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Snowflake

Somatic Trauma Therapy

"With trauma we lose the connection to our own essence

that feels as though we have lost our

wisdom, strength and joy in life"

Gabor Maté

Physician & Trauma expert

Author of When the Body Says No: The Cost of  Hidden Stress 

In recent years, research has shown that the most effective methods for resolving shock trauma,

developmental & childhood trauma, PTSD, and other emotionally overwhelming and stressful conditions need to include awareness of the body's inner experience via felt sense, sensations, impulses, images etc. 

 

As a fully qualified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, my trauma therapy approach with clients follows those findingsSomatic Experiencing techniques were developed by trauma expert Dr Peter Levine and resulted from his multidisciplinary study of stress physiology, psychology, ethology, biology, neuroscience, indigenous healing practices, and medical biophysics, together with over 45 years of successful clinical application. 

Peter Levine, PhD is also the author of 'Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma', 'Trauma Through a Child's Eyes' and 'In an Unspoken Voice - How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness'.

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Using Somatic Experiencing techniques and clinical tools and approaches, I help clients who have experienced trauma, to move from a nervous system state of disregulation to regulation - from fear to safety

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Trauma can be defined as anything that is too much, too soon, too fast or too relentless for our nervous system to handle.  Trauma Therapy sessions will help to reduce your autonomic nervous system response of fight, flight, freeze and fawn, and enhance your parasympathetic nervous system responsible for a sense of safety and calm. 

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The pace and timing of sessions I offer is very much led by what you feel comfortable with - your sense of safety is paramount.

 

I've successfully helped clients who have experienced the following:

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  • Traumatic event/s

  • Abuse - sexual, physical, emotional, mental

  • Shut down, numbing of feelings/pain

  • Childhood, developmental trauma

  • Hypervigilance, unable to relax, flashbacks

  • Trust issues, fear of intimacy

  • Persistant feelings of isolation, loneliness, shame

  • Traumatic/difficult childhood, neglect

  • Effects from accidents, head injuries, attacks etc

  • Post-operative stress from medical interventions

  • Insomnia, nightmares

  • Trauma-related anger/hostility/rage

  • Panic attacks, anxiety

  • A sense of broken spirit, hopelessness

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I offer a safe, non-judgemental and heartfelt space in which to help you build resilience against your traumatic experiences & memories, and restore emotional equilibrium.  Please do feel free to call me if you'd like to talk more before booking an appointment.

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Aspects we will cover in our sessions together include:​

  • How your body is central to being free from the effects of past trauma   

  • How to increase your sense of safety, comfort, and ease within your body

  • Support to release the effects of fight, flight, freeze or fawn - common nervous system stress responses to trauma that can become stuck or overactivated

  • A 'tool kit' to help reduce the effects of stress and trauma 'triggers' in your day-to-day life

  • Ways to resource your nervous system and increase its resiliency

  • Support to gently and safely release the effects of past trauma from your body without having to fully "relive" your trauma

  • Support to help you build resilience for the future

"If we simply try to avoid confronting painful experiences,

there is no way to begin the healing process.

In fact, this denial creates the very conditions

that promote and prolong unnecessary suffering.” 

Dr Peter Levine

Author of Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma, Trauma and Memory

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“Neuroscience research shows that
the only way we can change ​the way we feel
is by becoming aware of our inner experience

​and learning to befriend what is going on inside ourselves.”

​Bessel van der Kolk 

Author of The Body Keeps the Score

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