Somatic Therapy

What is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic Therapy, although a talking therapy incorporates and brings attention to the body. It is a holistic approach that recognises the complex layering of each individual’s relationship to stress. Stress manifests itself in each person’s body differently. While we might perceive stress as happening around us, it is actually happening within us.

A physiological stress response happens throughout every system of the body and can put us into survival states of fight, flight or freeze that we are unable to flow out of easily. When this happens we are unable to properly process stress. We begin to form compensational patterns that over time wear down our nervous system and show up as challenges to our health, focus, productivity, behaviour and relationships. As we lose our ability to adapt we start to experience a flooding of incomplete stress responses, known as chronic stress. This can show up for individuals in the form of anxiety and depression, which can make us less attuned to the need for self-care.

As we explore and gain awareness of how this shows up for you in your body we can address the physical symptoms, behavioural responses and give time and space to process the underlying emotions. We can then access and metabolise deeply stored stress or trauma to help restore optimal functioning and wellbeing.