On a cold, still night in the winter of 2022, I survived a harrowing home invasion. Although I was unharmed in the incident, it was deeply traumatic and I realised how fragile and precious life is. This event was a catalyst to many things – not least of all, it led me to my first session of Somatic Experiencing.

Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a body-focused talk therapy designed to resolve symptoms of stress, shock, and trauma that get stuck in the nervous system.  It worked for me – gently shifting the trauma I was holding around the incident and then helping to dislodge and resolve older patterns of trauma I had been holding for years. It works by guiding clients to listen to and feel what their bodies are telling them – simply by focusing in the here and now on what is moving within, thereby developing an increased tolerance for difficult bodily sensations and suppressed emotions. Once resilience and capacity have been re-established, work begins to complete previously thwarted defense responses. This helps in bringing resolution to the nervous system and, therefore, to the individual.

A short while later, I began training to become a Somatic Experiencing practitioner. I am currently an Advanced Level 1 Somatic Experiencing student. I complete my training in December, 2026.

I love the work. It requires total presence from me and a willingness to witness and hold the other wherever they currently are in their healing journey. I feel as though all the work I have done throughout my life contributes to what I bring to every session. SE has refined how I listen, and how I witness and hold people in every aspect of my life. Ultimately, for people to feel safe enough to open up to me in a therapeutic context, they have to get a felt sense that my system is safe, that I have walked the road they are embarking on and am also doing the work of self-healing.  

Typically, sessions are done in person at my home in Sedgefield or on-line from wherever you are in the world and take an hour.