Somatic Therapies
Somatic Therapy in Maple Ridge, BC
Somatic therapy focuses on the connection between body, mind, and nervous system. Stress, anxiety, and trauma don’t just live in thoughts - - they show up as tension, numbness, restlessness digesstive changes, fatigue, or a sense of disconnection from your body.
By gently building awareness of physical sensations and learning ways to support regulation, somatic therapy can help you feel more grounded, present, and steady.
Why Work with the Body?
When we experience stress or overwhelm, the nervous system shifts into survival responses like fight, flight, freeze or shutdown. These responses can become patterns, even long after the original situation has passed.
Talking about experiences can be helpful, but it doesn’t always reach the parts of the system that learned to stay on guard. Somatic approaches help bring attention to what is happening inside the body in the present moment, supporting the nervous system in finding more balance.
What Sessions May Include
Somatic therapy is gentle and collaborative. We might explore:
Awareness of breath and muscle tension
Tracking sensations in the body
Grounding and orienting to the present
Movements and postures that support regulation
Noticing cues of safety and settling
There is no pressure to “go into” intense experiences. The focus is on building capacity, safety, and choice.
What Somatic Therapy Can Support
Somatic approaches can be helpful for:
Anxiety and chronic stress
Trauma and PTSD
Emotional overwhelm
Dissociation or feeling disconnected
Difficulty relaxing or feeling at ease
Somatic therapy can be integrated with other approaches, including trauma therapy and counselling, depending on your needs and goals.