SOMATIC THERAPY in GILBERT, AZ & VIRTUALLY throughout AZ
When You Understand What You've Been Through, But Your Body Still Reacts
Get Started with Somatic Therapy →
When Talking About It Isn't Enough
You may understand why you feel anxious, overwhelmed, or stuck, yet still find yourself reacting in ways you can't explain. Your body may continue to carry tension, fear, or stress even when your mind knows you're safe.
Motherhood can bring these struggles to the surface, making it difficult to stay present and enjoy the moments you want to cherish. And when your faith is important to you, it can be confusing to love God and trust His truth while still struggling emotionally or physically.
Understanding your struggles is an important step, but sometimes you need more than insight alone to move forward.
A Whole-Person Approach to Counseling
You may understand where your anxiety comes from, yet still feel your heart race, your body tense, or your emotions overwhelm you in the moment. Perhaps past experiences still affect how you respond to stress, or the demands of motherhood leave you feeling on edge when you long to be present and connected. You may even know what Scripture says about peace and trust in God, yet struggle to experience that peace in your body.
As a Certified Sensorimotor Psychotherapist, I help clients explore how past experiences, including childhood trauma, can continue to shape body responses, emotions, and reactions in the present. These patterns can surface in relationships and parenting, making it difficult to respond the way you want to in the moments that matter. Through evidence-based, trauma-informed care, I help you work with these mind-body patterns to process past experiences and develop new ways of responding. When desired, I also incorporate biblical theology and Christian faith into the counseling process.
What Is Somatic Therapy?
Somatic therapy is a body-oriented approach to counseling that explores the connection between your mind and body. Stress and trauma can influence how your body responds to situations in the present, even when you understand your experiences intellectually.
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is a specific, body-oriented approach that incorporates body awareness alongside thoughts, emotions, and memories to help you process past experiences and develop new ways of responding.
In somatic therapy, we may explore:
Body responses: Notice physical sensations, tension, and patterns of activation that arise during stress.
Past experiences: Explore how trauma and earlier experiences may influence your present reactions, relationships, and parenting.
New responses: Develop greater awareness and flexibility in how you respond to emotions, stress, and relationships.
Rather than focusing on thoughts and memories alone, somatic therapy helps you pay attention to how your experiences show up in your body, at a pace that feels manageable.
What to Expect in Somatic Therapy
Somatic therapy is a collaborative process tailored to your needs and goals. You don't need to know exactly what you're feeling or where to begin.
1. Understand Your Needs
We'll identify your goals and explore the experiences and patterns that are affecting your life today.
2. Build Body Awareness
Learn to recognize your body's signals and understand how you respond to stress and emotions.
3. Work Through Past Experiences
Using Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and other approaches when appropriate, we'll work at a pace that feels manageable for you.
4. Apply What You Learn
Practice new ways of responding in everyday life, including in your relationships, parenting, and moments of stress.
Ready to Get Started?
You don't have to navigate these struggles alone. Let's explore whether somatic therapy is the right fit for you.
Frequently Asked Questions About Somatic Therapy & Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
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No. You don't have to share every detail of a painful experience to begin somatic therapy. We work collaboratively at a pace that feels manageable, focusing on your needs and sense of safety throughout the process.
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Traditional talk therapy often focuses on thoughts, emotions, and experiences through conversation. Somatic therapy also explores how those experiences show up in your body, including physical sensations and responses to stress. These approaches can complement one another.
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Every session is tailored to your individual needs and goals. In addition to traditional talk therapy, we may explore the connection between your thoughts, emotions, body sensations, and nervous system responses to better understand how past experiences continue to influence the present.
Depending on your needs, sessions may include mindfulness, body awareness, grounding techniques, exploring protective patterns or different parts of yourself, gentle movement, or other experiential exercises that support processing trauma, increasing nervous system capacity, and strengthening emotional resilience.
Therapy is collaborative, moves at a pace that supports your nervous system, and always respects your comfort and readiness.
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No. While somatic therapy is often used in trauma treatment, it can also support individuals experiencing anxiety, chronic stress, attachment challenges, grief, life transitions, relationship issues, and difficulties with emotional regulation.
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Yes. When desired, I incorporate biblical theology and Christian faith into counseling. This can include exploring how your faith relates to your experiences, emotions, and understanding of yourself while using evidence-based therapeutic approaches to support your mental health.
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Past experiences and stress responses can influence how you react to your children, especially during overwhelming moments. Somatic therapy can help you recognize these patterns, better understand your responses, and develop greater flexibility in how you navigate parenting and relationships.
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Both Somatic Therapy and EMDR are evidence-based approaches that can help individuals process trauma and other overwhelming experiences. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation to help the brain reprocess distressing memories, while Sensorimotor Psychotherapy integrates body awareness, emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and the nervous system to support trauma processing and lasting change.
Rather than viewing EMDR and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy as separate approaches, I often thoughtfully integrate both therapies to create a personalized treatment plan. Together, they can support trauma processing, nervous system regulation, cognitive and belief integration, and meaningful, lasting change.
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Somatic therapy may be a good fit if you feel stuck despite understanding your experiences intellectually, notice that your body reacts to stress before you have time to think, or are experiencing trauma, childhood trauma, anxiety, chronic stress, or emotional overwhelm. This approach can help you better understand your nervous system, build nervous system capacity, strengthen emotional resilience, and develop greater flexibility in how you respond to life's challenges.
If you're unsure whether somatic therapy is the right fit, we can discuss your concerns and goals during your first appointment. Together, we'll determine whether Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, EMDR, or an integrated approach is the best fit for your unique needs.
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Yes. Many somatic therapy interventions can be adapted for virtual therapy. Through telehealth, clients can still develop body awareness, practice nervous system regulation skills, and work through therapeutic exercises from a comfortable environment.