In-person in chicago & Evanston
Telehealth in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Texas
Somatic Experiencing
Specialized, trauma-informed therapy for individuals & relationships
You’ve tried everything to feel better, but nothing’s really worked.
You have entered into the counseling process and have appreciated the validation that is provided, yet you still cannot shake this stuck feeling in your system.
You’re still struggling with:
Activation from anxiety or depressive symptoms
Numbness and low energy overwhelming your system
Negative health impacts such as GI issues or high blood pressure
Lack of trust in critical relationships
Nervous System activation is causing chronic overwhelm & fatigue
Frequent crying spells, night terrors, or extreme waves of emotion
Rapid responses internally are impacting your ability to find presence
Somatic experiencing is the resource you need.
This evidence-based approach to healing trauma founded by Peter Levine offers you a new pathway to access healing and inner peace by tracking the felt sense of your internal experience. Through the use of orienting, resourcing, titration, and pendulation, you will be empowered to both uncover the sources of your trauma symptoms and build the capacity to clear blockages created for past self protection.
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Traumatic experiences are not necessarily caused by the event or events that occurred, but rather is a response in the nervous system. Traumatic memories are not stored like other memories- they are like a shattered plate, leading to terrifying flashbacks and overwhelm when experienced.
Traumatic experiences occur when our nervous system enters into a protective immobilization response but want not able to resolve the activation because of its intensity.
Somatic Experiencing offers you a pathway to dip into the traumatic memory safely to slowly move towards completing the responses thwarted at the time of the experience.
For more information regarding the science of SE, click this link.
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When engaging in an SE session, you will start the process working together to access safety within your nervous system to be able to stay present as you begin dropping into the activation in your system.
SE is an intentionally slow process and is entirely invitational- you will always asked permission with every direction we move towards. Every session offers infinite choice points to explore, and you will have the autonomy to determine what feels best to you.
In the SE counseling process, you will be often asked how you are experiencing life in your body, through the sensations, images, behaviors, emotions, and meaning that will show up.
Please reach out if you would like to explore this process more over a phone or video call.
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Somatic Experiencing has been found to empower folks to access many different positive health outcomes, including:
Decrease in anxiety or depressive symptoms
Decrease in PTSD symptoms, particularly retraumatization
Increase in resiliency to cope with symptoms impacted by traumatic experiences
Increase in regulation practices to cope with activation as it shows up
Positive impact on other chronic health conditions
For evidence-based research on the outcomes of Somatic Experiencing, check out this link.
somatic experiencing
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“When the moral judgment is removed, individuals are able to acknowledge and experience their authentic life energy freely.”
Peter Levine, founder of somatic experiencing
who it’s for
SE is for you if…
You have tried traditional talk therapy and are seeking a different approach to your healing.
You are experiencing chronic mental health challenges, such as numbness, dissociation, or flashbacks.
You are ready to do the hard work and commit to a process that moves intentionally slow with care.
who it’s not for
SE is not for you if…
You have checked out my work and this approach does not resonate with you- I totally understand and respect this!
You are seeking a quick counseling process that is short-term (less than 3-6 months).
You would like some more time to reflect on your level of commitment to this work- the right time is when it is right for you.
together, we will:
explore
The patterns occurring in your nervous system that are no longer serving you.
uncover
The narratives, beliefs, and unresolved energy that has not been allowed to complete and release.
Regain
A sense of connection to your body, your spirit, and your relationships.
Please know this:
Healing is possible.
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I have currently completed the Intermediate 1 Level of the Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) certification program. I will be certified as an SEP in December 2025.
I participate in 4-Day intensive SE training every three months for approximately 25 hours.
In addition, I particpate in monthly consultation and personal SE sessions for further professional development.
By the way- I have an SE therapist myself and I do this work because of how resourcing it has been for my own healing journey.
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While every SE process is unique and individualized to your specific goals and needs, my SE counseling process follows this structure:
Intake- When you begin counseling services, you will be provided a counseling questionnaire to complete that will provide a holistic overview of your current challenges and goals for the counseling process.
Assessment- In our first session, we will drill down to explore the current symptoms being experienced due to unresolved patterns in your nervous system. You will also be asked to complete additional evidence-based screenings to enhance the evaluation process.
The Work- Our first intentions will be to explore how to establish a sense of safety to be able to maintain presence during the counseling process. Then, using SE practices, we will work together to drop into activation that is showing up in your system. By pendulating from resourcing to activation, we will slowly release what is stuck and offer more flow in your internal state.
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As Somatic Experiencing may be unfamiliar with you, I understand that you may have some concerns or hesitancy whether this approach is right for you.
I encourage you to reach out- I would love to explore your concerns to see if we may be a good fit. If you find that this approach may not be what your are looking for, I am happy to connect you to other providers that can meet your counseling goals.