Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy

My therapeutic approach is deeply influenced by Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy.  It is a mindfulness-based, body-centered approach, which is experiential in nature.  This way of working is quite different from traditional talk therapy; while you explore your issues and concerns, your attention is gently brought to your present somatic experience.  By focusing on your body in mindfulness, you are able to reach deeper parts of yourself that might not be accessible by merely talking about the past events on the intellectual/cognitive level.  The body remembers what the mind might not.  Although we might not recall our early significant experiences, they continue to influence us as adults in powerful ways, shaping how we relate to the self, to the others and to the world.

 

We sometimes find ourselves stuck despite an intellectual understanding of what's holding us back from the very thing we long for.  By turning inward and settling in the present moment, we can explore and transform our somatically held beliefs and expectations.  This way, profound change is possible; we can move beyond our internal blocks and have more options and possibilities.  When we make a deeper, more intimate connection with ourselves, we can respond to life in a way that is more aligned with what we truly want.

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Somatic Experiencing Trauma Therapy

Another model that I use with my clients is Somatic Experiencing Trauma Therapy (SE). SE is a body-centered approach to the healing and resolution of trauma and other stress related symptoms.  This approach looks at our autonomic nervous system (ANS), which governs the fight, flight or freeze responses.  Although ANS is designed to be self-regulating, it can be dysregulated when our nervous system is overwhelmed by a traumatic experience involving intense fear or helplessness.  As a result, the body continues to respond as if it was under threat.  SE offers a framework to assess where we might be stuck in the activation of our nervous system, and provides tools to resolve the fixated state and restore the body's ability to self-regulate.  As a Somatic Experiencing practitioner, I will facilitate the process for you to restore the natural balance and move past the place where you are stuck.

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Somatic EMDR

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EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an effective, evidence-based treatment for PTSD and other trauma-related conditions. This structured, eight-phase approach addresses the emotional distress associated with traumatic experiences. The brain naturally seeks to process and integrate traumatic memories, but sometimes it can become "stuck," preventing healing. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation such as eye movements or tapping to help access, desensitize, reprocess, and integrate these memories. In a typical EMDR session, you focus on the traumatic memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation, which helps your brain to reprocess it. Once reprocessed, the traumatic memory loses its emotional charge and no longer disrupts your sense of well-being.

 

In my practice, I integrate Somatic EMDR, which combines traditional EMDR with somatic therapy techniques for a more holistic approach. Somatic Therapy, such as Somatic Experiencing, works gently and safely from the periphery to the core of trauma, paying close attention to the nervous system and ensuring that you remain within your “window of tolerance”—a state where processing can take place without becoming overwhelming.

 

Traditional EMDR often targets the most distressing parts of a memory directly, which can sometimes push you out of the window of tolerance and make it difficult to continue processing. Somatic EMDR, by contrast, emphasizes nervous system regulation and incorporates somatic tools that can be tailored to your unique needs, allowing for a flexible pace and focus. This combination facilitates a more personalized approach, meeting you where you are, safely processing trauma memories, and supporting you through your healing journey.

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Brainspotting

 

Brainspotting (BSP) is a trauma therapy of identifying, processing and releasing sources of trauma or emotional pain stored in the body. When we refer to a “trauma,” it can be any emotionally intense or terrifying experience that is “too much, too soon or too fast” for our nervous system to process. When the nervous system is too overwhelmed to process the experience properly, unresolved trauma can be stuck in our body, which manifests in a wide range of physical and emotional symptoms. This affects our sense of self and prevents us from being grounded in the present moment.  BSP is designed to access these unresolved memories and process them until the activation is gone, when those memories will not be triggering its emotional intensity and distress.

 

BSP is known for resolving PTSD symptoms resulting from trauma, but it is also effective for anxiety, depression, psychosomatic symptoms and addictive behaviors. Additionally, it is often used by athletes, musicians and other performers for performance enhancement.

 

BSP is based on the observation that “where we look affects how we feel.” In a session, we find the relevant eye position in the visual field that corresponds to the deep, inner felt sense of distress over an issue that you would like to resolve. Holding the gaze at the fixed position and staying with what emerges within, instead of “talking” about the problem, helps process and release the emotional and physical activation associated with trauma. In a BSP session, we are able to access emotions on a deeper level and release the physical and emotional effects of trauma thus initiating the self-healing process.

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