What to Expect in a Somatic Healing Session

A somatic healing session is focused on relieving symptoms of chronic pain, trauma and stress by working with the body’s sensations. Here's what you can typically expect from a somatic healing session with Bloom Bodywork Co. :

Initial Consultation

1. Assessment and History-Taking:

   • We start by discussing your history, symptoms, and healing goals. This might include information about your anxiety, stress levels, and physical symptoms.

   • You'll be asked about your current life situation, support systems, and any previous experiences with therapy.

2. Explaining the Process:

   • Your bodywork therapist will explain the principles of somatic healing and how the session will typically go. They will also address any questions or concerns you might have about the process.

During the Session

1. Creating a Safe Environment: Establishing a sense of safety is crucial. Your bodywork therapist will ensure that you feel comfortable and secure where you are. You’ll be asked to gather blankets, pillows, and items that make you feel at ease and comfortable in your environment.

2. Mindfulness and Awareness: The session often begins with exercises to help you become more aware of your body and become present in the moment. This can include breathing exercises, visualization, body scans, or grounding techniques. These sessions will flow as the therapist see’s necessary.

3. Intention Setting: Setting an intention helps to keep the focus on your healing goals. This can be something simple like unwinding tension and feeling more at ease or something that you feel called to bring into your life in that moment.

4. Tracking Sensations:

   Your bodywork therapist will guide you to notice and track physical sensations in your body as you relax. This involves bringing awareness to areas of tension, discomfort, and other sensations without judgment.

   You might be asked to describe what you feel, such as tightness in your chest or warmth in your hands. Depending on your comfort level we can explore what these body sensations have to say.

5. Somatic Inquiry

   The bodywork therapist helps the client tune into their body and establish a dialogue with their organs. This involves listening to the sensations, emotions, and messages that arise from different parts of the body. The body may be holding tension, pain, “weird” sensations or emotional charge. This is done through visualization, gentle self touch, or simply directing attention to that area.

6. Completion and Discharge:

   • Release happens when we can be with our pain and be witnessed in safety. A release of emotions stored in the body might involve shaking, crying, or other physical movements that help release stored tension and energy. The bodywork therapist guides the client through movement, hands on self massage, and somatic play and healing practices to stay present with their experience in safety.

7. Integration:

   • The bodywork therapist helps you integrate the experiences from the session. This can involve discussing what came up, how you feel now, and how to apply this awareness to daily life.

   *** Please note these sessions are not focused on digging up traumatic events and are not talk therapy. This is however considered “bottom up therapy” and can help release trauma that is stored in the body. With that said, the mind and body are not separate and these sessions can bring up past trauma. It is recommended that you have support and guidance from a psychotherapist while you are under our care. Your safety and comfort is our priority. We will not move forward doing virtual sessions if we feel you are not ready to do so.

Please reach out to Sophie at 804-402-4643 for scheduling a somatic healing session. You can also fill out a request form found here. To learn more about your nervous system and how somatics can help you follow @sophiesomatics on tiktok & instagram.