gain the tools you need to overcome what’s holding you back

Have you ever looked in the mirror and failed to recognize the person on the other side? Do you ever wish that things could go back to the way they were when you felt unstoppable -- like you could conquer the world?

On the other hand, you might start each day overwhelmed with emotion -- like a lead weight is holding you down to the point where just getting up in the morning feels like climbing a mountain.

Perhaps you’re one of those people who feels like they have a leash on life, until a situation, a sound, a smell or a feeling washes over you and you remember...everything. Like you’ve been forcibly yanked from your own body and flung into a different reality where life is all too vivid and clear.

From the non-stop worry of anxiety that prevents you from enjoying life, to the emotionally drowning sensations of depression, to the waves of detachment and terror that come with trauma and PTSD, you may be dealing with what can only be described as an avalanche of feelings…

But you don’t have to deal with them alone.

Unlock the Power of Somatic Psychotherapy

With somatic psychotherapy, we’ll work together, helping you take the wheel and take back control.  You’ll be steering your body out of that worn old trench and onto more resilient roads that lead you where you want to go.

Your thoughts are directly reflected in your body, which is why you might often feel the sweaty palms of anxiety, the crushing weight of depression or the whole-body fight-or-flight of PTSD.

But all too often, traditional talk therapy concentrates solely on the mind. Somatic psychotherapy allows you to connect your very real feelings to the reactions of your body and work through them in a gentle, welcoming, accepting environment. It does this through a variety of methods which are designed to support you. These include, but are not limited to:

Bringing awareness to your body - to change your reaction and overcome what has been holding you back, it’s necessary to remember this beautiful, powerful and magnificent vessel called the body. Take a moment and think about your breath. Think about how your chest rises and falls as the air is drawn in and released.

Until the moment I asked you to concentrate on your breathing, I’m sure you didn’t even think about it. But yet it’s so crucial to living that your body has done it automatically for all the years you’ve been on this earth. But awareness alone won’t solve all your problems.

• Healing old wounds and discovering your body’s reactive patterns - Imagine being so in touch with your body and its reactions that you can carefully, and with gentle guidance, work through those unwanted emotions and habits that are holding you back.

• Witnessing mindfulness - By turning your focus within, you’ll become both the observer and the self, seeing how your body acts and reacts to stresses, events, situations and other triggers as they unfold.
  
  Imagine watching a movie of your life, where you’re simultaneously aware of all of the actors and yourself as the main character, yet also seated away and watching intently.

By being able to see the process unfold before your eyes and yet still actively taking part in it, you’re able to see where old wounds, old emotions, critical attitudes, buried trauma and other toxic behaviors, both from within and around you, have been holding you back and putting up barriers to your complete fulfillment.

Gaining the tools needed to overcome what’s holding you back

Of course, simply being aware of these issues does not solve them. That is where having the right tools can help. The somatic psychotherapists at Life by Design Therapy can help you work through these issues on a mental, emotional and physical level, allowing the constraints to simply melt away, as you step forward with confidence, into the you that you were born to be.

The Healing Power of Touch in therapy

From a welcome pat on the back to a couple holding hands, touch surrounds us. You may be surprised to learn that it also has its place in therapy as well.  

Humans are instinctively “wired” for touch. Even in research as far back as the 1800s, researchers noticed that babies who were not cuddled simply failed to thrive. Touch communicates on an energy level beyond what words can say. It reassures us, comforts us, and adds flair to our conversations much like a garnish on our favorite meals.

Touch therapy is one part of somatic psychotherapy that can have significant benefits, but needs to be evaluated to determine if it is helpful or detrimental to your well-being. No matter what, the touch must always align with your therapeutic goals and follow proper ethical codes.

In the case of children, particularly those who have experienced trauma related to touch, their unique developmental needs are taken into consideration in order to help them in the greatest way possible.