Somatic Counseling Therapy in Pasadena, CA

Tune into the Body’s Wisdom

“I thought I worked on this”

You probably did, in a cognitive way but most issues require a deeper healing. The body stores all life experience, it holds it own kind of memory. Somatic work is a gentle unfolding of body memory.

Somatic Counselng: Combining body and mind is a powerful way to:

What is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic Therapy is at the cutting edge of psychotherapy. Somatic work respects and utilizes the powerful connection between body and mind. It is a holisitic approach, meaning it honors and utilizes the the whole of the human system. Andrea-Marie is versed in utilizing this form of therapy to treat many different mental and spiritual issues.

Much of what influences our experience is unconscious. Adding the body into psychotherapy allows us to include that otherwise unreachable information. Somatic work unlocks core issues.

The Practice of Hakomi

Ron Kurtz, the founder of Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychology , said that therapy is about discovering who you are in the very heart of yourself. 

 Hakomi uses mindfulness more than other forms of therapy to help you connect and work with your deepest emotional issues in a safe and gentle way. Hakomi usually works rather quickly as you become adept at looking internally and becoming familiar with the deeper places within.

Honor Your Body and Mind

 Hakomi has been referred to as a graceful form of therapy because it honors your system as it helps you understand your system. Unconscious material in the psyche causes us to create conflict internally, with ourselves, and externally with others. Our relationships will suffer, we may have difficulty with any aspect of our lives. Once we bring this unconscious material into our normal consciousness we can truly change, utterly shift into a new self-hood. With mindful awareness we can integrate past traumas and challenges and truly leave discordant life experiences behind us.

Where is the unconscious material hiding?

In Hakomi therapy we acknowledge the ancient wisdom of the body and the most current neuroscience. Trauma work has brought forth more understanding of how the body stores developmental or incidental trauma. The body stores memory differently in trauma or with deeper issues. Tuning into the body, looking at how the body is held in posture or where chronic issues live in the physical body can bring quick and powerful results.

 Researchers like Dr. Bessel van der Kolk have helped to reveal how somatic therapy works directly with the brain’s neuroplasticity to create updated neuronal pathways. This means we can “get past” trauma. We essentially “leave it behind” by integrating the experience through trauma work. When we bring past issues into current consciousness we create a pathway to freedom.

What Does Somatic Therapy Treat?

  • Trauma
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Couple’s Issues
  • Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
  • Addiction
  • Intimacy Issues
  • Stress
  • Chronic pain
  • Chronic Syndromes
  • Unhealthy Body Image

What Happens in a Somatic Therapy Session?

Somatic Therapy is unique in its use of mindfulness and somatic (body awareness) in almost every session. This helps you look more deeply into the things that are on your mind, or issues you are experiencing. Instead of just talking about your problems, we find gentle ways to explore those issues physically. Through body awareness, mindfulness, and talking the work is more experiential in nature than a more cognitive therapeutic approach. 

Somatic Therapy Helps Develop a Mindful Awareness of Self

Imagine a session where you are comfortable being guided into a state of mindful awareness of yourself. It is different from meditation, where you are guided to notice and disengage with thought, somatic mindfulness asks you to engage your curiosity and invites you to explore what is happening within. As you begin to sink into yourself you discover the emotional and physical issues which are ordinarily ignored but cause a great deal of suffering. The memory of trauma or uncomfortable past events is within you just waiting for a safe place to be seen, held, and helped. Somatic therapy is that place. Somatic work is gentle and effective and works with your system.

Woman with her arm outstrectched engaged in somatic therapy in Pasadena, CA in order to reconnect her body and mind.
Woman with a tear in her eye representing the feelings of grief, trauma, and fear that can be healed throught Somatic Therapy in Pasadena, CA.
Woman with her hands palm together in front of her face representing someone struggling with anxiety and depression that would benefit from Somatic Therapy in Pasadena, CA.
Graphic the discusses the different aspects of mindfulness utilized during Somatic Therapy in Pasadena, CA in order to reconnect body and mind.
Woman sitting in a plie of leaves throwing them up in the air representing the newfound freedom that comes with reconnecting your body and mind through Somatic Therapy in Pasaden, CA.

Release the Grip of the Past

Listening to the messages of the body guides you through healing old issues.

Life Opens Up

Experience a deeper connection with yourself

Increase Intuition and Confidence

Trusting the messages of your body helps you tap into a brand new way of knowing and being.

Release Body Pain

Learn ways to ease chronic pain caused by stored trauma.

Woman lying on the ground looking at her reflection in a round mirror representing looking inward at the mind body connection with Somatic Therapy in Pasadena, CA.

Let Somatic Therapy Reconnect You to Yourself!

1. Reach Out!

Set up a free consultation with me. Let’s connect in real time.

2. Let’s Get to Work

Using the most current and effective treatment from the fields of somatic psychology, mindfulness, and neuroscience, we listen to and follow the wisdom of your own body.

3. Live Your Beautiful Life!

You emerge, free to live a life filled with meaning, satisfaction, and joy.

Other Services Counseling Services Offered by Andrea-Marie Stark in Pasadena, CA

In addition to Somatic Therapy, Andrea-Marie offers a wide variety of holistic and spiritually centered services. These include Depth Psychology, Trauma Counseling, Intuitive Counseling, Shamanic Healing, Reiki, and Mindfulness. If you are stuck and in need of a supportive and nonjudgmental place to rediscover yourself, reach out today! Andrea-Marie is trained in many modalities of counseling, healing and therapy and is completing a PhD in Depth Psychology. She does not practice under the title of MFT and does not advertise as an MFT.