Treatment Approach

Integration of IFS with Somatic Therapies

There is a book that has gained much public attention in the field of trauma, The Body Keeps the Score (Van der Kolk). The title itself is a good metaphor depicting how past trauma can persist in our body as well as our mind.  Somatic therapies such as Somatic Experiencing (SE) and Sensori-Motor Psychotherapy (SP) explore how trauma is held in the form of habitual muscle tension, posture, and bracing patterns. These somatic patterns often carry emotional meaning as well. When brought to awareness these responses can be processed leading to an important shift in the symptoms and concerns that brought you to therapy.

When the Somatic model is combined with IFS the power of each model is leveraged, allowing transformation not possible with traditional talk therapy.