Psychotherapy & Somatic Trauma Therapy
What Is Somatic Trauma Therapy?
When someone experiences trauma or prolonged stress, the body can remain in survival states such as fight, flight, freeze, or shutdown — even long after the original event has passed.
This may show up as:
- Feeling easily overwhelmed
- Emotional numbness or detachment
- Chronic anxiety or panic
- Sudden anger or reactivity
- Physical tension or tightness
- Difficulty feeling safe in relationships
- Urges to escape, avoid, or self-soothe through substances
Somatic therapy helps individuals recognize and regulate these nervous system responses. Rather than focusing only on thoughts or analysis, this approach includes:
- Slowing down and noticing body sensations
- Identifying early signs of activation or shutdown
- Learning how to safely regulate distress in real time
- Building tolerance for difficult emotions without becoming overwhelmed
- Strengthening feelings of internal safety and stability
This work supports the brain and body in shifting out of survival mode and into states of steadiness and connection.
How This Integrates With Traditional Therapy
Somatic therapy is not separate from psychotherapy — it is integrated into sessions when clinically appropriate.
Treatment may also include:
- EMDR for trauma processing
- DBT skills for emotion regulation
- CBT for cognitive restructuring
- IFS-informed parts work for attachment repair
For individuals transitioning from inpatient or higher levels of care, nervous system stabilization is often the first step before deeper trauma work begins.
Who This Approach May Help
We work with adolescents and adults experiencing:
- Depression and mood instability
- Suicidal thoughts or recent psychiatric hospitalization
- PTSD and complex trauma
- Anxiety and panic
- Personality disorders
- Substance use recovery
- Attachment and relational trauma
Treatment plans are individualized and may integrate neurofeedback, medication management, TMS, or Spravato when clinically appropriate.