Somatic Experiencing® can be helpful for you if you:

 

 

  • experience symptoms after a distressing or overwhelming event, or prolonged chronic stress

  • struggle with unexplained physical complaints, anxiety, or tension

  • notice that you are easily triggered or quickly feel overwhelmed

  • have the feeling that you are constantly “ON”

  • often feel restless and find it difficult to truly relax

  • frequently feel uneasy, tense, or angry

  • often feel withdrawn, low, or anxious

  • experience persistent tension in your body that does not seem to go away

  • find it difficult to sense your own boundaries and to express them


 

The body is always involved

Somatic Experiencing® does not focus so much on the distressing event itself, but rather on its effects on the body. This can be especially helpful if you prefer not to relive the trauma or talk about it in detail, or if you are not sure which event or experience lies at the root of your symptoms.

Instead of focusing only on what happened in the past, Somatic Experiencing® primarily works with how the body is responding now to stress or difficult memories. The goal is to support your body in returning to a state of greater calm, safety, and regulation.

  • Trauma does not arise solely from the event itself, but mainly from the unprocessed physiological responses to that event.

  • The body has a natural capacity to recover, yet this capacity can become blocked.

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    By gradually releasing traumatic energy, symptoms such as anxiety, dissociation, and chronic muscle tension can diminish.

My Approach

Body-oriënted therapy and Somatic Experiencing® in particular, works step by step. We follow the natural pace of your nervous system. My work is grounded in a well established model from trauma therapy, described by the French psychologist Pierre Janet, who distinguished three essential phases:

1. Stabilization – calm, safety, and body awareness

In this phase, we work together to build safety, trust, and stability.
You learn how your body signals stress, tension, or dissociation and what you can do to return to a state of greater calm.

We work with grounding, breath, body awareness, and strengthening your window of tolerance.

This phase is essential: nothing needs to be forced. We first create a solid foundation for recovery.

2. Processing – making space for what is held

Only when sufficient resilience has been established do we gradually and carefully approach experiences that have left stress or trauma in your body.
This always happens in a titrated, safe, and attuned way.

You do not have to relive anything we follow the pace of your body.

Somatic Experiencing® supports this process by gently releasing small amounts of stored tension, without overwhelming the system.

3. Integration – living instead of surviving

In this phase, you may notice more calm, clarity, and connection in your daily life.
Your body reacts less automatically; you gain more choice and can sense more clearly what is right for you.

There is space again for meaning, relationships, and growth.

Trauma no longer determines your life you are reconnected with yourself.

Everyone moves through these phases in a unique way. At times, we may move back and forth between them—this is completely natural.

 

Intake

During our first session, I would like to get to know you and discuss our expectations. With respect for both your boundaries and mine, I will give you a sense of how I usually work.

My approach is a combination of attentive listening, experiential learning, and where helpful providing explanation and guidance. If this way of working feels right for you, and if I feel I can offer you the support you need, we can schedule more sessions.

Sessions

A session lasts one hour and begins with jointly identifying what you would like to explore during that session. The number of sessions depends on your personal question and on what you feel ready to share. Together, we will explore what works best for you.

Costs and Reimbursement

The fee for an (intake) session is €90. Please note that sessions are not reimbursed by health insurance and are therefore at your own expense. A referral is not required.