Somatic & Polyvagal-Informed Therapy
Nervous System First: Somatic & Polyvagal-Informed Care
Before we explore trauma or emotions, we must begin with the body.
Many of the people I work with, especially those in high-stress roles, describe feeling constantly alert, like their system never gets to power down. Sleep is light, emotions swing between flat and intense, and it’s hard to feel settled, even in the quiet moments.
Somatic and polyvagal-informed therapy helps you understand what’s happening beneath the surface. We focus on learning how your nervous system responds to stress, and then gently build tools to help it feel safe again.
BEGIN YOUR HEALING JOURNEY
BEGIN YOUR HEALING JOURNEY
Why the Nervous System Matters
Your nervous system is wired to protect you. When something feels threatening, it triggers a shift into survival mode: fight, flight, freeze, or collapse. These are what we call adaptive responses that helped you navigate difficult situations.
However, when your system gets stuck in those states, it can feel like you’re always “on” or always “off.” Therapy helps expand your window of tolerance, the range within which your body can handle stress without shutting down or spiraling out of control. The wider the window, the more choice and calm you have.
What Somatic & Polyvagal Work Looks Like Here
This work is gentle, practical, and tailored to your system.
Some things we might work on together are…
Orienting to safety: scanning the room, noticing exits, finding sensory anchors
Breathwork that calms you without triggering anxiety
Grounding through movement, posture, or micro-adjustments
Interoception: learning to notice internal signals without overwhelm
Co-regulation strategies for couples or partners
Vagal toning exercises to support nervous system flexibility
Mapping your window of tolerance and planning for shifts on and off duty
For First Responders: Hypervigilance & Disconnection
When your job requires constant alertness, it’s easy to lose connection with your body.
Over time, this can lead to:
Feeling “always on”
Sleep fragmentation
Emotional numbness or intensity
Startle responses
Irritability or shutdown
In therapy, we work on rebuilding body trust, recognizing cues before they escalate, and creating routines that help you downshift, especially during transitions home from work.
Metaphors That Help It Click
One way I explain this work is through the window of tolerance, your body’s “okay zone” for stress. When you’re inside it, you feel grounded and responsive. When you’re outside it, things feel chaotic or shut down.
Another metaphor I use is building islands. Think of your nervous system like an ocean. When storms hit, you need places to stand, solid ground. In therapy, we help you build more of those islands: moments of safety, regulation, and choice that you can return to again and again.
How This Supports All My Work
Somatic and polyvagal-informed care is the foundation of everything I do. Whether we’re working with trauma through EMDR, exploring parts in IFS-informed therapy, or navigating relationship dynamics in couples work, we always start with safety and capacity. Your nervous system leads the way.
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FAQs
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That’s okay. We start externally with sights, sounds, and movement, gradually building awareness.
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No. Everything is choice-based. You stay in control of what we explore and how we do it.
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Many clients begin to feel shifts within a few weeks. It varies, and we move at your pace.
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Not at all. It complements and deepens it, especially when words aren’t enough.