Somatic Experiencing
When you're dealing with anxiety, you're often stuck in a loop of overactive thoughts, body tension, and emotional overwhelm. Some of the therapy modalities I use—Somatic Experiencing (SE), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)—help break that loop, but from different entry points.
1. Focuses on the Nervous System
SE views anxiety and trauma not as a mental "disorder," but as a dysregulation of the nervous system—often the result of unresolved stress or trauma. It helps people learn to track and regulate their physical sensations, which in creates a new equilibrium in the body.
2. Brings Attention to Sensations, Not Stories
Rather than diving into the narrative or intellectual content of anxiety (e.g., "Why do I feel this way?"), SE works by helping you tune into body sensations—like tightness, fluttering, heat, or numbness. By bringing gentle awareness to these sensations without judgment or trying to fix them, the body can process and release the stuck energy causing the anxiety.
3. Teaches Self-Regulation
Through guided awareness, SE helps you build what's called "titration" (processing little bits at a time) and "pendulation" (swinging between calm and activation). This builds resilience in your nervous system and teaches you how to come back to a sense of safety and regulation even when anxiety or trauma triggers arise.
4. Restores a Sense of Safety
Anxiety often lives in a body that doesn’t feel safe, even if the mind says “everything’s fine.” SE helps rebuild felt safety, teaching your body that it’s safe to relax. Over time, this reduces chronic vigilance and fear, which are key drivers of anxiety.
5. Moves Stuck Energy
Trauma and stress can leave us stuck in fight, flight, or freeze responses. SE helps the body complete those survival responses that may have been interrupted or repressed. This can lead to a release of the tension, unease, and hyperarousal that fuel anxiety.
Serving West Los Angeles, Brentwood and Santa Monica
I offer somatic therapy both in-person from my West LA office and via telehealth, making sessions accessible whether you're in West LA, Santa Monica, Brentwood, Culver City, or elsewhere in Los Angeles. If you're looking for a somatic therapist near you, in-person and virtual options are both available — a free consultation is the easiest way to find out what fits.
Common Questions About Somatic Therapy
What's the difference between somatic therapy and talk therapy?
Talk therapy works primarily through language and cognitive processing. Somatic therapy adds direct work with bodily sensation and the nervous system — often where trauma is most deeply held, especially trauma from before language, or trauma too overwhelming to fully narrate.
How long does somatic therapy take to work?
It varies by person and history, but many clients notice shifts in nervous system regulation — feeling calmer, less reactive, more present — within the first several sessions, with deeper work continuing over time.
Do you offer in-person sessions in West LA?
Yes — in-person sessions are available at my West LA office, along with telehealth for clients who prefer or need remote sessions.