Somatic Social Work
What is Somatic Social Work?
This term refers to a range of evidence-based practices using both the body (soma) and mind to work with trauma. It includes approaches such as Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, EMDR, and mindfulness.
Traditionally, Western psychotherapy worked primarily with “top-down” experiences of processing information such as talk therapy which has important benefits. Somatic psychotherapy takes this further and incorporates the body’s felt experiences like breath, movement and body awareness into the session to work with your system as a whole. These practices are also known as “bottom-up” processing.
Is it right for you?
Body-based/somatic therapy has been proven for working with trauma and emotional overwhelm. Trauma always involves both the body and the mind so it is important to compassionately build safety from both places. I work with children, youth, adults, and elders experiencing: emotional overwhelm, PTSD, complex developmental trauma, intergenerational trauma, racial trauma, community violence, chronic pain/ health challenges, age-related transitions, and grief.
Benefits of Somatic Social Work & Psychotherapy
- A deeper understanding of the repetitive thought patterns, core beliefs, coping habits and body responses at play in your life
- Building resilience to stress, anxiety, emotional overwhelm and depression
- Developing a self care plan to lean on daily involving your body and breath
- Greater self awareness and enhanced connection with others
- Process change at a neurological level
- Identifying your emotional and physical boundaries and setting limits
- A commitment to yourself
Top Down Processing
- Psychotherapy
- Positive Self Talk
- Unlearning/Relearning
- Active Listening
- Increasing Cultural Competency
- Cognitive Behaviourial Therapy
- Dialectical Behaviourial Therapy
- Education/ Self Education
- Story Telling/Relating
Bottom Up Process
- Yoga (Varying Styles for Varying Symptoms)
- Mindfulness/Meditation
- Functional Movement & Breath Practices
- Somatic Experiencing/Practices
- Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)
- CranioSacral Therapy
- Reiki
- Smudging
- Sound Therapy (Drumming, Crystal Bowls, Chanting, etc.)
- Dancing (Cultural & Secular Styles)