Below are answers to common questions about what somatic therapy looks like in practice — including session structure, the research behind this approach, and how breathwork and psychedelic integration coaching fit into this work. If you don't see your question here, feel free to reach out directly.

 

What does a typical session look like?

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Sessions blend conversation with mindful attention to bodily sensation, breath, and movement impulses — at a pace you control. We might pause during a conversation to notice what's happening in your body as a particular memory or feeling comes up, rather than only discussing it. There's no requirement to retell traumatic events in detail; the focus is on building awareness and regulation in the present moment, so your nervous system can process what it couldn't before. Sessions are 50 minutes, available in person in Ottawa or virtually across Ontario.

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What is a somatic approach to therapy?

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Somatic therapy works from the understanding that the body holds onto experiences — including stress and trauma — not just as memories, but as physical patterns: tension, bracing, shallow breathing, or a felt sense of unease that doesn't go away with logic alone. Rather than only talking about what happened, somatic approaches like Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and Focusing-oriented therapy invite you to notice what's happening in your body in the present moment, and gently work with those sensations to support healing and regulation. Talk therapy and somatic therapy aren't separate — in my practice, they work together: we use words to understand your story and bodily awareness to help your nervous system actually process and release what's been held.

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Is a somatic approach different from other forms of therapy? Is it better?

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Different, yes — better depends entirely on the person and what they need. Many widely used approaches, like cognitive behavioural therapy, work primarily through thoughts and behaviour patterns. Somatic approaches add a layer that works through the body and nervous system directly, which can be especially helpful if you feel "stuck" in patterns that insight alone hasn't shifted, or if talking about an experience doesn't seem to change how it feels in your body. Research on body-based trauma treatments like Somatic Experiencing and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is still growing, but findings so far are promising — particularly for trauma-related symptoms that haven't fully resolved through talk-based approaches alone. Many people find the most benefit from an integrated approach, which is what I offer: traditional talk therapy combined with body-based and mindfulness methods, tailored to you.

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Is somatic therapy effective online, or only in person?

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Both. While in-person work allows for some forms of co-regulation that are harder to replicate on video, research on telehealth trauma therapy more broadly has found virtual and in-person treatment to be similarly effective — a meta-analysis of trauma-focused therapies, for example, found no significant difference in symptom reduction between the two formats, with both showing substantial improvement in PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms. Somatic-specific online research is newer and still growing, but the body-based noticing at the centre of this work — tracking sensation, breath, and movement impulses — translates well to video, since most of it happens through your own internal attention rather than anything requiring physical proximity. Many clients also find that being in their own familiar space adds a layer of safety that supports the work. I offer sessions both in person in Ottawa and virtually across Ontario, and we can discuss which might suit you best in a free consultation.

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Can somatic therapy help with things other than trauma?

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Yes. While I specialize in trauma and PTSD, the body-based awareness at the centre of somatic work is useful for a wide range of concerns, including:

• Anxiety and depression — noticing and shifting the physical patterns (racing heart, shallow breath, heaviness) that often accompany these states

• Relationship and attachment patterns — recognizing how early relationships shaped your nervous system's sense of safety, and building new patterns of secure connection

• Self-esteem and self-criticism — working with the bodily experience of shame or self-judgment, not just the thoughts behind it

• Grief and life transitions — supporting your system through the disorientation that major change or loss can bring

• Personal growth and self-understanding — for people without an acute crisis who want a deeper, embodied sense of who they are and what they need

If you're unsure whether somatic therapy fits what you're working through, a free 20-minute consultation is a good way to find out.

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Is touch involved in somatic therapy?

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Not necessarily, and never without your explicit consent. My work focuses on internal awareness — noticing your own sensations, breath, and movement impulses — rather than physical touch from me. If touch were ever relevant to your work together, it would always be discussed and consented to in advance.

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Do I have to have a trauma diagnosis to start therapy with you?

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No. While I specialize in PTSD and complex trauma, I work with anyone who feels that body-based, trauma-informed therapy could support them — whether or not they've experienced a clinically significant trauma.

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What is psychedelic integration coaching?

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Psychedelic integration coaching supports you in making sense of and incorporating insights from experiences with psilocybin or MDMA used outside of a clinical setting, with the goal of psycho-spiritual growth and self-understanding. This work focuses entirely on reflection, meaning-making, and integrating what arose during your experience into your daily life — it does not involve the use, administration, sourcing, or supervision of any substances. I bring training through TheraPsil, a leading Canadian organization supporting psychedelic-assisted therapy access, to this work.

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What is breathwork, and how does it relate to somatic therapy?

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Breathwork uses specific, sustained breathing patterns to shift consciousness and access deeper layers of emotional and bodily experience — often beyond what conscious thought alone can reach. I offer Holotropic Breathwork and Conscious Connected Breathwork, both of which use the breath to gently induce a non-ordinary state of awareness, allowing material that's been held in the body — emotions, memories, or sensations — to surface and move. It complements somatic therapy in that both work with the body as a pathway to healing, rather than relying on words and analysis alone.

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What can I expect from a breathwork session?

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Sessions typically begin with grounding and setting an intention, followed by an extended period of guided breathing — often with evocative music — during which you may experience shifts in sensation, emotion, vivid imagery, or a sense of expanded awareness. Everyone's experience is different: some people move, make sound, or feel strong emotion; others have a quieter, more internal experience. I hold space throughout, and we close with time to rest and begin integrating what came up. As with psychedelic integration, this work is about facilitating your own process, not directing it — you remain in control of your experience throughout.

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Do you take insurance?

 

I don't bill insurance directly, but I provide a receipt after each session that you can submit to your extended health plan for reimbursement. Most plans offer partial or full coverage for Registered Psychotherapist services — check with your provider to confirm your benefits.