Somatic Therapy
What is Somatic Therapy?
Somatic Therapy is a healing modality that works with the mind-body connection to help you process deeply held trauma, anxiety, and nervous system programming that lives in the body. It recognizes that the mind and body are intricately connected, and that the body encodes every thought, feeling and experience you’ve had in your life.
It goes beyond traditional talk therapy to access your unconscious programming in order to change deep patterns that exist in your nervous system that are influencing everything in your world - from your daily thoughts and emotions, to your relationship patterns, your motivation levels and your expectations from life.
At its core, Somatic Therapy helps you get out of your head and into your body.
It can help you move beyond just thinking about your past and create an opportunity for deep healing by restructuring how your nervous system is programmed. Our somatic therapists use practical techniques such as body based meditations, gentle movement practices, mindfulness exercises and nervous system regulation tools to help you process your pain at a deep level, so you can find relief from your symptoms and also experience change that lasts.
Whether you are dealing with past trauma, chronic nervous system dysregulation, anxiety, depression, or stress and overwhelm, somatic therapy can help you heal. Book a free consultation call to get started.
"The body remembers what the mind tries to forget. Trauma is not just an event that took place sometime in the past; it is also the imprint left by that experience on mind, brain, and body."
- Bessel van der Kolk
In Somatic Therapy, you’ll learn about the mind-body connection, how your nervous system works, and how to unearth unconscious programming that your body is holding onto. When you learn to tap into the mind-body system, you’ll be able to release stored trauma and emotional debris that your mind hasn’t been able to fully process and metabolize.
Through experiential practices like breathwork, gentle movement, and mindfulness, you’ll deepen your understanding of yourself and how you respond to stress and trauma. These practices will increase your self-awareness, self-confidence and provide you with the tools you need to rewire your mind-body connection and heal your dysregulated nervous system.
How Does Somatic Therapy Work?
Here at The Holistic Counseling Center, we offer somatic therapy because it supports our holistic approach to treating mental health conditions. Your mental health is so much more than just your brain chemistry. Working with the body and the mind-body connection is critical for helping you achieve relief from your symptoms and experiencing change that lasts. Somatic therapy enriches the therapeutic process by integrating bodily sensations and experiences, allowing you to explore and address emotional distress on multiple levels.
Somatic Therapy at The Holistic Counseling Center
What Issues Can Somatic Therapy Treat?
Somatic Therapy is effective in treating a wide range of mental health issues and diagnoses, including:
Burnout
Childhood Trauma
Emotional Abuse
Existential Crisis
Gaslighting
Grief
Intergenerational Trauma
Life Purpose
Life Transitions
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Perfectionism
Perinatal Mood Disorders (Perinatal Depression (PPD), Postpartum Anxiety (PPA)
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
What People are Saying
★★★★★
“Kim is a skilled therapist who advocates for the emotional growth of her clients while holding a safe space for them to come just as they are. Her approach is gentle yet effective. I highly recommend her.”
- Erin, Folsom, CA
Meet The Team
Somatic Therapists
Kim Burris
Founder, Licensed Therapist, LMFT
Anxiety, Postpartum Depression, Shadow Work, Existential Crisis + Spirituality
Dr. Anjali Connors
Licensed Clincal Psychologist
Anxiety, Trauma, CPTSD, Life Transitions, Relationship Satisfaction + Spirituality
Perri Griffin
Licensed Therapist, LMFT
Anxiety, Shadow Work, CPTSD, Postpartum,
Existential Crisis, Life Purpose + Spirituality
Sinclair Mitchell
Associate Therapist, AMFT
Anxiety, Self-Esteem, Trauma, CPTSD,
Relationships, Couples, Teens + Moms
Ready to work together?
Here’s how to get started:
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Somatic therapy offers a variety of techniques aimed at addressing emotional and physical release through the body-mind connection. One example is Breathwork, which involves specific breathing exercises and techniques designed to activate your body's natural relaxation response, release tension, and increase your capacity for emotional flexibility. Other treatments include guided meditations, gentle movement practices, increasing somatic awareness, and grounded exercises. All of the somatic practices we offer help you build nervous system resilience and increase your capacity for healing, joy and love.
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Somatic therapy is ideal for you if you've experienced trauma or emotional distress that shows up in physical symptoms like tension, chronic pain, or somatic complaints. If you feel disconnected from your body or struggle to express emotions verbally, somatic therapy offers valuable self-exploration and healing. Additionally, if you're seeking a holistic approach to therapy that addresses the body-mind-spirit connection, somatic therapy will support your healing journey. Ultimately, if you're interested in deepening self-awareness, improving emotional regulation, and boosting overall well-being, you will most likely benefit from counseling that integrates somatic therapy.
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While Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) primarily targets the reprocessing of traumatic memories through bilateral stimulation, it incorporates elements of somatic therapy. EMDR often involves paying attention to physical sensations during therapy sessions, making it a therapeutic approach that integrates both psychological and somatic aspects of healing.
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When you combine somatic therapy with traditional talk therapy, you gain access to a holistic approach that helps you process emotional experiences on multiple levels. While talk therapy provides a platform for you to express yourself verbally and gain cognitive insights, somatic therapy equips you with tools to address emotional distress stored in your body. This integrative approach enhances your self-awareness, emotional regulation, and overall well-being, resulting in more profound and lasting healing.
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If you’re ready to explore Somatic Therapy, make sure to work with a licensed mental health professional with advanced training in Somatic Therapy. All of our therapists here at The Holistic Counseling Center are licensed to practice psychotherapy and are trained in Somatic Therapy.
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If you’re ready to get started with Somatic Therapy, reach out to schedule a free consultation call. We’ll discuss what’s going on in your life, look at logistics like fees and schedules, and if it feels like a good fit, we can schedule your first appointment to begin psychotherapy in the next few days!
FAQ’s About Somatic Therapy
Make an Appointment for Somatic Therapy In California
Feeling ready to explore Somatic Therapy with one of our therapists? Let’s chat! Click below to schedule your complimentary consultation call and our intake coordinator will reach out to discuss logistics and schedule your first appointment. We offer Somatic Therapy to anyone in California via virtual therapy and in-person Somatic Therapy for anyone in El Dorado Hills, near Folsom and Sacramento, Santa Cruz, and San Francisco.
If you have any other questions feel free to send a message through this contact form and we’ll get back to you in the next 48 hours.