Embodied Healing : Exploring Mind-Body Connection For Yourself & Those You Love Most

Do you struggle to understand or manage your emotions? Are you feeling disconnected?  Body-centered therapy might be the answer you've been searching for. This approach is beneficial for adults, young people, and parents seeking a deeper connection with themselves and their families. I offer sessions to individuals, couples, parent-child, and families.

What is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy is a foundational, holistic approach that views the mind and body as deeply interconnected. It goes beyond conventional talk therapy, exploring physical, nervous system level wellness by recognizing that our physical sensations, emotions, and thoughts are intertwined and influence each other. This means that unexpressed emotions or unresolved trauma can often manifest as physical tension, pain, or even illness. By addressing these issues at the root level of the body, somatic therapy offers a pathway to profound healing and wellness. It is a return to yourself, a foundational connection from which all other experiences form.

Somatic therapy is a bottom-up approach to healing that begins with the body’s physiological responses rather than cognitive processes. Unlike traditional psychotherapy, which often emphasizes top-down mental strategies such as analysis, reasoning, and reflection, somatic therapy focuses on the body's innate neurobiological sequencing—where instinct and sensation precede emotional and cognitive processing. Neuroscience shows that the autonomic nervous system is the first to register and respond to stimuli, often below conscious awareness. The body senses and processes the energetic and emotional tone of an experience before the brain assigns meaning to it.

How Does It Work?

Somatic therapy works by helping individuals tune into their internal bodily sensations—called interoception—to access and regulate unconscious patterns of stress, trauma, or dysregulation stored in the nervous system. Instead of starting with thoughts, this approach begins by tracking physical cues such as breath, muscle tension, posture, and subtle shifts in energy.

When a person experiences a stressful or traumatic event, the autonomic nervous system (ANS)—especially the sympathetic (fight/flight) and dorsal vagal (freeze) branches—activates to protect the body. If the nervous system doesn’t complete its natural cycle of response and recovery, that energy can become stuck in the body, leading to chronic dysregulation, anxiety, depression, or physical symptoms.

Somatic therapy works by gently guiding the client to bring awareness to these body-based patterns and sensations, allowing the nervous system to reprocess the experience. This often involves slow, mindful movement, conscious breathing, grounding techniques, and titrated exposure to stored sensations or emotions in a safe environment.

Over time, this process helps restore neurophysiological balance—shifting the body from survival states into ventral vagal regulation (associated with safety, connection, and presence), as described in Polyvagal Theory. This creates space for new neural pathways, improved emotional resilience, and a felt sense of safety and embodiment.

By tuning into your body's wisdom through felt sensations, you can unlock a deeper understanding of yourself and your experiences. This is a felt experience rather than a thought in your mind. Somatic therapy helps you:

• Develop Body Awareness: Pay close attention to your physical sensations and learn how your body reacts to different emotions and situations.

• Regulate Emotions: Identify and manage your emotions more effectively by recognizing the physical cues your body provides.

• Heal from Trauma: Process and release trauma that may be stored in the body, leading to physical tension or discomfort. Trauma can be the result of daily stress build up or from a single event. 

Why is this beneficial?

Somatic therapy is uniquely beneficial because it works with the body—not just the mind—making it highly effective for regulating the nervous system, resolving trauma, and restoring a sense of safety and wholeness.

From a neuroscience perspective, many emotional and psychological struggles—such as anxiety, depression, chronic stress, or dissociation—stem from a dysregulated autonomic nervous system. Traditional talk therapy can offer insight, but it may not fully reach the parts of the brain where trauma is held, particularly the limbic system and brainstem, which operate below conscious awareness and store our instinctual responses to threat.

Somatic therapy bypasses the thinking brain (prefrontal cortex) and taps into the body’s implicit memory—the nonverbal imprint of past experiences stored in muscle tension, breath patterns, posture, and internal sensation. By bringing awareness to these patterns and offering gentle tools for self-regulation (like conscious breathing, grounding, and movement), somatic therapy helps the nervous system complete unfinished stress cycles and return to homeostasis.

This leads to benefits such as:

• Reduced anxiety and hypervigilance

• Improved emotional resilience and stress tolerance

• Enhanced mind-body connection and self-awareness

• A felt sense of safety and inner calm

• Greater access to joy, creativity, and presence

• Improved sleep, digestion, and immune function (via vagal tone improvement)

In short, somatic therapy helps rewire the nervous system from the bottom up—supporting not only emotional and psychological healing but also physical and spiritual well-being.

Why is this beneficial for children, teens, and young adults?

This age group often faces unique challenges navigating their emotions, bodies, and identities. Somatic (mind-body) therapy can be particularly helpful because it:

• Provides a safe space for expression: It allows young people to explore their emotions and experiences non-verbally, which can be especially helpful for those who struggle to articulate their feelings.

• Develops emotional intelligence: By connecting with their bodies, young people can learn to identify and manage their emotions more effectively, leading to improved relationships and self-esteem.

• Addresses developmental challenges: Somatic therapy can help with issues such as anxiety, depression, body image concerns, and trauma, which are common during these formative years.

• Enhances self-awareness: It encourages young people to develop a stronger sense of self and understand how their thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations are interconnected.

How Somatic Therapy Benefits Parents & Families: Co-regulation

Parents and children benefit greatly from this approach. It can help you:

• Understand and manage your own emotions: Parenting can be stressful! Somatic therapy provides tools for regulating your own emotions, which is essential for creating a calm and supportive family environment.

