Somatic Therapy in Calgary
So much of what we carry lives in the body, not just the mind. The tight jaw, the shallow breath, the exhaustion that sleep doesn't fix, the anxiety that's still there after you've talked it through and understood it completely. Somatic therapy works with that directly.
What is somatic therapy?
Somatic therapy is a body-based approach to healing. Instead of working only with your thoughts and the story of what happened, we also work with your nervous system: the sensations, tension, impulses, and patterns that your body has been holding, often for a long time.
Our bodies hold deep wisdom. They also hold what we haven't had the space to feel. Stress, overwhelm, and painful experiences leave patterns in the nervous system, and those patterns keep running even after your mind has moved on. That's why insight alone doesn't always bring relief. Somatic work helps your body finally register that it can let go.
I work this way with people navigating anxiety, burnout, chronic stress, overworking and perfectionism, addiction and numbing patterns, body-based symptoms like chronic pain or fatigue, and the lasting impacts of trauma.
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
I'm a trained Sensorimotor Psychotherapist, which is one of the primary somatic approaches I draw on. Sensorimotor Psychotherapy works with the body, emotions, and cognition (the stories we tell about our experiences) together, so that healing happens at every level rather than just one. Alongside it, I integrate EMDR, Internal Family Systems, polyvagal-informed practice, and mindfulness, and I tailor the blend to what you need.
What are the benefits of Somatic Therapy
Relief from the symptoms of distressing and/or traumatic events
Sensory awareness of your body
Greater sense of safety in your body
Improved emotional regulation
Enhanced capacity to handle life’s stressors
Deeper sense of wellness in your body
At times relief from chronic pain symptoms due to unprocessed trauma
Greater sense of energy (relief from fatigue and exhaustion)
What to Expect During a Session?
We start with what feels most important to you. As you share, I'll ask gentle questions that help you notice what's happening in your body as you speak. This isn't a technique for its own sake; it's what keeps you present rather than pulled back into the past. Retelling hard stories can flood us with the very symptoms we're trying to heal. Staying in the here and now is what allows recovery to actually happen.
We move between the story and its impact on your body. Sometimes we focus on resourcing: building your nervous system's capacity for calm and safety. When you're ready, and only then, we use experiential exercises to process and release what's been stored. Resource first, then process. You set the pace.
Along the way, you learn to read your own body, so you leave with tools you can use long after our work ends.
Common questions
Is it hands-on? No. Somatic therapy, as I practice it, is not touch-based. We work through awareness, breath, movement, and gentle experiments, all guided by what you're comfortable with.
Do I have to relive everything in detail? No. We don't need the whole story for the body to release what it's holding. Often we work with just a piece, or with the sensation itself, without going back through the event.
I live in my head. Can this still work for me? Yes, and it's often the people who live in their heads who benefit most. Learning to notice your body is part of the work, not a prerequisite for it. We start wherever you are.
Can this help if it's not trauma? Yes. Anxiety, burnout, and chronic stress live in the nervous system too, and somatic work is often what shifts them when talk therapy hasn't.
How long does it take? It depends on what you're bringing and what you want. Some people come for a season; others for deeper, longer work. We'll talk about this together at the start and check in as we go.