Somatic psychotherapy works to encourage your body and your mind to transform and connect. The techniques involve verbal engagement and bodywork, where appropriate, specifically biodynamic massage.
All of this supports the exploration of limiting beliefs and a movement towards happiness, spontaneity, creativity and an ongoing sense of wellbeing. You don’t have to do it on your own.
Somatic psychotherapy involves us working together to facilitate you finding more fulfilling ways of living and being.
About Somatic Psychotherapy…
Somatic Psychotherapy embraces a comprehensive and holistic approach to personal growth and development. This approach acknowledges that all facets of human experience are interrelated: that the processes of the body/mind not only affect and reflect each other, but are inter-functioning aspects of a person’s whole being, and that each person’s individual history, their cultural/biological context and somatically-based subjective reality are all inextricably interconnected.
How I work
I provide a safe and supportive space so you have the opportunity to explore and deepen your connection to who you really are. This often leads to a renewed enthusiasm and a desire to engage fully in life, with confidence, clarity and heart.
Simple body awareness techniques such as tracking sensation and sometimes biodynamic massage, in combination with a person centred approach to therapy (utilising pyschodynamic theory) are employed to increase your capacity for self reflection – this is a whole of person style of therapy.
When you change the way your body perceives, you change the way your mind perceives and you see the world really differently.
What can you expect from a session?
Everyone is different and so I work with you according to YOUR needs. During your intital consultation we will discuss what you want from the sessions and your thoughts on bodywork.
Typical scenarios are:
1. You want Somatic Psychotherapy but you don’t want physical touch.
Sure! We will work within the client-therapist relationship using counselling techniques, person-centred therapy and psychodynamic theory. We will look at ways to support letting go of limiting patterns, having more choice and increased energy to live a full vibrant life. We could also use techniques such as tracking sensations within your body and mindfulness exercises to give you more of an embodied experience, which is somatic psychotherapy without physical hands on work. No touch, but supporting an integration of body and mind – reconnecting with your entire ‘being’ – giving you more opportunities to choose your path, make clear decisions, go and get what you want in life.
2. You want Somatic Psychotherapy and you’d like both verbal work and bodywork.
OK. We will work within the client-therapist relationship using verbal counselling and psychotherapeutic techniques, and at an appropriate and agreed time we could engage in bodywork to supplement and deepen your process. Bodywork within somatic psychotherapy can assist you feel more solid, confident, less anxious, more emotionally stable, relaxed, sleep better, improve energy flow and digestion. Bodywork is also helpful in exploring setting healthy boundaries. Bodywork and verbal techniques used effectively lead to confident and stable growth.
3. You already have a therapist who isn’t a bodyworker or you really just want a Biodynamic Massage
Biodynamic massage is a deeply nurturing experience just on its own. The emphasis is on settling the nervous system, promoting flow and ease, relaxing muscular tensions and deeply healing and re-energising. We do not engage in verbal therapy during a biodynamic massage however space would be made for emotions (if they arise) but there is no requirement for exploring or deepening. Of course, if you decide that you want to talk about something as part of the biodynamic massage then you are most welcome – the choice is yours.
Session details
I work from rooms in Peregian Beach (QLD) and Crows Nest (NSW), as well as offering online sessions. I periodically also work in the Cairns (QLD) and Margaret River (WA) areas.
A session is typically 60 minutes, as this enables you get the most out of our time together.
Reach out to me on 0414 888 248 to find out more.