Somatic Experiencing®
Your body is speaking to you – are you receiving its messages?
Somatic Experiencing is used to help rebalance a nervous system that has been thrown out of whack by stressful or traumatic events in a person’s life. This may be a single occurrence such as a physical or sexual assault, a fall or traffic accident. It can also be the result of chronic stress built up over time such as that from emotional abuse or developmental trauma.
The energetics of the event(s) remain buried deep in the subconscious, outside of space and time. Though the incident itself may have happened many years ago, its energetic signature remains active, and this is at the core of most trauma symptoms.
We can’t simply wish these energetics away: we must release them gently in order to avoid retraumatization.
This is done by helping the sufferer to become ever more aware of uncomfortable feelings and emotions, and then helping them to process these things so as to release the old energy that has been trapped within. By doing this, we are able to break the trauma’s energetic patterns, which allows us to walk out of the darkness and into the light.
What to Expect
1. Book Your First Session
During your first (intake) session I will mostly be asking you questions to get the whole story before we begin to unravel the knots. While it is very tempting to want to jump right into the healing process, it’s important to get an accurate overview in order to come up with an effective treatment plan.
Sessions are fluid in order to allow what needs to come up to do so in a natural way. There is no set formula for appointments, and we will always work within your own personal comfort levels.
2. The Session Experience
SE sessions are usually done seated in a chair, couch, or on cozy floor cushions, depending on your preferences. We may also do standing exercises or movements and work with various tools such as yoga balls, mini-trampolines or Smovey Rings to help release the energetics that arise. Touch work may also be suggested. (See below)
As we work, I will be tracking the very subtle signs that indicate what is going on in your body. At times, I will have you pause in your narrative to ask you to share an impression of the sensations that you are feeling in your body. These may be a tightness or pain in a particular area, heat, shakiness, nausea, expansion, relaxation, and so on.
3. Somatic Touch
While SE does not primarily involve physical contact, there may be some occasions where touch support will assist in the release and healing process. This could be for support or containment or to help you ground. I may also use it for energetic healing. Touch work can be done seated in a chair or lying on a treatment table. I will always ask first for your permission to be touched, and for any boundaries you might wish to have set. It is perfectly acceptable to refuse touch work, and your preferences will always be honored.
4. Benefits & Risks
Somatic Experiencing may offer you many benefits such as an increase in your ability to self-soothe and feel empowered. However, there may also be risks as with any treatment that focuses on healing trauma. Although SE is designed to help you resource and work with manageable amounts of discomfort, you may experience challenging feelings, images, or thoughts. Furthermore, as with any stress reduction treatment, there can be no guarantee that you will reach your goals. That said, many people report that SE has helped them tremendously and has created positive change in their lives. Learning how to reorganize “body memory” is often a vital to learning how to relax and calm your nervous system.
Session Details
Please be aware that while Somatic Experiencing sessions are available in person or through an online video platform, there are many benefits to the former that generally don’t translate well through a computer screen. Touch work may be the most obvious one, but I also have many different tools and toys that are not only fun to work with but greatly facilitate the energy balancing. It really depends on your own story and what will be needed to help you on your journey.
I will draw upon different healing modalities during a trauma therapy session. As a certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, I may use SE on its own or in combination with shamanic or intuitive healing – a practice I call Somatic Spiritual Healing®.
I offer SE sessions in person in San Diego or through online video platforms such as Zoom or Skype.
Sessions last for 75 minutes and cost $170.
“I want to thank you for being one of my greatest spiritual teachers and guides. You are truly a beautiful, authentic teacher: one that is true to her purpose and one that shall be acknowledged. You have held space for my entire family and you have remained in great integrity, love and authenticity. Each one of us has had our own journey and awakening, and you have witnessed it all. You have held space for all of us in such a beautiful, loving, true and authentic way. You must know that your truth, authenticity and teachings are valued and cherished by each one of us. You are such a big part of our journey and I truly thank you for that. You are loved in our family and we all adore you. Thank you Judy for being a true shaman and for guiding all of us in a safe, loving and REAL authentic way.”
Get In Touch
Please include any questions or details that can help me best respond to your inquiry. If you are ready to book a session, you can do so directly by visiting my scheduling page. I'm looking forward to hearing from you.