Refuge For Healing
somatic support for your grief journey
If you're in the depths of grief right now it can be difficult to focus and you may not want to read a lot of information so I'll keep this brief.
There are a lot of support options out there and they can be very helpful. Let me tell you what sets me apart.
Most grief support focuses on the psychological aspects of grief. They rely on talking about your situation and your emotions as a way to process. They are great models and I have benefitted greatly from my own therapist during times of grief.
What make me different is that my work focuses on the physical
aspects of grief. That means that we talk about the symptoms that often
accompany grief, but it also means that we process the grief through
the body. This is called somatic processing.
Emotions are energy and that energy is in our bodies. We can stifle that
and end up with more pain, or we can let it flow. I am trained to facilitate
the flow of that energy and heaviness through your body. That can be as
simple as moving your body to some music, free-writing to a prompt,
or exploring different sensations in your body and learning how to hear
what your body is telling you. This can be done without even talking
about your emotions. The body knows how to do the work when you are
held in a supportive container and given the guidance you may need.
There is an example of some somatic work on the Video of a workshop I held and you can read more about it on the Definitions Page.
You can schedule a free thirty-minute consultation if you'd like to talk to me more about how I can help and to discover if my work is a good fit for you.
You can see all the offerings and schedules on my Bookings Page.
Feel free to contact me or sign up for my monthly newsnote here.
A Different Way to Process Grief
"I personally walked away with peace I had not felt in years. My heart and mind calm and there shone a bit of self love I hadn’t seen since childhood."
Athena W. Colorado
What to Expect
I aim to cultivate a safe space and everything will be held in confidence within the confines of the law.
I will:
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create containers for grief and trauma energy to move.
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provide somatic support and nervous system regulation guidance.
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facilitate pendulation in order to avoid overwhelm.
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offer ritual support for processing loss, grief, and trauma.
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honor your sovereignty and control.
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support you in accessing your own healing wisdom.
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help you learn how to hear your own inner guidance.
In one-on-one sessions you will be able to talk about your grief, or not, as you feel comfortable. I will listen and hold space for any emotions that may come up. I will help you understand what is happening in your nervous system, emotions, and body as you grieve. Then you will learn how to allow that grief to process through your body.
I will guide you in learning how to recognize how the emotion actually feels in your body: tightness, tingling, pressure, etc. And then share techniques with you that help you move that feeling out of the body. Things like breathing exercises, body movements, rituals, grounding, meditation, etc. The experience will be personalized with your input so that we find what works best for you and work at your pace. This may be done in person or online.
We may incorporate some creative practices, like writing prompts or making marks on paper with art supplies, if that appeals to you.
We can explore different grief rituals to see if there are some that bring you comfort.
We may include spiritual direction if you'd like that.
There are many tools that can be used in the processing of grief.
In Grief Communities I will facilitate the creating of a supportive container for you to share your stories and process your grief in the presence of others. There is something very healing about being supported by a group of people healing together. You will learn tools for processing your emotions. These will primarily be held in person but there will be online offerings as well.
You can learn more and see a brief demo on the page where I have a Video of a workshop called What I Wish Everyone Knew About Grief.
I will also be offering online and in-person workshops. Sign up for my monthly Newsnote if you'd like to be informed about those.
Disclaimer: You may have heard of Somatic Therapy. That is when somatic practices are used in a psychotherapy setting. I am not a therapist or counselor. I will not provide psychotherapy or counseling.
I don’t diagnose mental health conditions, or diagnose anything. I don’t prescribe any kind of treatment. I'm not promising or suggesting that I can fix or cure anyone. I don’t take responsibility for participants’ decisions or outcomes.
Pricing
There are never any hidden charges, and no contracts or obligations for Individual Appointments. You can meet with me as many times as feels beneficial.
Package pricing does anticipate that you will attend the number of sessions included in the package. There will be no refund for sessions dropped, but there is flexibility in scheduling should an emergency arise.
30 minute consultation - free
One-on-one Appointment via Zoom - 60-minute session - $150
Package of 6 sessions - $810
Puttering Sessions - one-on-one session with me over the phone while I clean, make art, or go for a walk. $60 for 60 minutes of somewhat divided attention. This is good when you need someone to talk to but aren't seeking a lot of depth work at the moment.
Groups - $300 per person for 6 weeks of 90-minute sessions, charged in two payments. This also includes a free one-on-one session with me.
Live workshops, online or in person - prices vary depending on length. Price will be on Book Online Page.
If you would like for me to present a workshop to your group please use the contact information below, or schedule a free 30 minute consultation through my Book Online page.
I can do a presentation about the effects of grief on the body. This would be great for any group that is experiencing grief or those who work with people who are grieving.
I can also present on somatic techniques for nervous system regulation. This is ideal for groups such as teachers, healthcare workers, and others who would like to manage their day-to-day stress.
People who are local to Colorado Springs (and nearby) can host an in-person workshop.