Somatic Therapy Somatic therapy sees the human being as a whole: mind, body, spirit, and soul are connected and, in ideal circumstances, they work together in harmony.  Rather than focusing on the past, somatic therapy encourages you to stay with what you experience in the present, in a state of mindfulness. In this state, you can become aware of what happens in your body and mind. This awareness helps you to change perspectives, beliefs, and habits by coming to understand how you have created meaning and feelings out of events or patterns. Ultimately, this enables you to make positive changes in your life. Somatic Experiencing or Trauma Healing Trauma is the perception that one’s survival is in question. Since this belief is understood as “real”, the seemingly abnormal reactions to trauma are in fact very natural. We lose our capacity to cope and self regulate, and our ability to pendulate between relaxation and activation. As Peter Levine says: “Traumatic symptoms are not caused by the event itself. They arise when the activation, mobilized to meet an extreme or life threatening event, is not fully discharged and integrated. This energy remains trapped in the nervous system where it can wreak havoc on our bodies and our minds.” Somatic Experiencing, a new modality, is based on observations that animals in the wild are rarely traumatized even if they are threatened routinely. They use innate mechanisms to regulate and discharge the high levels of arousal energy associated with their need to survive. We share with these animals a “reptilian brain,” or the most primitive part of our brain. When we perceive threat or danger, this part of our brain is activated. Unfortunately, this wonderful innate system is often overridden in humans by our more developed “neo cortex” brain or thinking brain, the brain associated with language, observations, and planning. Instead of discharging high levels of energy arousal, we “freeze” or shut down and the traumatic experience becomes lodged in the body, deeply encoded in the nervous system. To fully heal and bring our bodies back to normal, we have to allow our bodies to discharge high levels of accumulating energy related with these survival behaviors By gently “titrating” the experience and by avoiding catharsis, high levels of energy trapped in the nervous system are slowly discharged and we regain the capacity to live a balanced life in the present. We also regain our capacity to self regulate and handle the differences between feeling overwhelmed and feeling relaxed. Sandplay Therapy Sandplay therapy is meant for healing; no artistic skills are needed. You work with a number of small figures that represent a cross-section of all animate and inanimate beings encountered in the external world as well as in the inner world of our imagination and dreams. You are invited to create whatever you want in the sand. Your play becomes the language through which you express unconscious material.  While witnessing you immersed in play, I hold this 'protected' space safe for you. Being able to see and touch internally-evoked images results in a greater understanding for both of us of the sources of conflict. With this new knowledge, you can use your inner resources to resolve conflicts in your daily life and change behaviors and beliefs. Children are naturally drawn to the objects, sand, and water, which allows them to express what they cannot articulate with words about what is happening in their lives. This unconscious work in the sand, in my presence and with my support, helps them to resolve conflicts in their daily life.  Sandplay with adults is especially powerful for clients who: Find it difficult to talk about inner thoughts and feelings Avoid feelings by intellectualizing Want to work through a trauma Want to move through a stuck place Want to understand poignant or frightening dreams Are struggling with an important decision or problem Feel emotionally blocked or confused Expressive Art Therapy Art Therapy helps you to tap into your creative process while letting go of judgment, trusting yourself, and enjoying creating and playing. You overcome your resistance and are able to accept yourself fully in a more healthy way. You regain your self esteem and self awareness, and become more aware of your insights. Testimonial Click to view Testimonial 1. Click to view Testimonial 2. Copyright © 2008. All rights reserved.