Somatic Therapy in Fleet, Hampshire & Online
You may understand yourself well and still find that your body reacts before your mind has time to catch up. A tight chest before a conversation. A stomach that knots when a worry appears. Pain that stays long after anyone can explain why.
Somatic therapy starts from a simple idea: the body is part of the conversation, not something separate from it. In my sessions we bring your body into the work, whether we meet in person here in Fleet, or online, so that what you feel and what you think can finally move in the same direction.
What is somatic therapy?
The word somatic means “of the body”. Somatic therapy is a body-aware way of working with stress, anxiety, pain and past experiences.
Instead of staying only with what you think about a problem, we also notice how it shows up in your body: where you feel it, what it feels like, and how it changes as we work with it.
Why I work this way
I came to this work through my own experience. I lived with chronic pain for eight years. During that time I came to see that body and mind are connected in a way that neither talking alone nor treating the body alone fully reaches. That understanding changed how I think about healing, and it is at the centre of how I work.
I believe in a holistic approach, not as a slogan but as a practical idea: things are connected. When the mind tries one way and the body another, it is hard to feel whole or at ease. When we bring them together, change can feel more coherent. I also believe we cannot take someone further than we are willing to go ourselves, so this is work I have done, and continue to do, myself.
My approach
I am a certified EFT practitioner and somatic therapist, trained in trauma awareness and the vagus nerve. My sessions are trauma-informed, which means that safety, choice and pace come first. You are always in charge of how far we go.
This work brings together:
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learning to notice and name what is happening in your body.
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practical ways to help your body settle when it is under stress, informed by my vagus nerve training.
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a tool I use within somatic work to help the emotional intensity of an experience soften. You can read more on my EFT Tapping Therapy in Fleet page.
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woven together in a method of my own, shaped by [X] years of practice and my own experience.
What a session looks like
Every session is different, but most follow a similar flow:
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We begin with how you are today, in words and in your body.
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We choose what to focus on: a worry, a physical sensation, a memory or a pattern you keep noticing.
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We explore it at your pace using EFT tapping, talking and body-based tools.
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We finish by settling, so that you leave feeling steadier, and I share simple tools you can use between sessions.
What somatic therapy can help with
Health Anxiety: When your attention keeps going to symptoms, the body is often already on high alert. We work with the fear and the experiences behind it. Please see your GP for any new or worrying symptoms.
Chronic Pain: Pain that has lasted for months is influenced by stress, past experiences and the nervous system, as well as the original cause. I work with that side alongside your medical care. Please speak to your GP about any pain.
Unhealthy Habits & Cravings: Cravings often show up when something difficult is being felt. We work with the emotions and experiences underneath the urge.
Overwhelm & Burnout. Exhaustion that rest does not fix usually has a pattern behind it, like years of pressure or over-responsibility. We work with that pattern.
Overthinking. The thoughts are often only the surface. We work with what lies beneath them, in the body and in earlier patterns.
Difficult Relationships: Hurt, resentment or people-pleasing often have roots in earlier experiences. We work with how your body reacts around certain people.
Anticipatory Anxiety. Your body reacts before the meeting or event has even started. We work with the older experience the situation is touching.
Anxiety. Anxiety is not only a thought. For many people it is a physical state, with tension and a tight chest. We work at the root of anxiety, not only the symptoms.
Panic Attacks. Panic brings strong physical reactions and a fear of the next attack. We work with what your body is reacting to, at a pace that feels safe.
Fears & Phobias. A fear can feel out of proportion and still be completely real in your body. We work with the experiences that keep it alive, at your pace.
Somatic therapy does not replace medical or mental health care. If you have new symptoms or are in crisis, please speak to your GP or another professional.
Is this right for you?
You may find somatic therapy helpful if:
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You understand why you feel the way you do, and it still does not change how you feel.
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Your body reacts before your mind can catch up.
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You have tried talking about the problem and still feel stuck.
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Anxiety shows up as tension, shallow breathing or a tight chest.
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You have lived with pain or worry about your health for months or longer.
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You have unresolved trauma
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You feel exhausted or overwhelmed in a way that rest does not resolve.
Working in Fleet, Hampshire and online
I live in Fleet and you can see me in person by appointment, or we can meet online, whichever suits you and your week best.
Fleet has a quieter, greener pace than London, with Fleet Pond and the Basingstoke Canal on the doorstep.
But life here can still be full. Many of the people I meet are parents juggling work, school runs and everyone else’s needs, or professionals commuting to London and coming home exhausted. When you spend your days looking after other people, your own stress often goes unnoticed.
I work with mums, dads and people across Fleet, Church Crookham, Farnborough, Aldershot, Hook, Hartley Wintney, Odiham and surrounding areas. When one person in the family feels more at ease, the whole household often feels it too.
If you’d like to talk it through first, you can book a free clarity call.
Frequently asked questions
How is somatic therapy different from talk therapy?
Talk therapy works mainly through conversation and thinking. Somatic therapy adds the body: sensations, emotions and reactions alongside your story.
What happens in a somatic therapy session?
We start by talking about how you are and what brings you, including how it shows up in your body. Then we explore it at your pace, using body awareness and EFT tapping, and we finish by settling so you leave feeling steady.
Does somatic therapy work? Is it evidence-based?
Research on body-focused approaches is growing, and some have been studied for trauma and stress and results vary from person to person. I tailor the work to you and review how it is going as we go.
What is somatic therapy used for?
People come to me for anxiety, health anxiety, panic attacks, chronic pain, burnout, fears and phobias, difficult relationships and patterns they cannot seem to change by thinking alone.
Do I need to be flexible, or do any exercises?
No. Somatic therapy is about awareness, not exercise. You can do it sitting in a chair.
Does somatic therapy involve touch?
No. Somatic therapy does not need touch. In my sessions you tap on yourself, and I guide you.
Is it safe if I have had difficult experiences?
Yes. My work is trauma-informed. You choose what you share, we go at your pace, and we can slow down or stop at any time. Somatic therapy does not replace medical or mental health care, so if you are living with a diagnosed condition or are in crisis, I may suggest working alongside your GP or another professional.
How long does somatic therapy take?
It depends on you and on what you are working through. Some people notice a difference early on, but it is not a quick fix, and I would be cautious of anyone who promises one. We can talk about what to expect on a free clarity call.
Can somatic therapy be done online?
Yes. I see people online across the UK, and in person in Fleet by appointment.
How do I choose a somatic therapist?
Ask about their training, how they work and what a session involves. I am an EFT International accredited practitioner and a somatic therapist, trained in trauma awareness and the vagus nerve. I am happy to answer any questions before you book.