Somatic Bodywork Alongside Talk Therapy
You've done the work. You understand your patterns. You can explain exactly why you react the way you do. And your body still braces, tenses, and wakes you at 3 a.m.
Understanding something isn't the same as your body feeling safe.
Talk therapy works through the mind: insight, language, and meaning. That matters. But your nervous system doesn't change because of what you understand. It changes through what your body experiences, again and again.
That's why so many women who are deep into therapy come to me saying, "I know all of this. Why do I still feel this way?" The answer is often that the body hasn't had its turn yet.
Your therapist helps your mind. This helps your body.
- In therapy, you name what happened and make sense of it.
- On the mat, your body gets to release what it's been holding, with hands-on Shiatsu and Reiki.
- Between the two, insights land more easily, and the shifts you feel in your body give you more to bring back to therapy.
Many of my clients found me by searching for exactly this: something to go alongside the therapy they already value. Some are referred by their therapists.
What women ask before they start
Do I need to stop or change my therapy?
No. This work is meant to complement therapy, not replace it. Keep seeing your therapist.
Will I have to talk about my trauma?
Only as much as you want to. Sessions are mostly quiet, hands-on work. You never have to explain or relive anything for this to help.
Should I tell my therapist?
Yes, if you're comfortable. Many therapists welcome body-based work alongside theirs, and it can give you both more to work with.
What if something big comes up during a session?
Sometimes emotions surface. If they do, I can guide you through it in the moment by bringing your attention gently back into your body, and you can always bring it to your next therapy session too.
Is this therapy?
No. I'm a licensed massage therapist, Shiatsu practitioner, and Reiki Master, not a mental health professional. This is bodywork that supports your nervous system, and it works best alongside the care you already have.
As a mental health professional, I felt glad to be able to send my own clients to Anna, and she was able to help them find the parts of the pain the words could not.
Ivy
Referring a client?
If you have clients who understand their patterns but still carry them in their bodies, I'd be glad to support them. I'm happy to talk about how I work so you can decide if it's a fit. Send me a message anytime.
Give your body its turn.
Start with one Somatic Session. You'll leave with Your Five Element Map and a sense of what your body has been holding.
Book a Somatic Session