Somatic Therapy Frequently Asked Questions

What is the structure of a session?

First sessions are an opportunity for us to meet, human to human, nervous system to nervous system. In that spirit, my primary intention for the first session is for us to see if there is resonance, to begin building a sense of safety within our shared container and to be with whatever arises. During the first session what we might typically cover includes:

• key points from your intake form to build context and set an intention

• psychoeducation to understand your nervous system better

• an opportunity and safe space to express your truth and emotion

• an experience of connecting in with your body either through guided prompts or supportive touch

Generally speaking, each session is different and a co-creation between you and me, and I hold a space of deep trust that whatever feels ready to emerge in our session is exactly what we work with. As such, there is no need to always prepare a topic to speak about. In general, we start and end a session with some time to speak together, and often you will leave with a self-care practice to support you in between sessions. Some components a session could include are:

• Seated somatic sensing and inner child healing

• Lying on the massage table for more direct touch support

• Movement on the mat or floor if exploring TRE or other movement interventions

What ways might my body respond during and after a session?

Throughout our session, all your honest emotions and reflections are welcome - there is no need to hold back. During the session, especially if we were to explore supported touch on the table, a whole variety of responses can show up, depending on how you are feeling that day, your relationship with receiving touch and how tired your body is. Some common responses are:

• Spontaneous tremoring and jerking of the body

• Gurgling of the belly

• Heightened discomfort in areas of chronic tension

• Coughing or tickling at the throat

• Sense of spaciousness

• Emotional release

• Deepening of the breath

• Falling asleep

Even after a session concludes, you might feel a little more sensitive than usual and sometimes might even feel a little worse - this can be because what we had previously not been aware of in our feelings or body, is now more on the surface where we can notice it. You might like to give yourself more space after a session, try and get an earlier rest that day or get some support with our self-care resources.

How often and long should sessions be continued for?

Just like how our body has taken many years to develop its various adaptive habits, it also takes time to unlearn those habits. As such, while a one-off session can serve as a helpful reset for a sudden bout of stress, if there are deeper-seated issues that need addressing, more than one session is typically needed. This also ensures that what gets moved through in a session is not too much for the body to handle at one go. I normally suggest at least a series of 5 sessions after the first session, so there is time for cumulative and sustained change to occur.

From anecdotal experience, I find it helpful for sessions to be spaced out a week or at most 2 weeks apart. This allows time for integration of the session and yet not too long that the body’s usual adaptive patterns creep in.