• Improve communication with your children: By increasing your own body awareness, you can better understand your children's nonverbal cues and respond to their needs more effectively.

• Develop co-regulation skills: Co-regulation is the process of helping your child regulate their emotions through your own calm and supportive presence. Somatic (mind-body) therapy can help you develop the skills needed to co-regulate with your child, creating a secure attachment and fostering their emotional development.

• Heal from your own childhood experiences: Unresolved trauma or past experiences can impact your parenting. Somatic therapy can help you address these issues, leading to more conscious and attuned parenting.

What to Expect in a Session:

Every somatic therapy session is designed to meet you exactly where you are—with gentleness, presence, and compassion. Rather than jumping straight into mental analysis or storytelling, we begin by tuning into the body’s cues, helping you reconnect with your natural rhythm and inner awareness.

Here’s what the experience often includes:

Grounding + Nervous System Check-In
We start by slowing down and noticing what’s present in your body. This might include scanning for tension, tracking your breath, or exploring sensations like warmth, pressure, or movement. These cues help us understand how your nervous system is functioning in the moment—are you in fight, flight, freeze, or a regulated state?

Guided Somatic Practices
Depending on your needs, I may guide you through conscious somatic breathwork, gentle movement, touch-based resourcing (if applicable), visualization, or grounding techniques paired with the immersive sound therapy of 9D Breathwork. These practices are designed to help you deepen your connection to your body while allowing your body to discharge stored stress, shift into a regulated state, and build felt safety from the inside out.

Tracking + Integration
Throughout the session, we’ll gently track what arises—sensations, images, emotions, memories—without needing to force or “fix” anything. You’re encouraged to notice without judgment and follow the natural rhythm of your body’s healing process. Integration may include short reflections, anchoring in safety, or choosing a supportive action for after the session.

Safe, Trauma-Informed Space
Everything we do is rooted in safety, consent, and choice. You’ll never be pushed or rushed. Your body sets the pace. Sessions are co-created, and I’ll guide you in staying connected to your breath and body while gently expanding your capacity for presence, regulation, and emotional resilience.

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I may use a variety of somatic techniques, such as:

• Mindfulness & Grounding Exercises: To bring you into the present moment and increase body awareness.

• Conscious Connected Breathwork: To bring awareness back to your body, connect with your emotions and release tension stored in your body.

• Movement, Body Postures, & Sounds: To explore your emotions and connection within your body.

• Creative Expression: Utilizing art, music, or play to help young people express themselves.

• Touch (with consent): To help you release tension and connect with your physical self.

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Many clients feel lighter, calmer, more connected, or experience emotional release. Others simply feel more present and grounded. The effects are cumulative—each session helps rewire your nervous system and build your embodied capacity for healing.

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Is Somatic Therapy Right for You?

This approach can be beneficial for a wide range of concerns, including:​

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• Anxiety and Depression

• Stress Management

• Chronic Pain

• Relationship Issues

• Focus & Attention Issues

• Confidence

• Self-Awareness

• Sleep & Rest

• Connection

• Addiction

• Trauma (I am a Trauma-Informed Specialist)

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​​The Nervous System- Our Frontline Responder to Life

As a human being, you know firsthand the rollercoaster that life can be sometimes – lot's of stuff to do, trouble with focus, low energy, the stress, the worries, and the moments when it all feels too much. You're not alone. Many of us struggle with focus, having enough energy, daily stress build up, anxiety, anger, depression, or the lingering effects of past trauma. I understand these challenges deeply, not only from my professional training but also through my own personal experiences as a wife, mom, & practitioner.

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Something amazing and often not taught to us is that we all possess a powerful built-in tool for healing and finding a greater sense of peace within ourselves: our nervous system. Your nervous system is your body's frontline responder to the world. It shapes how you experience everything, from daily hassles to major life events. When it's out of balance, life feels overwhelming. But when we learn to understand and work with our nervous system, we unlock the ability to respond, not react, heal stored trauma, find inner calm, and build resilience to navigate life's challenges with greater ease and grace. It is truly empowered and elevated thriving. 

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Using somatic awareness therapies—including movement, mindfulness, embodied sensory alignment, conscious breathing techniques, coaching & integration, and personalized education—paired with either Soma+IQ Breathwork or Somatic 9D Breathwork Sound Therapy as foundational practices for body-mind awareness, I'll guide you on a journey to empower your nervous system, connect to your inner wisdom, and create lasting change for a more joyful and balanced life.

Depending on your session, you'll experience either:

• Soma+IQ Breathwork, a structured neuro-respiratory approach that integrates breath, body awareness, and coaching to regulate emotions, release stored stress, and rewire subconscious patterns.

• 9D Breathwork Sound Therapy, a multisensory, immersive breathwork experience using sound frequencies, guided visualization, and subconscious reprogramming for deep emotional release and transformation.

I'm committed to your long-term well-being. Together, we'll create a safe and supportive space for you to explore, transform, and thrive. I've got you.

If you feel ready to learn more, I invite you to book a complementary discovery call with me. This is an opportunity to discuss your specific questions and see if these offerings may work for you. 

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*Please note my website and offerings are for educational purposes only. I am not a medical professional. Seek professional attention immediately if you are in any kind of crisis.

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a free, confidential, and 24/7 service that connects people in crisis with trained counselors. You can call, text, or chat online to reach the Lifeline.

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