Dive into the world of Somatic Experiencing®, an innovative approach designed to alleviate the effects of trauma, shock and stress embedded within our physical being. Somatic Experiencing (SE) offers an elegant solution to breaking free from the chains of fight, flight, or freeze patterns that impede our well-being, paving the way to recovery, release, and enhanced resilience.

Brainspotting Therapy is a cutting edge approach to overcoming trauma, emotional distress, and addictive patterns. This groundbreaking method delves deep into the core of your subconscious, unlocking unexplored pathways to recovery and personal growth. Ideal for those who have reached a plateau or feel unfulfilled in their healing journey, Brainspotting promises lasting results by redefining the limits of traditional therapeutic practices.

Playing my first game in a beginning level Improv class, I had no idea this acting form would so deeply influence my work and development as a bodyworker. As time has gone on, I have found the practice of calm awareness and presence necessary to effectively play in the setting of Improvisational theater to be an ongoing source of grounding and inspiration in my bodywork practice; particularly in the Visceral Manipulation work which requires attunement and listening to the client's body, as it exists, in the present moment. In this blog post, I'd like to share with you how the power of improvisation has changed the way I approach bodywork and helped me become a better listener and healer.

Craniosacral therapy is an increasingly popular natural healing modality that focuses on helping people relax physically and mentally while reducing stress associated with pain, muscle tension, as well as emotional issues.Craniosacral therapy (CST) began in the mid-1970s when an osteopath, John Upledger, began studying the rhythmic wave and fluid motion in the spinal cord that would sweep up and down within the membranes. Craniosacral therapy utilizes light touch along the head, neck and back to examine the membrane and movement of the fluids in and around the central nervous system.

Co-Regulation is a tool for calming and connecting the nervous system during times of distress. It helps to create an environment of safety and understanding through limbic resonance, which is the sharing of emotions between two or more people. This shared experience of connection can help people regulate their nervous systems and reduce stress and anxiety. 

Embodiment is a tool used in therapy and coaching settings to help people reconnect with their bodies and minds. It includes awareness of sensations, feelings and thoughts and brings mindfulness into our movements. It offers individuals a chance to reconnect with themselves on a deeper level while gaining insight into how they think, act, and feel - ultimately leading them down the path of increased self-confidence. 

The Safe and Sound protocol is a neurodevelopmental listening therapy that has been used to help people with a wide range of issues, including trauma, anxiety, depression, and autism. This post will explore how the Safe and Sound Protocol may provide relief to those struggling with long Covid.‍ 

IFS coaching is an evidence-based model of psychotherapy developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz which has been gaining popularity in recent years for its unique approach to helping people create meaningful change in their lives. Let’s explore what this type of coaching is and how it can be helpful. 

Red Beard founder Alex Greene writes about how his early Zen training led him to explore bodywork and somatic therapies.

According to Peter Levine, the creator of somatic experiencing, embodiment is the practice of creating a relationship with our body, by developing awareness of and attending to physical sensations and prompts, and connecting to the world through our body in a healthy way. 

The SIBAM model, developed by Peter Levine, the founder of Somatic Experiencing, describes how we create a complete experience. Through his work, he identified the channels or component pieces that build a complete experience. When we experience trauma our relationship to the experience fragments. Some parts of the experience get over-emphasized (like a sound or a smell) and others become under-emphasized (like bodily sensation during the event).

Zero Balancing (ZB) was created by Dr. Fritz Smith, an osteopath with extensive experience and training in osteopathy, acupuncture, rolfing, and meditation. Zero balancing is a body-mind therapy that blends Eastern and Western practices. Our Zero Balancing practitioners guide you towards harmony and balance through touch that releases the energy that weighs you down. 

Alex Greene, owner of Red Beard Somatic Therapy and somatic therapist, began his journey as a Structural Integration practitioner. While Alex initially focused on postural and musculoskeletal issues, psycho-emotional content and trauma history would regularly come up in sessions. Through his continued studies in neuroscience, the polyvagal theory and interventions for trauma survivors he has been able to build an integrated therapeutic approach.

