Body-Centered Approach

What is a body-centered approach to therapy?

Somatic therapy, rooted in the understanding that the mind and body are inextricably linked, offers a sophisticated, trauma-informed approach to healing. This modality acknowledges that our earliest emotional imprints are formed within our physical being at times when verbal expression was not an option. Furthermore, it recognizes the body as a repository for trauma and abuse. Through the integration of somatic practices, we aim to foster a transformative connection between bodily sensations and psychological processes. This paves the way for a recalibration of the nervous system, as supported by the work of Bessel van der Kolk, thereby facilitating a deeper engagement with oneself at a cellular level.

Embodiment: A Journey Through Imagination and the Somatic Experience

Inspired by the work of Jungian analyst Marion Woodman—whose life and teaching illuminated the union of psyche and soma—embodiment is a living, evolving process. It invites a deep attunement to bodily signals: sensations, emotions, discomforts, and symptoms, all of which serve as portals to deeper knowing. When the imagination is woven into this somatic awareness, a rich, inner dialogue emerges—what Woodman called the voice of the unconscious made flesh. Through this process, one cultivates the ‘embodied metaphor’—a symbolic language rooted in the body’s intuitive wisdom. Much like the body’s capacity to dream, this language carries stories, symbols, and patterns that illuminate the path home to one’s true essence, one’s inner compass, one’s True North.

The Body as Compass: Finding True North Through Embodied Metaphor
“The symbols of the Self arise in the depths of the body.” — C.G. Jung

In Jungian and post-Jungian thought, metaphor is not just an idea—it is an embodied experience. When the unconscious speaks through the body, it does so in symbols, sensations, and somatic patterns that reveal inner truth.

Marion Woodman wrote, “The body knows. It holds the wisdom we’re looking for.” This wisdom often emerges in metaphor: a frozen shoulder may carry grief, a tight throat may hold unspoken truth. These bodily metaphors are not obstacles but invitations—gateways to the Self.

Donald Kalsched sees the body as the battleground between trauma and imagination, noting that healing begins when we allow inner symbols to come alive in embodied form. James Hillman reminds us that psyche is image and soul is metaphor—by giving attention to the image in the body, we move toward soul-making.

D.W. Winnicott believed authenticity emerges through the felt sense of being real. When metaphor is lived and moved through the body, it grounds us—not in performance, but in truth.

This is the way of True North: not a fixed destination, but a somatically-guided return to the center of who we are.

My practice is dedicated to facilitating this journey, employing a body-centered approach that is deeply informed by trauma care principles. In doing so, I create a nurturing, professional environment where individuals can explore the intersection of their physical and psychological landscapes, leading to holistic well-being and self-discovery.