Ready for the next step on your pathway of post-traumatic growth?
Your body is the key
If you’re anything like most of the people I work with, if it were possible to think your way out of trauma, chances are, you would have done it by now!
If you are reading this, you may already know a little something about trauma, and already have at least some degree of insight into the ways that it’s impacted you.
But—perhaps as you’ve seen—the cognitive understanding of trauma only gets us so far. Deeper levels of integration are a full-body experience.
In my one-on-one practice, I specialize in working with people who have done some of their own work and want to integrate it more deeply. Maybe you know that a somatic approach is important, but you have a hard time feeling connected to your body— or aren’t sure where to start. I enjoy working with busy-brained intellectualizers who are ready to integrate their healing in a deeper, more embodied way.
There’s no one size fits all approach. But when you find the one that works for you, it can change your life.
“Trauma is a fact of life. It does not, however, have to be a life sentence.”
-Peter Levine, creator of Somatic Experiencing
As you may know, trauma colors our perceptions, feelings, and behaviors in many ways, impacting our minds, bodies, and relationships. It can show up as:
Disproportionate amounts of stress and overwhelm over “little” things
Difficulty relaxing, sleeping, or feeling at ease
Discomfort expressing your needs to others, saying no, or setting boundaries
Bursts of panic or rage that seem to come out of nowhere
Feeling numb or disconnected, like you’re in a haze while life passes you by
A loud “inner critic” berating you for not being perfect
People pleasing and regularly prioritizing other people’s happiness/comfort at the expense of your own
A secret shame that something is wrong with you
It makes life harder than it needs to be, and can keep you from experiencing the ease, comfort, joy, confidence, and the authentic expression you long for.
top down
is different from
bottom up
Many of the clients I work with have tried talk therapy, only to discover that it wasn’t possible to simply think or talk their way out of their trauma responses.
This is not a knock on talk therapy. I love therapy. I go to therapy. I only work with individuals who do (or have done) therapy. It is valuable.
And, talk therapy is very different from somatic work, which has the power to directly communicate with non-verbal parts of the brain that are significantly impacted by trauma.
It is not just our thoughts which become distorted by trauma, but also our perceptual patterns, postural patterns, and capacity to feel and tolerate sensation at the most fundamental level.
As a result of trauma, the body continues to act like it’s in danger, even though the danger has passed.
To heal, it’s not enough to just know logically that you’re safe. You need to feel it in your body.
In private sessions, I incorporate Somatic Experiencing (SE), integrative somatic parts work, and other trauma sensitive contemplative approaches to help support your ability to:
Soothe, settle, and relax with greater ease
Skillfully attune to the needs and desires of your innermost self
Hold healthy boundaries with the people in your life
Express yourself authentically
Take empowered action to move your life forward in ways that are healthy and fulfilling
Trust that you can meet life’s ups and downs
Be in satisfying, healthy relationships with others
Experience more pleasure, joy, and ease of well-being
Factors that make this shift possible:
Cultivating a stronger mind-body connection
Your body speaks in the language of sensation. Everything you need and desire are communicated through this sensory language. Trauma is healed in direct proportion to our ability to fully experience the present moment without becoming overwhelmed and shutting down. As your capacity to be present with your inner landscape grows, more pleasure, joy, and connection become possible.
Titration
Trauma is something that was too much to fast too soon, so in our work together, we do the opposite. Huge cathartic experiences might feel satisfying in the moment, but they can be hard to integrate at best, or at worst, they can feel re-traumatizing. In our work together, we’ll move at the right-sized pace so that you expand your inner capacity to experience your wholeness steadily, and sustainably.
Attuned support in a compassionately held container
Trauma that happens in relationships is also healed in relationships. We are social animals, designed for co-regulation with one another, and we were never meant to heal alone. People often describe me as friendly, warm, and down-to-earth. When we work together, there’s space for laughter . And there’s also space for solemn reverence for the depth and profundity of your experience.
I’m Elena
The work that I do is the work that I love. Somatic approaches are life-changing—I’ve found that to be true for myself.
I am formally trained in Somatic Experiencing, Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga, Inner Relationship Focusing (a somatic parts work modality similar to IFS), and I have a long history of teaching and practicing yoga and meditation. Among the modalities I’m certified in are evidence-based and evidence supported trauma treatments, including those that are recognized by SAMHSA.
Those are my “professional accolades.”
However, the direct, experiential applications of this work in my own body and nervous system deeply informs my understanding of the work I do, more meaningfully than any theoretical, intellectual understanding ever could.
I’ve used this work to shift my own trauma-induced nervous system patterns, including the perpetual merry-go-round of dissociation and hyper vigilance that often comes with complex trauma. This first first hand experience allows me to understand the internal challenges my clients experience more directly and competently than I would otherwise.
Some of the core values I bring into my work are:
Humility (While I have some knowledge and expertise on the modalities I offer, I emphatically maintain that you are the expert on you)
A non-pathologizing approach (I see trauma as a nervous system injury—not an illness)
The yogic principle of ahimsa (Non-harming, which I personally expand to also include non-coercion/non-manipulation)
Working together
First thing’s first:
Prior to our first session, we’ll meet for a free 25-minute phone consultation where we can share some introductory information with one another to ensure that working together is a good-fit for both of us that meets your current goals.
This is not a high-pressure sales call. There is zero expectation for you to schedule a meeting after our initial talk.
If we do choose to work together, you’ll be invited to schedule your first session. I can meet with clients virtually or at my office in Greenfield, MA.
What happens during a session:
Our time together focuses on your expressed goals and on the topics that you want to explore. You will never be pressured to talk about any topic that you don’t feel ready to discuss.
Our work together is highly personalized to your unique goals and needs. However, in the first several weeks together, you will become acquainted with:
Key SE concepts such as:
Internal and external resourcing
Tracking
Orienting
Pendulation
Titration
As well as:
Somatic tools and practices to support your nervous system
Handouts that describe key concepts
Optional exercises and embodiment practices that you can do between sessions
Pricing
I offer sliding scale pricing in the hopes of making this work accessible to those who need it, while also honoring the quality and depth of the modalities I offer. I trust each individual to honestly assess what they are genuinely able to pay.
Initial session (75 minutes): $110-150 sliding scale
Subsequent sessions (60 minutes): $90-130
Schedule a free 25 minute call
Please feel free to be in touch. I’m happy to answer all of your questions and to provide honest feedback as to whether your goals are aligned with what I offer.
I look forward to the possibility of chatting more soon!