somatics.

somatics is the ideal work for those of us with long-range trauma.

over time, developmental or long-range trauma changes the brain. somatics works to identify trauma triggers in the body, disrupt the trigger before it spirals, + regain a state of whole-brain cooperation—so you can choose your response, instead of reacting to a trigger.

but does it really help?

yup. recently the APA released new guidelines to treat C-PTSD, or complex post-traumatic stress disorder. these guidelines now include somatics + movement in addition to parts therapy, as well as acknowledging that traditional therapies often fail in treating those with complex trauma.

in a trauma-informed setting, we know we need to treat the entire person—and that starts (and ends) with the body itself.

current science ALSO teaches us that a body in or close to trigger will slide more easily into that state—so more than just addressing the triggers themselves, somatics addresses small life changes that can help you be more present in your body, keep yourself more stable throughout the day, + note changes with attention to the body itself. in this way, we build small, actionable changes that can keep us more in tune with who we really are underneath the trigger state—and that might be someone even we have never met before.

but why did you choose somatics?

i chose to become a practitioner because somatics worked for me when traditional therapies failed.

i’ve been a dancer for my entire life (there are videos of me at 2 dancing on a coffee table), + i truthfully can’t tell you any place safer for me than in my own body. when i moved to New York City, i sought a new place to dance + fell in with a teacher who used her classroom like an incubator—she moved the room in different directions, she forced us to seek out new spots, to turn the choreography to each other instead of the mirrors, to interact + react + speak to each other without words.

at the time i was working in corporate america, + every night coming into her studio was the moment i could exhale again. drop in again. find home again. no matter what i did outside the studio, all i wanted was to be back in that place. eventually i realized that the place i felt safe wasn’t the studio itself—it was in motion, in my body, out of my head.

at the core of it, somatics teaches this: your body is wise beyond your mind. if you can drop in, if you can NOTICE: you have the innate power to heal.

ready to do the work? let’s talk.

FAQ

  • Trauma is not currently a recognized diagnosis in the United States. Because you cannot be diagnosed with trauma, somatic practitioners cannot be licensed in NYS. This prevents us from taking insurance.

  • If your FSA/HSA will allow you to charge “alternative treatments,” you can use your FSA dollars to pay for your sessions.

  • Some clients experience immediate relief or lessening of symptoms with a better understanding of the science of trauma, however: somatics, like all therapeutic tools, should be a consistent practice with a base timeline of 18 months to 3 years of continuous sessions.

  • I offer several options for those in financial need, including repeating monthly packages. To inquire, please email me directly with your need: info@jennigro.com