Somatic Therapy

We don’t experience trauma with our brains alone. We feel it in our minds and our bodies.

After a traumatic or painful event, our nervous systems learn very quickly to stay on guard for danger. We produce more stress hormones, we’re physically tense, and we might jump at the tiniest noise. Often, sleep and relaxation can feel impossible. 

Somatic therapy can help you reset your nervous system. You’ll learn to feel safe and relaxed in your body so that you can respond effectively to triggers and emotions that come up in your daily life. And you can get back to the things you care about.

How Does Somatic Therapy Work?

Often, after a trauma we find ourselves feeling disconnected from our bodies and ourselves. 

Somatic therapy addresses both the mental and emotional experiences of trauma, and the physical experiences that go along with it. This process of reintegration lets us not only connect better with ourselves, but with the world around us.

Somatic therapy may be a good fit if you’re looking for:

✔ Practical new skills and tools to apply in your daily life

More control over your emotional triggers and unwanted responses

An effective treatment that doesn’t require talking in depth about a painful memory

A way to feel more comfortable and at home in your own skin

An approach that is backed up by research and our growing understanding of trauma

Black woman with chin length natural hair sits on her sofa in a white blouse and a casual skirt. She is working from home on her laptop.

Meet Charlene, Somatic Therapist

Somatic therapy can transform your relationship with yourself, your emotions, and the world around you.

I use elements of sensorimotor and other somatic therapies to help my clients reconnect their mind and body. Through this process, they learn to manage the thoughts and emotions that are connected to trauma. And ultimately, to let go of a painful experience. 

You’ll start to feel the world is operating differently, because you will be operating differently.

Want to learn more? Book a free, 20-minute consultation to get scheduled with Charlene today.

What problems can somatic therapy treat?

Somatic therapy is often thought of primarily as a trauma treatment — and it’s highly effective for treating post-traumatic stress and other trauma-related disorders.

But many people start therapy unsure about whether they’ve experienced a trauma or not.

Other people recognize that issues like grief, depression, anxiety, or burnout are showing up physically. They may experience symptoms like headaches, muscle tension, fatigue, panic attacks, or numbness. Or they might struggle with sleep, or find it difficult to relax when they want to.

The truth is, you don’t have to experience a trauma to benefit from somatic therapy. If you’re having problems related to the mind-body connection, somatic therapy might be a great fit.

 

A woman in casual workout attire takes a deep breath, eyes closed. She is standing outdoors with a lake and trees visible in the background.

Somatic Therapy Can Help With:

Intrusive thoughts or memories of a traumatic or painful event

Feeling keyed up, tense, or on guard all the time

Overwhelm or panic when a trigger comes up in daily life

Feeling unsafe, numb, or disconnected from your body

Struggling to know your own limits or boundaries with others

Learning to feel safe & emotionally regulated for the first time

Somatic Therapy in San Francisco & Online Therapy in California

To connect with a somatic therapist near you, the first step is to schedule a free, 20-minute consultation with our Intake Specialist, Cami. 

She will ask a few questions to learn more about what you’re looking for, answer any questions you have about therapy at Stella Nova, and match you with a great-fit therapist. There’s no obligation an no pressure to move forward—if we’re not what you’re looking for, we’re happy to make other suggestions too.

An asian american woman sits up in bed. Turning away from the camera, she is stretching her neck as though to relieve muscle tension.