What can a somatic therapy counsellor help with?

Somatic therapists take a holistic approach, focusing on the mind-body connection to treat emotional conditions such as trauma and PTSD, stress, anxiety, depression, grief, and physical conditions such as addiction and sexual functioning.

What qualifications does a somatic therapist need?

Any licensed psychologist or counsellor can specialise in somatic therapy, but it’s best to look for someone with experience in body-oriented techniques such as physical manipulation and breathwork. These techniques require advanced knowledge of the body. There is no official accreditation needed to practice somatic therapy.

How do somatic therapists treat problems?

Somatic therapists help patients empower themselves to regulate their own emotions using techniques such as meditation, EMDR, and breathwork. They also help a client improve awareness of pain or tension in the body, helping to “center” them in order to build calmness, and physical movement or breathing exercises.

How can I recognise a good somatic therapist?

The quality of a somatic therapist will depend on the strength of the relationship—or “therapeutic alliance”—that a client and therapist build together. Because somatic therapists deal not just with the mind, but also with a person’s body, including physical touch in some cases, the bond between the patient and the therapist is particularly important. A good somatic therapist will help an individual orient to sensations in the body that may previously have been unknown or unnoticed.