Prism Somatic Healing

I believe that every individual has the answers they seek within themselves. Peter Levine, founder of Somatic Experiencing, teaches us that given the right conditions, the body will heal itself. For me, it is an honor to be involved in the creation of those conditions for the people I work with. The work of healing can take many forms: sometimes amusing, other times messy or unpleasant, and always powerful. It is my priority to cultivate a relationship that can adapt to, and contain whatever growth will come. Supporting one’s autonomy and individuality is the root of the work I do… and the fruit is the embodiment of a liberated and actualized self. 

Why center the body?

So much of the stress and trauma we face on a daily basis is stored in the body with triggers that haven’t been processed by the rational brain. Even the things we thought we were over, may still be carried in the cells of our nervous system spilling over in to our lives. By centering the body, we take a safe and holistic approach to understanding what is happening to us, re-negotiating trauma and regulating the nervous system. By centering the body we are honoring its ability to restore and regenerate. Every body can heal.

My Offerings

I offer individual sessions with adults. I combine a variety of identity affirming, trauma informed and body centered approaches to achieve the goals set out by the individuals I work with. This can look like a talk based session, a healing touch based session, or a combination of the two. In a healing touch session the individual I am working with will lay face up and fully clothed on a massage table; through talk and mutual attunement, and only with clear consent, I will place my hands on specific locations on the body. Touch work can facilitate a more direct processing of trauma stored in the body, as well as bring awareness to one’s container (ie. body) to increase the ability to tolerate emotionally charged energy.

My work centers the LGBTQIA+ community, people of color (POC), poor and working class folks, survivors, first and second generation immigrants, elders, people impacted by the prison industrial complex, individuals in movement work and working towards liberation, and anyone who feels the trauma of everyday life. I am also poly and kink affirming.

I offer 1:1 sessions that can include somatic talk therapy. Additionally, I facilitate work for politicized groups to increase individual and group body awareness.

Theoretical Perspectives

I am a politicized body centered therapist. I practice from a feminist, relational perspective. It is my belief that to understand the way trauma lives in our bodies, one must have an analysis of capitalism, patriarchy, and white supremacy. My practice is trauma informed, and identity affirming.  I am also influenced by research in mindfulness practices, somatics, polyvagal theory, attachment, and neuroplasticity.

Specialized Training

I am a Somatic Experiencing practitioner, and have participated in both levels of Transformation in Action as well as Somatics and Resilience from generative somatics. I have also completed psychedelic integration training from MAPS, and EMDR training from EMDRIA. For clients interested in working on developmental trauma (some call this Complex PTSD) I have been trained by Steve Terrell to offer healing touch work.