Most people will experience a traumatic event in their lifetime whether it’s a car accident, abuse or neglect, the sudden death of a loved one, a violent criminal act, exposure to the violence of war, or a natural disaster. While some people can recover from trauma over time with the love and support of family and friends and bounce back with resiliency, others may discover lasting effects of trauma, which can cause a person to live with deep emotional pain, fear, confusion, or posttraumatic stress far after the event has passed. In these circumstances, the support, guidance, and assistance of a trauma therapist is fundamental in healing.

When appropriate I incorporate Somatic Experiencing and Co-Regulating Touch to help you reach your therapeutic goals. Please see below for more information.

Somatic Experiencing (SE™), created by Dr. Peter Levine, is a body-oriented approach for the healing of trauma and other stress disorders. SE helps release trauma in the body and regulate the nervous system by a very gentle approach. Trauma is essentially a dysregulation in the nervous system which could have been caused by single traumatic event, multiple events or exposure to events over time. This approach helps to release the dysregulation in the nervous system.

Growing evidence shows the importance of touch in healing from trauma, especially early trauma. When touch is “good” it can stop the release of stress hormones. As an infant, touch gives physical feedback of safety and existence. Healthy physical contact supports healthy emotional connection for lifelong resilient attachment and bonding. When this healthy emotional connection is disrupted by developmental wounding (illness, shock trauma, neglect, abuse or abandonment) or when the connection is insufficient for healthy bonding, the child can grow into an adolescent and adult with emotional, physical and nervous system dysregulation. Appropriate and safe touch supports and promotes more resiliency and vitality in the nervous system and can help develop a more embodied sense of safety and knowing.

My touch skills are informed by the work I have done with Kathy Kain and Stephen Terrell’s Somatic Resilince and Regulation, Peter Levine’s Somatic Experiencing®, Stephen Terrell’s Transforming Touch®, Transforming the Experienced-Based Brain, and Kathy Kain’s Touch Skill Training for Therapists and her additional touch trainings.