Wissahickon Somatic Therapy

The term Somatic gets infused into an array of healing modalities. Soma means “the living body” and somatics refers to practices of being in dialogue with the living body. Movement, breathwork, and some mindfulness practices are geared towards bringing attention, connection, space, and strength to areas of the body, often with the intention of moving stored energy that causes dis-ease. Somatic Therapy takes this a step further to encourage healing in the planes of both mind AND body for a freer and more authentic life. When we explore and understand ourselves through embodied processing, we slowly unravel years of stored conditioning, trauma, and unexpressed stories so we can meet our whole selves and answer the calls our bodies...and our souls, have been waiting for. Stored stress and past trauma can hijack the ANS (Autonomic Nervous System) into a constant state of threat that triggers the body into behaving as if the trauma is still happening, which overtime erodes physical and mental health. Physioenergetic Therapy targets the true source of the pain that is often missed in medicine because pain is numbed as a physical stimulus separated from the emotional experiences of life. The overarching goal of treatment is to detect the root experiences triggering the body to protect itself, connect the past trauma to the current pain signals to move the emotions and sensations into the past that manually restores the body to feel safe and sound in the present to heal.

Choosing to embrace Transformative Touch as a client will allow you to live more fully in the present while becoming more comfortable with your body and its unique strengths and stories. Transformative Touch helps clients to re-discover ease and freedom of movement in their bodies and hence in their lives. One of the fundamental premises of our work is, as Moshe Feldenkrais declared,"Movement is life." All life involves movement. Even when our limbs are still, our breath is moving through us, our blood is circulating, our nervous system is carrying messages. Without movement, there is no life. ​In Chinese medicine there is our life force or "CHI" which moves throughout our body and when it is moving freely and smoothly, we are in a state of health. When it is constricted or otherwise slowed, illness and disease occur. Our body is a design marvel. Our feet, legs and hips are our base of support providing the necessary stability and balance. Our torso and, shoulders, and arms are free for mobility and achieving daily tasks. Our body is designed to support movement, but through stress, history, and beliefs, it often becomes contracted, frozen, or otherwise constricted. Through the combination of gentle, listening touch and the intuitive dialogue of a Transformative Touch session, the body releases its holdings and reclaims its movement. It softens into support and rediscovers a state of relaxation and ease. The body is freed from constriction and can stand in its full length and move with ease rather than effort. In this realized state, the client gains greater autonomy and self-confidence. How we move in our body is how we move in our lives In Transformative Touch we work with the nervous system, guiding clients to: 1. Create new & awakened relationships to their body. 2. Understand their safety system and how to self-regulate. 3. Give attention, care & compassion to the sensations of their bodies for sensations are how the body communicates its wisdom. 4. Restore movement in their bodies, for movement is the key to life which unlocks the full expression of Self. 5. Express emotions long held in the body. 6. Experience more ease and freedom in their body & their life. 7. Relieve pressure and stress to open space for more peace & joy. 8. Connect to their sacred and immutable wholeness that is the Source for all healing.

Somatic Therapy sessions range from $85 to $125 for 60 minutes. We use a three tiered sliding scale system. $85 - Tier One $105 - Tier Two $125 - Tier Three To determine what your cost will be, check the Sliding Scale Policy section in the FAQs You can find details about the pricing of other offerings such as Chakra Balancing where the service is described.

Here is a general guidelines about how I currently price our sliding scale and to help you determine where you fall on it. • The highest dollar cost reflects the true cost of the class or service. It is the cost that I would charge all clients in the absence of a sliding scale. If you have access to financial security, own property or have personal savings, you would not traditionally qualify for sliding scale services. • The middle cost reflects our acknowledgement that paying the full cost would prevent some folks from being able to receive our services, but who do not honestly find themselves reflected in either descriptions for the highest cost or the lowest. If you are struggling to conquer debt or build savings or move away from paycheck to paycheck living but have access to steady income and are not spending most of your time thinking about meeting basic needs such as food, shelter, medical care, child care, etc., you belong here. • The bottom cost represents an honest acknowledgment by that there are folks whose economic circumstances would prevent them from becoming a client if there was not be a deliberate opportunity made for them to access services at a cost that is reflective of their economic realities. If you struggle to maintain access to needs such as health care, housing, food, child care, and are living paycheck to paycheck or are in significant debt, you belong probably belong here and you deserve a community that honors your price as equal an economic offering as the person who can pay the highest tier. Even when the lower tier is still prohibitive, I will work with folks to offer extended payment plans and other solutions. There is a limited amount slots for services and classes offered at the middle and lower end of the scale. Please be mindful that if you purchase a session at the lowest end of the scale when you can truthfully afford the higher ticket prices, you are limiting access to those who truly need the gift of financial flexibility. Being honest with yourself and your financial situation when engaging with sliding scale practices grows strong and sustainable communities. It also respects the work of teachers and creators, like ourselves. Additionally, when I am paid fairly, I am able to invest more time and resources to free and lower cost offerings. Still not sure where you land? Which of the scenarios below best reflect how you feel about your finances right now? https://static.wixstatic.com/media/065043_571e2fea74c14bd2bcd52b54cbea307a~mv2.avif

The answer to this question depends on your resources and needs. It's important to note that this work is not generally a "one and done" approach. Early sessions focus on tuning the nervous system towards a sense of safety, for without it, true healing cannot occur. As we slowly build a relationship between mind and body, it is similar to learning a new language, and so we go level by level. Ideally sessions occur every other week, but anytime you're able to connect with yourself in this way can help you.

We do not accept insurance, though you can pay using an employer-provided Health Savings Account (HSA) or Flexible Spending Account (FSA). We accept payment via cash, Venmo, or Paypal. If you or someone you care about doesn't have the resources for a session, please reach out so we can get you/them the support they need regardless of circumstance.