Somatic Experiencing®
“Go back and take care of yourself. Your body needs you, your feelings need you, your perceptions need you. Your suffering needs you to acknowledge it. Go home and be there for all these things.”
– Thich Nhat Hanh
Somatic Experiencing (SE™) is a trauma healing method focused on restoring balance to the nervous system. It helps release trauma-related tension stored in the body, increasing awareness, flexibility and whole-person change. By centering on the body’s natural responses, SE™ works with the areas where trauma is held—whether it manifests as physical tightness, emotional numbness, anxiety, depression or other psychophysical symptoms. The intent is to support your body in completing survival responses that were previously interrupted, allowing you to reconnect with your authentic, vibrant self.
SE™ doesn’t rely on intellectual understanding alone. It gives the body a voice, guiding you to listen to, trust and embody its signals and impulses in digestible ways. The process involves feeling and being present with sensations and emotions that arise, without needing to force meaning or solutions. By doing so, you develop a deeper connection to your body’s innate wisdom, which can lead to profound healing.
the process:
There is no one way to do SE™ and it is not protocol based. Instead, I meet and tend to each individual I work with. Generally, however, each session starts with a check-in to see how you’re feeling and what you’d like to explore. From there, the focus shifts to the story your nervous system is telling through your body. I will encourage you to pause often and pay attention to the subtle sensations that arise. This practice, which deepens over time, helps you become more aware of how your nervous system responds to different experiences.
We will work slowly and gently, allowing space for things to unfold at their own pace. This slower rhythm helps access deeper layers of experiences that might not emerge in faster, mind-driven processes. By following your body’s cues, we can uncover moments of insight and resolution, which can lead to a sense of greater freedom and ease in your body.
the gift:
- Let go of physical and emotional tension from past trauma.
- Experience and embody your sensations and feelings.
- Improve your ability to meet life stressors.
- Build self-regulation skills and establish healthy boundaries.
- Reduce anxiety, panic, depression and other dysregulation symptoms.
- Strengthen your internal resources and nourish a sense of dignity.
- Foster an ability to live more from the present moment.
- Resolve and move past unresolved fight, flight, or freeze reactions.
- Develop a positive view of yourself, others and the world.
- Gain tools to stabilize during crises and recognize early warning signs.
- Address feelings of isolation and build self-worth.
- Connect more deeply with your body and sensations.
- Distinguish past trauma from current experiences.
What others say...
“Thanks to Julie’s encouragement and faith in the wisdom of my body, I started finding my own ways of relating to my nervous system’s responses, and perhaps most importantly, I increased my capacity for comfort and pleasure. Julie’s understanding of nervous systems and her patient compassion earned my trust almost immediately. She truly has a gift as a practitioner.”