Somatic Psychotherapy in Santa Rosa, CA
I want your body to feel like a home
I know that in the face of overwhelming experiences, trauma, or loss, our experience in our bodies, and therefore our whole experience of self can feel unpredictable, scary, or foreign. Along with this can come thoughts and belief systems that feel unserving.
I offer individual and couples psychotherapy that aims to collaborate with you to restore or create an inner sense of safety, empowerment, and peace. I believe therapy is about creating enough safety to stretch beyond what is familiar into a place of thriving. I will assist you to identify and change any trauma-related patterns and beliefs that limit you and constrict your ability to live fully. I will help you develop your capacity for self-compassion and acceptance while also addressing any imbalances you may be experiencing. My work is individually tailored to who you are as a person, and your particular needs, temperament, and goals. It can support you to pursue a life that genuinely enriches you emotionally, physically and spiritually.
I work somatically, incorporating a holistic approach to the therapy process. My work is primarily informed by Somatic Experiencing®, a somatic, psychobiological method developed by Peter Levine for resolving trauma symptoms in the body and helping to regulate the nervous system (more about somatic psychotherapy). I work from a health at every size perspective and strive to offer a safe, accepting, and compassionate space that makes somatic work and embodiment accessible to all bodies.
I can assist you with recovery from:
Verbal, physical, and sexual abuse
Other forms of trauma/PTSD, including those stemming from childhood, or a history of feeling unseen, misunderstood, or misattuned to
The physical and psychological impact of motor vehicle accidents, injuries, surgeries, and concussions
I can also assist you to thrive in other ways, including in helping to resolve:
Issues with body image
Depression
Anxiety
Chronic pain
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
I have a special interest in:
Helping individuals adopt a positive perspective regarding their body, including an outlook regarding Health at Every Size
Supporting individuals undergoing life transitions
Supporting individual and couples to manage the stresses of life's inevitable challenges
Helping individuals who feel limited or constricted by their experience of trauma to understand and experience themselves in a less rigid way
We might work well together if:
You grew up in an abusive or unattuned family and are looking for ways to be kinder to yourself or learn new patterns
You are someone struggling with body-image issues
You are looking for a therapist who won’t judge or stigmatize you for your size, sexuality, gender expression, or choices
You are a curious person, or wish to cultivate more curiosity in your life