Somatic Therapy
Coming back into your body
Sometimes stress, trauma, or overwhelming experiences don’t just live in our thoughts — they can show up in the body. You might notice tension, restlessness, numbness, feeling constantly on alert, or difficulty settling even when you know you’re safe.
Somatic therapy brings gentle attention to the connection between your body, emotions, and nervous system. Rather than relying only on talking or analyzing what you’re experiencing, we may also explore physical sensations, patterns of activation, and the ways your body responds to stress.
Our online somatic therapy in British Columbia offers a supportive space to develop greater awareness of your nervous system, understand your responses with more compassion, and build a stronger sense of safety and connection within yourself.
Your body may be telling a story.
Stress and difficult experiences can affect more than how you think and feel. They can shape how your nervous system responds — leaving you feeling tense, restless, shut down, disconnected, or constantly prepared for something to go wrong.
Somatic therapy helps you become more aware of these patterns without judging or forcing them to change. By noticing sensations, emotions, and nervous system responses with curiosity, we can begin to understand what your body may be communicating and develop new ways of responding.
- Feeling tense or unable to fully relax
- Feeling disconnected or numb
- Difficulty recognizing what your body needs
- Feeling easily overwhelmed or overstimulated
- Staying on alert even when you’re safe
- Physical reactions to stress or emotional triggers
How Somatic Therapy can help
Somatic therapy helps you notice and understand the ways your body responds to stress, emotions, and difficult experiences. Rather than trying to think your way out of what you’re feeling, we create space to gently explore what is happening within your nervous system.
Together, we may work with body sensations, emotions, movement, breath, and other forms of awareness at a pace that feels manageable. The goal isn’t to force your body to relax, but to develop greater capacity to notice, respond to, and move through different nervous system states.
Over time, somatic therapy can support a greater sense of safety, connection, and trust in yourself and your body.
Understand your nervous system
Recognize patterns of activation, shutdown, overwhelm, and other ways your body responds to stress.
Build greater regulation
Develop awareness and practices that help you move through difficult emotions and nervous system states with greater flexibility.
Reconnect with yourself
Strengthen your ability to notice what you feel, recognize what you need, and respond with greater choice and self-trust.
Learning to feel safer in your body.
Somatic therapy isn’t about trying to stay calm all the time. Our nervous systems naturally move through different states in response to what is happening around us. Sometimes, however, stress or difficult experiences can leave the body reacting as though it still needs to protect us.
Through gentle attention to sensations, emotions, and nervous system responses, somatic therapy can help you recognize these patterns and develop greater capacity to move through them. The goal is not to eliminate uncomfortable feelings, but to build more flexibility, awareness, and choice in how you respond.
Our approach is collaborative and paced with care. You remain in control throughout the process, and we work with what feels manageable rather than pushing your nervous system beyond what feels safe.
EMDR therapy may support people experiencing:
- Trauma and difficult past experiences
- Distressing or persistent memories
- Anxiety, fear, or emotional overwhelm
- Negative beliefs connected to past experiences
- Triggers that continue to affect everyday life
Frequently Asked Questions
What is somatic therapy?
Somatic therapy is an approach that explores the connection between the mind, body, emotions, and nervous system. Alongside talking about your experiences, therapy may involve noticing physical sensations, emotions, patterns of activation, and other ways your body responds to stress. The goal is to build greater awareness, regulation, and connection with yourself.
What can somatic therapy help with?
Somatic therapy may be helpful for people experiencing trauma, anxiety, chronic stress, emotional overwhelm, difficulty relaxing, or feeling disconnected from their bodies. It can also help you better understand nervous system responses that may be contributing to patterns of feeling activated, shut down, or stuck.
What happens during a somatic therapy session?
Somatic therapy is collaborative and paced according to what feels manageable for you. Sessions may include conversation alongside gentle attention to body sensations, emotions, breathing, movement, or shifts in your nervous system. You remain in control, and there is no expectation that you push beyond what feels comfortable.
Can Somatic therapy be done online?
Yes. Somatic therapy can be offered through online counselling. Virtual sessions can provide a supportive space to explore body awareness and nervous system patterns from the privacy of your own environment. Our online somatic therapy is available to clients across British Columbia.
Have questions? Let’s connect.
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You don’t need to have the right words. We’ll help guide you.
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 604-970-5420