Frequently Asked Questions About Working with a Somatic Coach
Understanding the Role and Benefits of a Somatic Coach
What is Breathwork and Somatic Healing?
As a Somatic Coach, I guide you through body-centered practices like breathwork, which is a powerful somatic healing modality for emotional, mental, and spiritual transformation.
When we use the word “somatic,” we’re referring to something related to the body. As such, healing trauma, from a somatic lens, means we are being asked to trust what we are receiving from our bodies, rather than overriding or going against (this is usually done within the mind) the messages our nervous system is telling us.
Breathwork is a somatic practice and one of the most powerful healing modalities for emotional, mental, and spiritual transformation. It’s a body-centered practice where a trained practitioner guides you through different conscious breathing techniques. I always say that with breathwork as a tool, healing naturally occurs where it's needed, without us needing to understand the "how." Somatic healing is an umbrella term for embodiment practices that address the root of an issue. It involves working with the body, rather than intellect, to support a deep level of self-awareness, improve emotional and nervous system regulation, and bring a person back to wholeness. Somatic healing permits us to liberate ourselves from our minds and tap into the infinite wisdom of our bodies, allowing for feeling and integration in a deeply nourishing and sustainable way. In addition to breathwork, some other examples of these somatic practices include parts work, grounding, movement, sounding, touch and sensation awareness work.
What is Nature-Inspired Somatics?
A nature-inspired lens to somatic healing and health is a holistic way of living that draws on the wisdom and rhythms of the natural world to guide the body, psyche and soul towards wholeness. This approach recognizes the interconnectedness of all living systems, including the body, and uses principles from nature to inform and mirror back the process of regenerative healing. It honours the body’s natural ability to heal and grow, just as nature does with plants, animals, and ecosystems.
In this framework, we invite Mother Earth and Universal Truths to lead the way, welcoming the magic of the unseen and coming into contact with the mysterious forces at play. It is the intersection of mystery, magic and our lived experience — where the body’s wisdom meets the natural ,and supernatural, worlds.
What is Somatic Internal Human System Therapy?
Also known as parts work or inner child healing, this therapy addresses differences and conflicts in “agendas” between parts that are usually responsible for gridlock in your emotional healing. Let me give you an example. Think about your own healing journey. You want to heal. And you know, on some level, that your healing requires that you take action. But despite that strong desire, there’s another part of you that wants to stay in your comfort zone where it feels familiar and (seems) safe. Those two different parts of you, then, come into conflict – leading to feelings of inner conflict. Basically, “Parts work” is our way of understanding our sense of self as being complex and multifaceted. It’s based on modern neuroscience. Different parts of yourself can be triggered depending on what you’re going through. That’s why it can sometimes feel like we’re behaving and responding to various situations in our life as different versions of ourselves.
How does Somatic Coaching and Therapy Work?
Somatic coaching and therapy works by helping you to develop a deeper awareness of your body and how it stores information. Our bodies are constantly giving us information about our thoughts, feelings and emotions, but often we are not aware of it. That’s because we are so used to numbing or masking our true feelings with things such as drugs, alcohol, food, way of being the world, etc… Somatic coaching and therapy helps you tune into the wisdom of your body and tap into its natural healing abilities. After all, to simply “feel our feelings” isn’t helpful, and can become overwhelming. Instead, this work allows you to do it in a way that feels deeply supportive and liberating. Coaching allows us to go beyond healing, it taps us into dormant resources and blueprints within that bring online joy, purpose, nourishment, expansion, creativity, self expression, sovereignty and abundance.
Through somatic coaching and therapy, you will learn to tune into your body’s needs and respond with greater compassion and awareness. This includes listening to the messages of pain, discomfort, or illness that may be telling you something is out of balance or needs attention. Somatic coaching can also involve working through painful memories and uncomfortable emotions, helping you break free from unwanted patterns or limiting beliefs that may be holding you back. Whether you are looking for greater self-understanding, healing from past trauma, or personal growth, somatic coaching can support you in unlocking your true potential and live a richer, more fulfilling, whole life.
What is Intuitive Energetics?
Intuitive energetics serves as a transformative connection between energy healing, energy tracking and psychic intuitive development, which I weave into my sessions with clients. This powerful skill allows me to deeply attune to an individual's energetic system, facilitating co-regulation and gaining profound insight into their personal growth and life challenges, often with minimal verbal communication required from my clients. It is a unique skill that allows me to offer guidance and advice that is tailored to each person's unique energetic makeup.
It is with great honour that I’m able to share this carefully crafted gift with my clients!
What is the difference between somatic coaching and therapy?
The biggest differentiator is that coaching focuses on the now, while therapists and other licensed mental health practitioners tend to focus on the past. Because of the criteria set by licensing bodies, therapy doesn't always allow for the personalized approach that coaching does. Both can be useful tools in your journey to support, which is why we blend both for a highly effective approach.
Who would benefit from your approach to somatic coaching?
Somatic coaching can be a life-changing and catalyzing experience for:
Those who are therapy-resistant
Individuals who feel stagnant or stuck despite previous efforts in therapy or personal development
Those who use spiritual tools/concepts but feel stuck and are looking to address deeper psychological or emotional needs
Those who have a mental health professional but feel like they need extra support with a different, complementary approach.
Those who want to take the next step in their addiction recovery work
Athletes and performers to enhance mental agility, improve body awareness, and prevent injuries
Those who seek support with real-life situations, intention setting and accountability
Those who feel drawn to coaching rather than traditional therapy
Anyone who finds themselves in a cycle of inner struggle
Those who want to improve their overall relationship with themselves and reclaim their agency
* I have worked with plenty of individuals without a professional treatment team such as a psychiatrist and dietitian. However, I will use my best judgment with your highest interest always at heart.
What is an Eating Disorder VS. Disordered Eating?
The term “eating disorder” is used when diagnosed by a licensed professional. It is determined based on a set of criteria as outlined by the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorder. “Disordered eating” is used to reference a relationship with food that is mentally, emotionally, or physically debilitating, regardless of whether it meets this DSM-V criterion. Both involve problematic and unwanted relationships with food that affect our quality of life. While the severity and behaviours between the two categories vary, they should all be taken seriously.
What types of disordered eating does The Self-Worth Lounge work with?
We primarily work with individuals 19 years and older who struggle with disordered eating which can look like but is not limited to; binge eating, bingeing and purging, chronic dieting and emotional eating.
We will work with anyone who has been diagnosed with bulimia nervosa. Considering this is a more extreme case, we may require a second member of our clinical team for added support, or include another health professional, prior to beginning our work together. This is an area that I struggled with for 16 years, it’s close to my heart and I feel I can truly be an asset to your recovery.
What is the difference between Bulimia Nervosa vs. Bingeing and Purging?
Really it’s just technicality. Bulimia nervosa is a formal diagnosis given by a health professional that falls under the umbrella of an eating disorder where the individual consumes large amounts of food at once followed by guilt and shame followed by purging, which can be self-induced vomiting, laxatives or over-exercising. When we refer to bingeing and purging in this work, the same behaviours apply, however, the frequency and severity may not appear as extreme to the individual.