Therapy for Chronic Pain
Somatic Experiencing (SE), a specialized form of somatic therapy, can be truly transformational for those living with chronic pain. Rather than focusing solely on symptoms, SE works with the body’s internal responses and the nervous system as a whole. It targets the deep connection between mind and body—recognizing that how we think, feel, and relate to pain can significantly influence how we experience it.
Pain is processed in the brain, not just in the body
Chronic pain isn’t always a sign of ongoing tissue damage—it’s often the result of the nervous system getting stuck in a loop of pain signals, even after the original injury or illness has healed. Therapy helps interrupt this loop. It works by calming the brain’s pain-prediction systems, reducing fear, and changing thought patterns that amplify the pain. That doesn’t mean your pain isn’t real—it means the brain can amplify or ease your experience of it.
Somatic therapy can help regulate the nervous system
Chronic pain often comes with chronic stress: tension, shallow breathing, restlessness, or shutdown. Approaches like somatic therapy and mindfulness-based practices help bring your body back into states of calm and safety. When your nervous system feels safe, pain signals often soften, inflammation reduces, and muscles begin to relax.
For many, chronic pain has emotional or trauma roots
Whether it's past physical trauma, emotional neglect, or the ongoing emotional toll of living with pain, trauma informed somatic work gently explores the deeper emotional layers. Sometimes, pain is the body’s way of expressing something unspoken. When those inner parts are seen and supported, the body can release what it’s been holding.
Who this tends to be a good fit for
Therapy with me tends to fit well when your chronic pain has been medically evaluated, you have or are building a care team, and day-to-day life is still mostly workable, but stress, anxiety or a braced, on-alert body seems to turn the volume up. Many people I work with have been told their tests look normal and are looking for the nervous system side of the picture.
Who may need a different level of care
If your pain is severe, escalating, or hasn't been evaluated by a medical provider, or if it's limiting most of your daily life and you're looking for primary pain management, a team approach with a pain specialist or physical therapist is usually the right place to start. Therapy can be one part of that team. If you're not sure where you fall, reach out and we can talk it through, and if I'm not the right fit I'll help you find someone who is.
Somatic Support for Pelvic Pain — Serving Brentwood, West LA & Santa Monica
Chronic pain, including pelvic pain, is often connected to the nervous system as much as to physical structures — which is part of why medical treatment alone doesn't always fully resolve it. As a member of the International Pelvic Pain Society, I offer somatic support for pelvic pain alongside your existing medical and physical therapy care, available in-person from my West LA office or via telehealth for clients in Brentwood, Santa Monica, and throughout LA.
Common Questions About Somatic Therapy
Can somatic therapy help with pelvic pain?
Yes — many people with chronic pelvic pain find that nervous system regulation reduces pain intensity and frequency, especially when pain has a bracing or guarding component.
Do you work alongside my pelvic floor physical therapist?
Yes, this work is designed to complement medical and physical therapy treatment, not replace it.
Is this covered instead of or alongside medical treatment?
Alongside — somatic therapy addresses the nervous system component of pain, which works best in combination with, not instead of, appropriate medical care.