Somatic Therapy for PTSD and Complex Trauma

Trauma happens when an experience overwhelms your mind and body. It can feel like too much, too fast, or too soon for your nervous system to handle.

Even long after the event, trauma can affect how you feel day to day. Your body may stay on high alert, bracing for danger, or leave you feeling stuck, tense, or disconnected. These are protective responses, even when the threat is no longer there.

Two people can go through the same experience, and one may come out of it shaken but steady, while the other feels overwhelmed. The difference has more to do with how the nervous system responds than with the event itself.

Peter Levine, the founder of Somatic Experiencing, explains that trauma often develops when there isn’t an empathic observer present, someone who can help you process what happened. Without that support, the nervous system can stay in a state of fear or overwhelm long after the event has ended.

Earlier experiences also play a role. When someone has lived through previous trauma or grew up without a strong sense of safety, the nervous system is more vulnerable to being overwhelmed by later events.

Yes. Somatic therapy can help whether your trauma happened recently or many years ago. Trauma often shows up in the way the brain and nervous system keep reacting as if danger is still present, even when it’s not. Those signals drive the body into patterns that feel tense, stuck, or shut down.

If your trauma is in the past, this work helps your nervous system finish protective responses that couldn’t happen at the time. By noticing what’s happening now in your body and emotions, you begin to shift those old patterns and create more space for resilience, clarity, and connection.

If the trauma is more recent, somatic therapy can support your nervous system before those reactions become deeply ingrained. It helps you process what happened in a safe, manageable way, lowering the chance of feeling stuck moving forward.

No matter when it occurred, somatic therapy offers a gentle, body-based way to reconnect with yourself, work through the impact of trauma, and build the capacity to face life with more strength and confidence.

No. You don’t have to share your trauma story in detail for somatic therapy to work. The focus is less on retelling every memory and more on how your mind and body are responding now. Sometimes we don’t need to talk about the trauma at all for healing to happen.

You’re always welcome to share as much or as little as feels right for you. Some sessions may include more talking, others less. What matters is that you feel safe and supported. You’ll always have a say in the pace and direction of the work.

Going into too much detail too quickly can sometimes retraumatize. That’s why we pay close attention to how your nervous system is responding. I may slow you down or suggest a pause so you can stay connected to safety and not feel overwhelmed. This steady pace helps your body build resilience and capacity.

Over time, this work often changes how people relate to their story. The charge around it can lessen, making it easier to talk about if you want to, or you may find that you actually want to share parts of it that once felt impossible. Either way, you’ll approach it with more choice and strength.

Weekly sessions are an important part of this work. Consistency builds trust, creates momentum, and gives your nervous system the steady support it needs. This rhythm is what allows healing and lasting change to take root.

Our sessions make space for what your body has been holding, while also giving room for emotions and insight to be processed. Mind, body, and emotions are all part of the healing process.

On rare occasions, someone may only need a few months of therapy, often when they come in for a single traumatic or overwhelming event. Most people, however, are working through complex trauma or long-term overwhelm. For them, healing and growth unfold over a longer period of time, usually a year or more, with consistent support that allows the work to go deeper.

I currently offer virtual sessions only.

Somatic Experiencing works well online because the focus is on what’s happening in your mind and body. I’ll guide you through the same process and practices I would in person, and they translate easily through the screen.

Being in your own space can add comfort and support. You might settle into a favorite chair, keep grounding items nearby, or even have a pet close. These small things often help you feel more present and supported during the work.

Online sessions are also practical. You don’t have to rearrange your day or commute, and you can log in from wherever you are. That way, you can put your energy into the work itself.

Individual 55-minute sessions are $200.

If you’d like to include the Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP) or Rest and Restore Protocol (RRP), there’s an additional fee. Details are listed on both the SSP and RRP pages. We can talk about whether either of these protocols is a good fit during your consultation or at any point in the work together.

I don’t work directly with insurance, but I can provide a monthly superbill if you’d like to submit for out-of-network reimbursement. Some clients are able to get partial reimbursement depending on their plan.

You’ll always know the cost up front. Under federal law (the No Surprises Act), you’re entitled to a Good Faith Estimate of the expected cost of services. If you ever receive a bill $400 or more above that estimate, you have the right to dispute it.