Somatic Therapy

What’s your relationship like with your body?

For many of us, to truly inhabit our body is revolutionary, not something we were ever taught in school or by our families.

Many of our clients share that they never learned how to truly nourish themselves and rest, or how to listen to their body for cues and signals. This is where somatic therapy comes in for both individuals and couples.

At Sona Collective, with our team of skilled somatic therapists, it is possible to learn to relate to your body with patience, curiosity, and exquisite care. Our approach to somatic therapy is:

  • Compassionate

  • Evidence-based

  • Non-shaming

  • Collaborative

Using an array of somatic, trauma-informed, and mindfulness-based therapy techniques, you will learn how to regulate your nervous system, discover memories and emotions held in your body, and reconnect with your life. 

What Is Somatic Therapy?

Rooted in the Greek word “soma,” meaning the “living body,” somatic therapy offers a “bottom-up” (versus “top-down”) approach to healing trauma.

Somatic therapy acknowledges and strengthens the intricate connection between the mind and body. By addressing trauma and negative experiences stored in your body, somatic therapy aims to:

  • Release tension

  • Enhance mind-body awareness

  • Reconnect you with your emotions

  • Process and integrate trauma

As we work together and pay careful attention to your body’s signals and cues, you will learn how to be more present in your body. Somatic therapy has been shown to relieve symptoms such as anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and other trauma-related symptoms.

Somatic therapy addresses disruptions in your nervous system stemming from trauma and stressful experiences (often referred to as “fight/flight/freeze responses”). The impact of trauma often manifests in our:

  • Mood

  • Behavior

  • Relationship patterns

  • Substance abuse

  • Cognitive patterns

Unresolved trauma may lead to physical symptoms, such as chronic pain, digestive issues, hormonal imbalances, and autoimmune disorders, as well as emotional and behavioral ones, such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and eating disorders.

By reconnecting with your body through mindfulness-based somatic therapy, you will learn how to release stress and heal your nervous system through the use of practices and skills that are designed to create safety and regulation in the body and mind. As your nervous system is soothed and regulated, you will notice increased emotional and somatic equilibrium and healing.

Consider somatic therapy a profound opportunity for a physical and psychological "reset."

What You Can Expect:

Somatic therapy is a tangible and evidence-based approach to working with the nervous system that creates cues of safety in your body to alleviate trauma symptoms for deeper healing. Over time, you should begin to notice small shifts in the way you react to a trigger:

  • You might recognize the sensation of heat building in your body as a sign that anger is coming and choose to take a deep breath instead of reacting.

  • Maybe you notice that you’re no longer anxious and dysregulated when your partner doesn’t call you when they say they will.

  • Perhaps you no longer get the “Sunday scaries.”

  • When it’s time to give a big presentation at work you have the skills to stay centered and grounded.

Our Somatic Therapy Methods

 
Image of a blurred pink tulip with dots overlaid.
 

The Hakomi Method

The Hakomi Method is an experiential and compassionate somatic psychotherapy practice. It’s a practice that uses the present experience in the body as a way to understand your “core material.” Unconscious “core material” such as memories and deeply held emotional states may shape the habits, behaviors, and attitudes that may have come to define you. Some material is supportive, while some of it has been learned in response to acute and chronic stress. Through the use of the Hakomi Method in our sessions, you will be able to distinguish between the behaviors and thought patterns that continue to serve you, and those that do not.

 
 
 

Core Energetics

Core Energetics is a body-centered psychotherapy that integrates psychological, emotional, and spiritual dimensions. It posits that emotional issues are stored not just in the mind but also in the body. The approach combines talk therapy with body movement and energy flow techniques, aiming to release stored emotions and achieve an integrated mind-body-spirit connection. The practice emphasizes the harmonious integration of mind, body, and spirit, employing exercises to explore emotions, gain insights, and facilitate personal growth.

