Somatic Group Trauma Therapy

IFS is an evidence-based trauma therapy that views every person as having a system of inner parts led by a core Self. Trauma wounding causes parts of us to become exiled, suppressed, or overprotective. This creates inner conflicts that keep us stuck and disconnected from our true Self. IFS supports trauma healing by unburdening our wounded parts and reestablishing connection with the Self. It facilitates the process of integrating all parts of ourselves so wholeness can be restored. It also builds one’s capacity for Self-leadership, which leads to embodied qualities of confidence, calm, compassion, courage, creativity, clarity, curiosity, and connectedness.

Somatic Therapy is a form of psychotherapy that emphasizes the mind-body connection in healing and personal growth. The body holds trauma, which is often hard to access and heal through talk-therapy alone. Somatic Therapy leverages the wisdom of our body and felt-sense to resolve emotional and psychological distress and deepen connection with our Self. It helps:

• Regulate the nervous system and restore the body as a place of safety 

• Build self-awareness through increased awareness of bodily sensations and emotions

• Resolve thwarted (incomplete) stress/trauma responses

• Metabolize unprocessed emotions

• Build supportive internal resources

• Expand the capacity to process body (preverbal and nonverbal) memory, which is important for healing childhood, birth, and in-utero trauma that occurred before the age of 4

I draw mostly from Gestalt Therapy, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and mind-body practices like Mindfulness and Trauma-Informed Yoga in my approach to Somatic Therapy. 

According to Trauma expert Bessel van der Kolk, Somatic Therapy and EMDR Therapy are considered the best approaches for the treatment of trauma. Somatic EMDR integrates both therapies and enhances each one’s effectiveness. When brought together, these two cutting-edge modalities help process traumatic memories and reduce emotional distress, while reconnecting with the body and restoring a sense of safety and agency. Research shows Somatic EMDR can decrease chronic pain, improve relaxation, and enhance well-being and self-esteem.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy is an evidence-based trauma treatment that uses ‘bilateral stimulation’ to safely reprocess traumatic memories, reduce distress, and reformulate negative beliefs about oneself. 

Somatic Therapy interventions such as tracking sensations, deepening awareness, boundary awareness, and self-regulation complement and increase the efficacy of EMDR Therapy.

Transpersonal Therapy goes beyond traditional therapy's focus on psychological issues to explore human potential and our capacity for transformation and spiritual growth, including through trauma and life challenges. It explores and integrates expanded states of consciousness: spiritual, transcendent aspects of the human experience that extend our awareness beyond (trans) our individual sense of embodied identity (personal). While I tailor this work to the unique spiritual beliefs of the individual, this work can include:

• Exploring what gives you a deeper sense of meaning, purpose, or connection to something bigger than yourself 

• Working with existential questions and addressing struggles related to identity, purpose, values/morals, or spiritual crisis

• Holistic interventions such as mindfulness, guided visualization, dream work, journaling, or use of creative expression to facilitate deeper self-understanding, healing, and personal growth

• Processing and integrating expanded states of consciousness such as those experienced during meditation, breathwork, Spiritual Awakening, Psychedelic Experiences, Out of Body Experiences, or Near Death Experiences

Mindfulness is the practice of returning to and paying attention to the present moment with an attitude of openness, curiosity, acceptance, and compassion. Mindfulness-based therapy builds awareness of thoughts, emotions, and bodily sensations, which is foundational to trauma healing. Research shows mindfulness can have positive impacts on mental health and wellbeing including:

• stress reduction

• treatment for anxiety and depression

• increased emotional regulation and distress tolerance

• improved concentration and mental clarity

• lower blood pressure

• improved sleep 

In psychotherapy, Trauma-Informed Yoga complements talk-therapy by addressing the somatic aspects of trauma. By incorporating gentle movement, breathwork, mindfulness, and grounding techniques, it helps process and release stored trauma while fostering self-awareness and emotional regulation. Yoga offers practical tools to regulate the nervous system, work with dissociation, and manage stress. It provides a holistic pathway for healing, empowering you to rebuild a sense of safety and connection to yourself through the body.

Coaching helps integrate the insights, skills, and the personal growth from therapy into daily life. While therapy focuses on healing, exploring past experiences, and addressing deep emotional challenges, coaching is more forward-focused, action-oriented, and practical. Together, they can create a powerful synergy for long-lasting change and personal development. As a certified coach, the strategies I offer are based on the science of behavior-change.