Somatic Therapy
Your body remembers what your mind has tried to move past.
Maybe your shoulders never really drop. Maybe you go numb when emotions run high, or your stomach knots up long before your mind registers that something’s wrong.
Somatic therapy works with the body and nervous system directly. Instead of focusing only on thoughts, we pay attention to sensations, breath, posture, and movement, the places where stress and trauma are often held.
By building awareness of your body’s signals and gently helping your nervous system complete stress responses that got stuck, somatic therapy helps you feel safer, steadier, and more at home in yourself.
Telehealth for NY, FL, MI residents
“Why can’t I just relax?”
Because your nervous system doesn’t take instructions from your thoughts.
Somatic therapy may help if you notice:
Chronic tension, pain, or tightness that won’t release
Feeling disconnected or numb in your body
Getting overwhelmed easily, then shutting down
Stress that shows up as stomach, sleep, or health issues
Knowing you’re safe, but not feeling it
Talk therapy that hasn’t reached what your body holds
Your body isn’t working against you. It’s been protecting you.
HOW SOMATIC THERAPY WORKS
Healing from the body up.
Much of the stress response happens below conscious thought, in the brainstem and nervous system. Somatic therapy works from the body up, using awareness of internal sensations (called interoception), along with grounding, breath, and gentle movement, to help the nervous system shift out of survival mode.
Over time, this widens your window of tolerance, so you can feel more without becoming overwhelmed or shutting down, and your body learns that it’s safe to settle.
When the body feels safe, the mind can follow.
Telehealth for NY, FL, MI residents
WHAT SOMATIC THERAPY CAN HELP WITH
Wherever stress lives in the body.
Somatic work is especially helpful when symptoms show up physically, or when talking alone hasn’t been enough, including complex trauma, anxiety, chronic illness, and stress-related symptoms.
WHAT THE PROCESS LOOKS LIKE
Notice. Settle. Release.
Somatic therapy is gentle and collaborative. We move slowly, in small steps, so your nervous system can build capacity instead of being overwhelmed.
PHASE 1
Building Body Awareness
We practice noticing sensations, breath, and posture with curiosity, and find places in your body that feel neutral or safe to return to.
PHASE 2
Working With Stuck Responses
We gently explore tension, bracing, or shutdown, and help your body complete protective responses that never got to finish.
PHASE 3
Living in Your Body
You take these skills into daily life, so you can recognize your signals early and return to steadiness on your own.
Often combined with: EMDR Therapy · Internal Family Systems (IFS) · Energy Psychology
New to therapy, or not sure which approach fits? Explore my holistic approach →
AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH
Whole-person care, every step of the way.
One method may guide our work, but it’s never the only one. Your past lives in your mind, body, and relationships. I combine evidence-based and mind-body approaches to help you work through the past and move forward with more support, clarity and confidence.
WHAT A SESSION FEELS LIKE
Gentle, curious, and always at your pace.
Sessions take place by secure telehealth, which works well for somatic therapy because you’re in your own space. No touch is involved, and you’ll never be asked to do anything that feels uncomfortable. We might pause to notice your breath, a sensation, or an urge to move, and follow what your body needs.
You’re the expert on your body. I’m here to help you listen.
WHAT CHANGES AS THE WORK UNFOLDS
Feeling at home in your body again.
Less chronic tension and bracing
Noticing stress early, before it takes over
Returning to calm more quickly after something upsetting
Feeling more present and less numb
Better sleep and digestion as your system settles
A growing sense of safety from the inside out
Telehealth for NY, FL, MI residents
MEET YOUR THERAPIST
Lisa Kent, LCSW
CCTP-II · EMDR-C
Somatic work is woven into almost everything I do. I help you notice what is happening in your body, widen your window of tolerance, and practice skills that help your nervous system shift out of survival mode, alongside talk-based and trauma-processing approaches.
QUESTIONS, ANSWERED
Somatic therapy FAQs
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Somatic therapy is a body-centered approach that works with the connection between mind and body. It uses awareness of physical sensations, breath, and movement to help release stress and trauma held in the nervous system.
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Yes. Because it focuses on your own awareness of your body, rather than anything I do physically, somatic work translates well to telehealth. Many people find it easier to tune in from the comfort of their own space.
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No. All somatic work in my practice is done through guided awareness, breath, and movement that you control.
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That’s common, especially for people who learned to disconnect in order to cope. We start small and go slowly. Body awareness is a skill that grows with practice, and numbness often softens as your system feels safer.
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There’s some overlap, but somatic therapy is a clinical approach focused on how stress and trauma are held in your nervous system. It’s guided, tailored to your history, and paced to keep you within your window of tolerance.
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Many people notice changes in tension, sleep, digestion, and pain as their nervous system settles. Somatic therapy doesn’t replace medical care, but it can be a meaningful part of caring for stress-related symptoms.
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It’s a free, no-pressure 15-minute video call. We’ll talk briefly about what’s bringing you to therapy and what you’re hoping for, I’ll answer your questions about how I work, fees, and out-of-network reimbursement, and together we’ll decide whether we’re a good fit. You don’t need to prepare anything, and there’s no obligation to book.
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Sessions are $200 per hour of work together. I am in-network with BCBS and BCN plans for Michigan residents. For New York and Florida residents, I partner with Mentaya to help you use your out-of-network benefits. Depending on your plan, up to 80% of your session cost can be reimbursed, and all of your claims are handled for you. You can check your benefits here (opens in a new window), or we can review them together during your free consultation.
HEALING THROUGH RECONNECTION
Your body can become a safe place to live.
Healing reaches every part of you: your mind, your body, your relationships, and your sense of meaning. You deserve care that sees all of it.
Telehealth for NY, FL, MI residents
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