system to fight off, run away from, or freeze in the midst of danger. Our bodies get stuck in these fight, flight, and/or freeze holding patterns, and this is where I believe somatic work is essential for healing.
WHAT TO EXPECT IN A SOMATIC THERAPY OR COACHING SESSION
Somatic therapy actively centers the client’s felt sense of what is happening in the therapy room. The way that is done will differ depending on the modalities that the therapist is trained in and the personal goals the client sets. When I work with clients, there are many ways that we bring somatic work into the therapy room. The modalities I use are personally catered to my clients’ needs. Inside of session, this might look like:
Somatic practices that strengthen the connection between the brain and the nervous system (an example of one is right here on this blog post)
Breathwork
Somatic parts work (a therapeutic approach that blends an Internal Family Systems’ framework with body-based practices to help people heal trauma, release stuck patterns, and reconnect with their true self through both mind and body)
Gentle, simple somatic exercises that release stored stress and trauma from the body
Emotional Freedom Technique (also called tapping, this is a practice of tapping on various acupressure points to release stuck energy, emotions, stress, and trauma from the body)
Something very unique that I offer to clients is a practice library of guided meditations, somatic practices, and spiritual & energetic practices that clients can practice outside of the therapy room. I often give clients daily practices to do outside of our sessions together so that they can experience change more quickly, effectively, and sustainably.
5 reasons you might be ready for somatic work
If you’re questioning whether you want to do somatic work in your therapy journey, these could be five indicators that you’re ready for it:
You’re craving deeper healing than insight alone can provide
You feel stuck, even after years of traditional therapy
You sense that your body is holding emotions, stress, and energies you can’t reach through words
You want to feel safe in your body again
You’re drawn to healing that’s intuitive, integrative, and spiritually aware
Next Steps
If you’re in Connecticut, I actively incorporate somatic work into my therapy process. You can book a free 30-minute consult with me right here.
If you’re anywhere in the world, I offer 1:1 coaching and incorporate somatic work into the private coaching experience. You can book a free call with me here.
With care,
Heather