What to Expect

 

Getting Started

Schedule a Consultation Call

We offer complimentary 15-minute consultation calls to all new clients. We’ll ask you about issues you are currently experiencing and describe our therapeutic style and modalities. If for some reason we determine that it’s not the best match, we’ll provide other recommendations. If it feels like a good match, we’ll go ahead and schedule your intake.

Preparing for Your Sessions

Complete Paperwork

All paperwork and payment methods will be filled out electronically. It’s a quick process and should take no more than 10-15 minutes. Please fill this out before we meet for the first time. If we’re meeting virtually, you’ll get a separate email with a telehealth link (from SimplePractice) 10 minutes before each session.

Creating a Container

Your Intake

Intake sessions are 60 minutes and cover as much of your history as possible. Intakes are more structured than other sessions; we take detailed notes to focus on where you’ve been and the direction you’d like to go. Sharing so much of your history within a short amount of time can feel like a lot, so be sure to schedule some time for self-care following the session.

 
 

“But What if Somatic Therapy Doesn’t Work for Me?” 

Like learning any new language, learning to reconnect with your body will take time and sincere practice. The process of embodiment will require dedication to practicing the skills you learn in sessions in your daily life, and to make body awareness and embodiment a consistent habit. We are always glad to send you home with homework, if you would like, to continue on your own so that you can make the most of your time between sessions to reinforce the work you’ve done.

Come Home to Your Body.

If you are looking for support managing anxiety, depression, and other challenging trauma-related symptoms, Sona Collective is here to support you with somatic therapy for deeper healing.

If you would like to learn more about somatic therapy for processing and integrating trauma, you may wish to check out our blog.

 

Somatic Therapy FAQs

  • We accept credit, debit, and HSA cards. We will request that you provide your payment information in a secure client portal before our intake so that we can charge you upon completion of our session. We will provide an invoice each time a payment is processed and are happy to provide a Superbill upon request.

  • We’re an out-of-network provider, which means we do not bill your insurance company directly but can provide a receipt for the sessions you paid for called a Superbill, upon request. You can submit this to your insurance provider for any out-of-network benefits you may have and they may issue a reimbursement check. We recommend contacting your insurance company before beginning therapy to find out what your out-of-network benefits are.

  • We request at least 48 hours advance notice for 50 and 60-minute sessions if you wish to cancel or reschedule your session.

  • $150-200 for a 50-minute session

    $180-220 for a 60-minute intake

  • We return inquiry emails within one business day, Monday through Friday. Inquiries received Friday late afternoon or evening are addressed on Monday. Please check your junk mail or spam folders if you have not heard from us within that time frame.

  • We are happy to provide a Good Faith Estimate for you upon request. Under the law, healthcare providers need to give patients who don’t have insurance or who are not using insurance an estimate of the bill for medical items and services.

    • You have the right to receive a Good Faith Estimate for the total expected cost of any non-emergency items or services. This includes related costs like medical tests, prescription drugs, equipment, and hospital fees.

    • Upon request, you can expect a Good Faith Estimate in writing at least 1 business day before your medical service or item. You can also ask for a Good Faith Estimate before you schedule a session.

    • If you receive a bill that is at least $400 more than your Good Faith Estimate, you can dispute the bill.

    • Make sure to save a copy or picture of your Good Faith Estimate. For questions or more information about your right to a Good Faith Estimate, visit www.cms.gov/nosurprises or call (303) 894-7499.

  • That’s entirely up to you! Some people thrive on accountability and targeted interventions; if that sounds like you, great! Homework is never a requirement, nor is it something we’ll push on you if it’s not your style. Regardless, we’ll work on building up coping skills in sessions together, which you can practice as much as you like at home. If you are engaged in EMDR therapy, your therapist will follow an eight-phase process. During the second phase, your therapist might provide additional skills and practices for you to do at home (e.g. visualizations, mindfulness, and breathing practices).

Learn More About Somatic Therapy