Somatic Therapy at Sequoia Counseling
Somatic Therapy
Healing through the body — reaching what the mind alone cannot.
The Body-Mind Connection
Your Body Holds the Story
Trauma doesn't live only in memory — it lives in the body. Somatic therapy brings the body into the healing process, working with the nervous system directly to complete what trauma interrupted.
"The body keeps the score — and the body can also lead the way to healing."
— The Sequoia Counseling Team
How We Work
Somatic Approaches We Use
Each approach is tailored to where you are — always at a pace that feels safe and empowering.
Somatic Experiencing (SE)
Developed by Dr. Peter Levine, SE works with the body's natural ability to heal from trauma. Rather than reliving events, you track physical sensations to gently discharge the survival energy that got stuck.
Body Scan & Grounding
Guided awareness practices that help you reconnect with your body in the present moment — building the capacity to feel safe in your own skin, often for the first time.
Breath Work
Intentional breathing techniques that directly regulate the nervous system, shifting you from fight-or-flight into a state where healing and connection become possible.
Movement & Posture Awareness
Noticing how emotions live in the body — in a tight chest, a collapsed posture, a held breath — and gently working with those patterns to create more ease and aliveness.
Is This Right for You?
Signs Somatic Therapy May Help
You feel disconnected from your body or emotions
Anxiety or stress lives in your body as physical tension
You have tried talk therapy but feel stuck
You carry trauma that feels "too big" to put into words
You experience chronic pain, fatigue, or unexplained physical symptoms
You feel numb, shut down, or emotionally flat
You startle easily or feel constantly on edge
You want to feel more present and alive in your daily life
The Experience
What Sessions Look Like
Somatic sessions are slow and attentive. Your therapist will invite you to notice what is happening in your body — not to analyze it, but simply to be with it. This kind of gentle, curious attention is often itself deeply healing.
You will never be pushed to move faster than feels safe. The pace is always yours. Some sessions involve movement, breath, or physical awareness exercises. Others are quieter — simply tracking sensation as you speak.
Over time, many clients report feeling more at home in their bodies, more regulated in their nervous systems, and more present in their lives — not because they forced it, but because the body finally felt safe enough to let go.
Ready to Begin Your Healing Journey?
Reach out today to schedule your first appointment. We're here to support you every step of the way.