“The single most important issue for traumatized people is to find a sense of safety in their bodies.”—Bessel Van Der Kolk
“The body has been designed to renew itself through continuous self-correction. These same principles also apply to the healing of psyche, spirit, and soul.”
― Peter A. Levine, Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma
I help clients feel more alive so they can meet life’s challenges with confidence. We do this in session by beginning to understand the language of the body.
When overwhelming events or circumstances occur, and they happen to all of us whether we recognize this or not, they not only affect our minds, but the energy from them gets stuck and stored in our bodies. When unresolved, our nervous system continues to respond as if the events(s) is ongoing or could happen again at any time. This chronic state of protection through dysregulation prevents us from living the fulfilling life we desire. Somatic healing is the key to unlocking this cycle. By recognizing the wisdom held in our bodies, somatic healing offers a holistic approach that engages our entire body-mind system, rather than just relying on talk therapy. It's the missing piece to truly healing and moving forward.
When the survival energy is not resolved, it can manifest as mental health challenges, physical symptoms, or chronic health conditions. I work with teens and adults in person and over zoom to bring greater safety into awareness and address symptoms that may include:
Chronic pain
Stress and tension
Anxiety and depression
Trauma and PTSD
Body image issues
Self-esteem and self-worth concerns
Anger issues
Fear and hyper-vigilance
Numbness
Insomnia
Addiction
Chronic health issues
In session, we work with the wisdom of the body to bring healing to the mind, the spirit, and the body. This is often done without needing to re-live traumatic events. Each session is tailored to the individual's unique needs and goals, providing a supportive, safe, and non-judgmental space for healing and growth.
“Without first addressing underlying survival physiology, any change in behavior is simply overriding through force of will.”—
Kathy Kain, Nurturing Resilience
Connect with me
Schedule a free 20-minute call
“Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness.”—Peter A. Levine
Primary Working Models
Somatic Experiencing
Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a body-oriented modality that helps heal trauma and other stress disorders.
Attachment Theory
Our attachment style (secure, avoidant, ambivalent or disorganized) simply refers to the way we relate to others when seeking love, support, and comfort.
Polyvagal Theory
Trauma is relived and experienced in our bodies and Polyvagal theory explains how.
Client Testimonials
“I came to Stephanie for what was, essentially, PTSD due to a harrowing experience while driving in an extreme situation (tornados and flooding) due to a hurricane. Previously I had been a fear-free driver, comfortable with driving in all weathers and situations. My fear of driving had gotten really bad, triggered by rain, darkness, etc. and I would start to feel incredibly anxious, sweaty, fearful of getting in a car. After two sessions, one fairly dramatic, driving became anxiety free, previous triggers were reduced to 10 percent of their former strength. There have been no residual symptoms I can’t easily work through since, and it’s been 6 months. This is transformational work, my life is back in my own hands!”—SK, New Jersey
“Steph can hold the big picture when you're in the weeds. She sees your strengths, growth, and capacity when it's hard to feel for yourself. Her grounded presence makes her a natural somatic practitioner. I hope you get to work with her, it's such a gift.”—M.M., Portland, OR
“I have worked with many therapists who specialized in various modalities over the years.
More recently, following a number of the most challenging years of my life, I found myself living a very small, narrow life—isolated, full of self doubt and near paralyzed by indecision.
Working with Stephanie has been a joy and a blessing. She is highly attuned to aspects of my feelings, many of which I am unaware on a conscious level. And expert at very gently moving those emotions to the fore.
While I know I have more work to do, after a recent major breakthrough, I am feeling alive, far less stuck, immeasurably more connected and again driven by my long dormant sense of purpose.
I am so grateful to have found Stephanie.”—MHC, New York, NY