Where your body’s wisdom is welcome.

Somatic Therapy

You’re not “too sensitive,” and you’re not broken.

Your body is trying to protect you.

If you’ve tried talk therapy but still feel stuck, anxious, tense, or disconnected, somatic therapy might be the missing piece. Many people come to this work when insight isn’t enough and their body is holding onto stress, trauma, or overwhelm.

Somatic therapy supports healing by helping you tune into your body’s signals—gently, safely, and at your own pace.

What is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy is a body-based approach that recognizes the deep connection between our physical bodies, nervous systems, and emotional lives. It gently shifts the focus from only talking about what happened to also feeling into how those experiences live in the body.

There’s no one-size-fits-all model here—our therapists use a range of somatic approaches tailored to each person. Some of the body-based modalities we may integrate include:

  • Somatic Experiencing

  • Sensorimotor Psychotherapy

  • Mindfulness and Breathwork

  • Hakomi

  • Polyvagal Theory

  • Movement or Yoga-Informed practices

Our goal is never to force or overwhelm you. Somatic work can be subtle, spacious, and collaborative, always led by your pace and readiness.

What Can a Somatic Therapy Session Look Like??

Somatic therapy sessions may include:

  • Tracking sensations in the body to build awareness and safety

  • Guided exercises to explore areas of tension, numbness, or energy

  • Using grounding or movement to help release stored stress

  • Mindfulness practices to reconnect with the present moment

  • Gently exploring how early experiences may show up in the body

  • Pausing to notice the body’s signals, rather than overriding them

You don’t need any previous experience with somatic work to begin. You’re welcome to come just as you are—curious, skeptical, overwhelmed, or unsure. Our therapists will meet you there.

Somatic Therapy can Help with…

PTSD and complex or chronic trauma

Trouble feeling safe or relaxed in your body

Chronic stress, anxiety, or burnout

Unexplained physical tension or symptoms

Feeling stuck, numb, or emotionally disconnected

Wanting to feel more grounded, present, and connected

Gentle, embodied support

At Risewell, we believe healing happens not just through insight—but through the nervous system’s experience of safety, connection, and presence.

Our therapists bring somatic approaches into their work in different ways, depending on your needs and preferences.

Whether you’re new to this or have been on a healing journey for a while, you’re welcome here.

Meet our Somatic Therapists

Victoria Silver

M.ED. Registered psychologist in AB

Sarah Spicer

M.C. Provisional psychologist in AB

Have more questions?

EMDR Frequently Asked questions

    • During each session, you and your therapist will check in on how distressing it feels to focus on the memory or target.

    • You’ll also explore how true and believable the new, positive beliefs feel to you.

    • We pay close attention to your body, noticing any tension or distress connected to the memory.

    While EMDR can’t erase memories or prevent future challenges, it helps reprocess past hurts so they truly feel like they belong in the past. This makes it easier to move forward with more confidence and calm.

    You might notice changes like:

    • Feeling less triggered or emotionally overwhelmed in daily life

    • Being able to think about the memory without distress

    • Less avoidance of reminders or situations connected to the trauma

  • EMDR requires less talking about the details of your trauma or painful experiences. Instead of focusing mainly on verbal processing, EMDR uses guided bilateral stimulation (like eye movements or tapping) to help your brain reprocess difficult memories and emotions.

    Your therapist acts as a facilitator, supporting your brain and body to heal naturally—often accessing feelings and sensations that are hard to put into words.

    While traditional talk therapy often revolves around discussing thoughts and feelings, EMDR works more directly with the body and brain’s natural healing processes, helping you feel relief even when words fall short.

  • EMDR may not be recommended if:

    • You find it difficult to calm yourself in a safe environment or experience intense, prolonged dissociation.

    • You have recently experienced a traumatic brain injury or have certain medical conditions such as eye problems, diagnosed heart disease, high blood pressure, or a history of stroke, heart attack, or seizures.

    • You are currently using medications like antipsychotics or benzodiazepines, or have a history of amphetamine use.

    • You are involved in an upcoming legal case where you may provide eyewitness testimony.

    In these situations, your therapist will work with you to explore the safest and most effective treatment options.

  • Yes! We provide EMDR therapy for teens too. Reach out to us, and we’ll help connect you with the therapist best suited to support your teen’s needs.