Find a Somatic Therapist
Somatic therapy is a body-based approach to psychotherapy that pays attention to physical sensations alongside thoughts, emotions, and relationships. Kinship offers in-person therapy in Charleston, SC and virtual options throughout South Carolina depending on your therapist.
Tell us a little about what brings you here. We can discuss your needs and help you explore a therapist whose approach may feel like a fit.
What if you don’t have to think your way through everything?
Sometimes we can understand our experiences intellectually and still feel stuck. We know our patterns and may even know what we think we should do differently. Yet our bodies continue to respond in ways we don’t fully understand.
Somatic therapy invites us to slow down and notice what your body is communicating alongside your thoughts and emotions. You don’t have to leave your body at the door when you come to therapy.
Maybe you’ve talked about it, but something still feels stuck.
You might feel anxious even when you know you’re safe. You may have a hard time slowing down, notice tension or restlessness, or shut down during conflict.
Maybe you spend a lot of time analyzing, struggle to identify what you feel, or find it difficult to hold a boundary when someone you love is upset.
There is room to become curious about these experiences without deciding that you are failing or trying to force a particular response.
What is somatic therapy?
Somatic means relating to the body. Somatic therapy brings awareness to sensations, tension, movement, breath, impulses, and emotions as part of understanding your experience.
Alongside questions such as “What happened?” or “What are you thinking?”, your therapist may ask what you notice in your body right now, what happens when you slow down, or what you need.
The goal is to develop more room to notice, understand, and respond to what is happening inside you.
What can a session look like?
Somatic therapy can still involve plenty of talking. The difference is that we also notice what happens in the present moment as you talk.
Your therapist might ask, “What are you noticing as you tell me that?” or “What happens inside when you imagine saying no?” Sometimes the work involves noticing your breath, posture, movement, sensations, or impulses.
Sometimes it simply means pausing long enough to recognize an emotion instead of immediately explaining it away. There is no right way to experience your body, and your therapist will talk with you about the process.
Your body can tell you things about your relationships, too.
Relationships happen through words, tone, facial expressions, closeness, and the ways we respond to one another. You may notice tension around certain people, shut down during conflict, or feel responsible for someone else’s emotions.
Somatic work gives us a way to slow these moments down. What happens in your body can help us understand what happens in your relationships, and what happens in relationships can help us understand your experience in your body.
You don’t have to have experienced trauma to explore somatic therapy.
People may seek somatic therapy while navigating:
- Anxiety and ongoing stress
- People-pleasing and perfectionism
- Boundaries and relationship difficulties
- Grief and loss
- Life transitions
- Emotional overwhelm
- Disconnection from themselves
- Trauma and difficult past experiences
Why somatic therapy at Kinship?
Somatic work is part of the heart of Kinship. Your thoughts, emotions, relationships, and body all matter. We draw from relational, experiential, trauma-informed, and body-based approaches depending on your needs and your therapist’s training.
Your therapist may integrate somatic work with other approaches. The relationship between you remains at the center.
Tell us what brings you here, and we can explore which therapist may be a fit. In-person care is available in Charleston, with virtual options throughout South Carolina depending on the therapist.
Explore a therapist’s approach
Kristen Ezsol describes a relational, experiential, and body-centered approach to therapy. She meets with South Carolina clients virtually. Merrick Steffes draws on attachment-focused work and training that considers the body and mind. Meet our therapists to learn more and discuss current appointment options.
Questions about somatic therapy
Is somatic therapy the same as EMDR?
No. Somatic therapy brings attention to the body as part of psychotherapy. EMDR is a specific therapy approach that a trained therapist may offer for certain concerns. Your therapist can explain the difference and discuss what fits your needs. Learn about trauma and EMDR therapy.
Do I have to talk about trauma?
You do not need to arrive with a trauma history or a diagnosis to ask about somatic therapy. You and your therapist can discuss what brings you in and how to work at a pace that fits you.
What does somatic therapy cost?
Kinship is a self-pay, out-of-network practice. Fees depend on your therapist and service and are discussed before you begin. A superbill may be submitted to your insurer for possible out-of-network reimbursement; benefits vary by plan. Read our fees, insurance, and getting-started FAQ.
