FAQs

Why somatic therapy?

This unique approach to healing may be appropriate if you have tried talk therapy and did not find it helpful (or felt there was something missing). This is also an excellent modality for people whose traumatic symptoms manifest in their body and impact their health and wellbeing. The Somatic Therapy I offer is body-first, meaning that we centre the real-time physical experience and the often poetic dreamtime space of somatic consciousness. We don’t try to figure things out with rational, analytical cognitive processing—instead we learn to listen and let the body’s logic and wisdom lead.

what do you have to do to become a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner?

In order to become an SEP I undertook eight intensive 5 day modules of training over 3 years as well as extensive study and consultation with mentors and personal sessions (where I was in the role of client). Not everyone who practices or advertises Somatic Experiencing is a Practitioner. When choosing Somatic Experiencing, I advise you to inquire about the extent of providers’ education in this modality. For further information about my coursework, please see the Education section of this website. For descriptions of trainings I have undertaken in addition to Somatic Experiencing, please follow this link.

how should I dress for a somatic therapy session?

Please wear loose, comfortable, layered clothing.

what is trauma?

Trauma is not necessarily about what you experienced, but how an event or experience affected you. Events are typically characterized as “too much, too fast” and involve a lack of choice or support. Traumatic scenarios may have elements of physical danger, violation, abuse, restraint or coercion. They may also involve relational shock, like the unexpected loss of a loved one or community. Other examples are overwhelming occurrences like natural disasters, accidents, falls or impacts. In addition, medical procedures, poisoning, near-drowning, fever or disease can leave a lasting effect on our systems. Traumatic stress can also happen vicariously, or be transmitted intergenerationally and can relate to ongoing experiences of oppression, war or insecurity. Some people who survive these experiences do not exhibit signs of traumatic stress, while others do. The impacts of trauma are not a person’s fault, they represent an injury that can be healed over time, with the right support.

Will I have to talk about the hardest things that happened to me?

Not necessarily. In Somatic work we often say that the story is the “gateway to the physiology.” There may be cases where I ask you for an abbreviated version or detail of an event but typically, we will only need to evoke the experience in order to connect with how it shows up in your body memory. Some people feel compelled to tell their story with the hope that this will be relieving, but I believe that the true relief comes from connecting with safety in the present and no longer having to hold the intensity of bound survival energy. It is not uncommon for a session to focus entirely on sensation, though we will honour and include visual impressions, emotions, themes and beliefs that surface.

How long will it take to heal?

This depends on the complexity of your responses and symptoms. Trauma is often layered and the adaptations we develop can be just as complex. Safely working through the layers of experience and response requires patience and it may take time to develop the capacity to do so. This work is best initiated when you feel resourced enough to engage in it.

are you a counsellor?

No. I am not a counsellor and my work is distinctly different from talk therapy. In contrast to most counselling, a session with me may be physically active, quiet or touch-based and will emphasize attention to your physical, emotional and energetic experience. You are only required to share what you feel comfortable sharing about your past experiences and if I think you would benefit from psychotherapy, I will refer you to an appropriate professional. Some clients find that seeing me for touch based sessions can be complimentary to their work with a counsellor.

are your somatic therapy sessions covered by extended health insurance?

No, they are not.

How often should i schedule appointments?

If you are feeling destabilized or motivated to go deep into your process, I might recommend you come weekly or biweekly. If you are working with other practitioners, have other established practices or find you benefit from time and space to metabolize, you may want to space appointments to once a month. It is important to note that this is not a passive healing experience—my practice supports the development of awareness skills, and each session will build on the last. That said, I will respect your process and the frequency of appointments will ultimately be up to you.

are the wheel of consent exercises sexual?

There is no need for sexual contact during Wheel of Consent practices. Betty Martin, who developed these practices, was a chiropractor, sexological bodyworker and intimacy coach, so her work is often associated with sexual practices and can be a fantastic support to a more embodied sexuality. Some Wheel of Consent practitioners offer sexual contact. I do not. My touch-based practices do not involve contact with sexualized areas of the body or touching with sexual intent. Nonetheless, clients often find this work can act as an important stepping stone in greater relational intimacy and sexual empowerment.

Do you offer gift certificates?

No. One must enter this work with a whole-hearted “yes,” never because someone—as well-meaning as they may be—thinks they should. That said, I greatly appreciate word-of-mouth referrals. Please direct people who you think would benefit from my work to read this website thoroughly and write to me if they have further questions.