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Somatic Psychotherapy goes beyond “Talk-Therapy,” facilitating deep and lasting change from the “Body-Up.” The approach I utilize draws on Staci Haines' model of Generative Somatics, an integrative approach using somatic awareness, somatic bodywork and somatic practices to create lasting change and give you back the ability to respond rather than react in your life.
Building resilience through somatic psychotherapy is a powerful way to move from managing symptoms to transforming trauma, life stressors and ultimately your life. Resilience-building includes being able to change the deep reactions that linger long after traumatic experiences ~ the fight, flight, freeze and dissociative responses which emerge automatically to protect us. While these responses are initially lifesaving, they tend to create havoc over time. Through Generative Somatics people are able to learn presence and boundaries and re-establish connection with themselves, others and community. They are able to connect with what gives their life meaning and growth and leverage their resilience to live that. |
"'Healing is possible,' I tell survivors of trauma, 'You're here. You survived. That means you're more powerful than what happened to you.' Healing trauma, rather than avoiding or managing it, is possible through this Somatic approach. Many people try to 'understand' what happened to them, or 'put it behind them,' but to truly feel at home and safe again, connected to yourself, others and place, takes healing the experience through your psycho-biology. The body remembers and will continue to react from trauma, until this is processed through the body/mind/sprit."
~Staci Haines, Founder Generative Somatics |
Trauma, or your past, "does not need to run you and your life." ~Staci Haines
Individual Therapy Sessions include the following components:
Somatic Awareness involves learning to listen to and live inside of sensation. Think of sensations as the foundational language of life. Off of sensations emotions are felt and understood, and then the stories and interpretations we have of life, etc. Dissociation, minimization and numbing are normal responses to trauma, difficult life experiences and loss. Being connected to sensation brings one back into contact with oneself, or helps you to re-associate. Being present and able to "tolerate" sensations and emotions produces more choice and less reaction. Somatic awareness often re-introduces us to what we most care about…what's in "our hearts"' or that "gut feeling."
Somatic Bodywork allows us to work directly with the places in the psycho-biology that have held traumatic experiences or are hyper-vigilant or numb. Somatic bodywork uses touch, conversation, imagination and emotional processes to support the shift from contraction and dissociation to openness and embodiment. Practically, this means processing the experiences stored in the psycho-biology through the emotions and body. Massage can temporarily relax a muscle or contraction, but the "shaping" or "armoring" in a body will not shift unless the concern that contraction is taking care of (safety, love, protection, shame) is worked through. Somatic bodywork is a way to enter the healing process through the body and holistically change by working with the body, mind and spirit.
The Somatic Practices help you build new skills and competencies that are relevant to what you care about. Particularly after trauma fundamental skills ~ such as boundaries that take care of yourself and others, mutual contact and intimacy, moving toward what is important to you and being present amidst conflict ~ are not learned. Other survival skills become embodied like hyper vigilance and distrust. Trauma can leave people with a deep sense of powerlessness, isolation, and shame that you can't "talk" someone out of. We are what we practice, and this component of therapy helps us take the actions aligned with what we seek.
Somatic Awareness involves learning to listen to and live inside of sensation. Think of sensations as the foundational language of life. Off of sensations emotions are felt and understood, and then the stories and interpretations we have of life, etc. Dissociation, minimization and numbing are normal responses to trauma, difficult life experiences and loss. Being connected to sensation brings one back into contact with oneself, or helps you to re-associate. Being present and able to "tolerate" sensations and emotions produces more choice and less reaction. Somatic awareness often re-introduces us to what we most care about…what's in "our hearts"' or that "gut feeling."
Somatic Bodywork allows us to work directly with the places in the psycho-biology that have held traumatic experiences or are hyper-vigilant or numb. Somatic bodywork uses touch, conversation, imagination and emotional processes to support the shift from contraction and dissociation to openness and embodiment. Practically, this means processing the experiences stored in the psycho-biology through the emotions and body. Massage can temporarily relax a muscle or contraction, but the "shaping" or "armoring" in a body will not shift unless the concern that contraction is taking care of (safety, love, protection, shame) is worked through. Somatic bodywork is a way to enter the healing process through the body and holistically change by working with the body, mind and spirit.
The Somatic Practices help you build new skills and competencies that are relevant to what you care about. Particularly after trauma fundamental skills ~ such as boundaries that take care of yourself and others, mutual contact and intimacy, moving toward what is important to you and being present amidst conflict ~ are not learned. Other survival skills become embodied like hyper vigilance and distrust. Trauma can leave people with a deep sense of powerlessness, isolation, and shame that you can't "talk" someone out of. We are what we practice, and this component of therapy helps us take the actions aligned with what we seek.
