Somatic Therapy in Brooklyn, NY and Charlotte, NC
A different kind of therapy where your brain gets to take a break and your body gets the time, space, and support it deserves.
Think about the last time you got in a fight with your partner. Or maybe a yes flew out of your mouth when your boss asked you to take on a new work project even though you know you're at max capacity. Maybe you've had friends tell you that you really should slow down and take a breather, but this elusive rest people speak of is something you have no idea how to do — and when you try to do it, it feels really...bad.
When you come to therapy, you and your therapist can often spend a lot of time talking about why these things are the way they are. This is important work, and if you're reading this you might be realizing that while it's helpful to gain more insight and understanding into why you do the things you do, it might not be moving the needle in terms of helping you change these patterns. You might be feeling stuck as you keep trying to make different choices that feel better for who you are and who you know you can be.
This is where somatic therapy comes in.
Traditional therapy is what we would call top-down processing, meaning we start with your brain and really privilege thoughts and insights. Again, hear me say — such important work. Somatic therapy does things a little differently. We do what's called bottom-up processing and start with your body, privileging the sensations and feelings that are showing up inside of you. You could think of this process kind of like learning a new language, only it's you learning the language of your own body and nervous system.
As a somatic therapist serving Brooklyn, NY and Charlotte, NC, I spend a lot of time with clients exploring your body's unique patterning and the ways your nervous system feels safe — and doesn't feel safe — moving in the world.
When it comes to trauma, your body needs time, space, and support to move through the pain and help you reconnect to the vitality that's within and around you.
You've probably heard folks refer to the popular book "The Body Keeps the Score" (ps...good book but maybe try Wisdom of the Body by Hillary McBride instead.) In somatic trauma therapy, we help your body renegotiate the trauma and complete what didn't get to be completed.
This could look like learning to tolerate healthy aggression and helping you find your no.
It could look like slowing down to find places inside of you that feel more grounded to tap into during hard conversations.
It could look like growing your capacity to be with stillness.
This is some of my favorite work that I get to do with folks because I've watched in my clients' lives and in my own life how much change it can bring. I can say for myself that doing somatic therapy has changed the way I parent and show up for my daughter, allowed me to be a more engaged and present friend and partner, and has invited me to care for myself in more nourishing and compassionate ways.
Somatic therapy is this beautiful invitation to be with what is showing up in your own body and nervous system. It's about growing your own capacity and awareness to be with whatever is with you instead of fighting it, shaming it, or pressuring yourself to change. When you can accept your body and your nervous system responses and offer those parts of you care and support, they will feel open and available to trying something new and different.
If you're realizing that traditional talk therapy isn't helping you find the change you're after and you'd like to try something new and invite your body to have more time and space, I'd love to talk more. Reach out to schedule a complimentary phone consult today to see if somatic therapy in Brooklyn or Charlotte — or virtually — feels like it could be a good fit.
In person sessions available in Charlotte, NC. Virtual somatic therapy sessions available for folks living in New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Texas. Brooklyn in-person office opening late 2026/early 2027.
If you’d like to learn more about somatic therapy, in particular Somatic Experiencing (SE™), you can do so here. This body based therapy was created by Peter Levine to help folks release trauma in their body and nervous system. Blake is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) which is a three year post graduate certification program with Somatic Experiencing International.