Felt sense is not the act of repressing emotions. Instead, it is being with emotions, while actively maintaining grounded presence. When the ability to stay grounded with the emotion feels challenged, a Somatic Therapist will support you in regulation so that you can increase your tolerance for being with emotions. By staying with the physical sensation associated with emotion we can track how things change and study with curiosity what supports regulation. 

Tim Schimick is a licensed massage therapist who has been practicing for over 20 years. In addition to therapeutic massage, Tim has training in Structural Integration, Zero Balancing, Craniosacral therapy, and the John F. Barnes’ method of Myofascial Release. 

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) is a term that was coined by Dr. Robert Anda along with his research colleagues after concluding a two year study that surveyed 17,000 individuals about their childhood, current health, and behaviors. ACEs are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood (0-17 years). “ACEs are linked to chronic health problems, mental illness, and substance use problems in adulthood. ACEs can also negatively impact education, job opportunities, and earning potential. However, ACEs can be prevented.”

Trauma and stress live in the body. They affect tissue tone, chemical and hormonal balance, digestive activity, and respiration and heart rate. While these adaptive physiological responses are important and useful when the trauma/stressor is occurring, humans have the unique capacity to get stuck in these states. This is due, in part, to the chronic nature of stressors that many of us experience. In the long term, living in these initially adaptive states, negatively impacts our internal systems and chips away at our resilience to new stressors.

Unlike PTSD, Developmental Trauma Disorder is not yet recognized by The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V). The term was coined by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk (psychiatrist, trauma researcher, and best selling author) as a way to describe the effects of trauma experienced in early developmental stages. Often these traumas were chronic in nature and were experienced within the child’s care-giving system. The result is a collection of symptoms that does not fit neatly into the criteria required for a PTSD diagnosis, but is clearly the result of trauma, strongly impacts the child, and alters the path of their growth and development.

I am an MSW student and therapist in training with a passion for somatic interventions. Like many, I have tension in my body and experience disconnection from my body. I have had Lyme disease for most of my life; it causes chronic pain and difficulties in movement. It is my deep desire to connect with my body, and both TRE and somatics seemed like interesting ways to start safely exploring connection. Read about my first experience working with TRE and Somatics.

Empowered curiosity is fertile ground for change. By working intentionally with somatics and yoga to meet each client where they are, and ensuring that curiosity and agency are cultivated, then clients have the opportunity to connect with their own truth and follow that on their path towards healing. 

Structural Integration (SI), commonly known as Rolfing, is a deep tissue manual therapy that aims to align the body’s structure within the field of gravity. Developed by Ida P. Rolf, Structural Integration systematically addresses your body as a whole. SI has the power to transform the way you experience movement and daily life as your body becomes harmonious with gravity. A SI provider educates your nervous system on how to be in tune with gravity and the world around you.

Trauma spreads through families, communities, and societies. We pass it on to those around us and to those that come after us. It informs our cultural norms, family dynamics, and community values. Fortunately, we have the power to heal from trauma both individually and culturally. We have the power to build resilience and form bonds that support us through great adversity and stop the continuation of trauma into the next generation.

Because the nature of the COVID pandemic is ever changing, many folks feel like they are swinging between panic and shutdown. This swing is very taxing to the system and can lead to chronic pain, gastrointestinal issues, challenges with sleep, brain fog, and difficulty connecting with others. Thankfully, we can use somatic therapies to help support our nervous systems in the face of this uncertainty. Here at Red Beard Somatic Therapy, we specialize in trauma-informed practices that will help you settle your nervous system and support your ability to connect.

Here at Red Beard Somatic Therapy, we approach Long COVID from a holistic lens. We aim to support Long COVID patients by using tools that regulate the nervous system and thereby allow the other systems of the body to return to optimal states of function.

The Safe and Sound Protocol, or SSP, is a non-invasive application of the Polyvagal Theory involving listening to specially filtered music. Dr. Stephen Porges, developed the SSP based on his decades of research that lead to the development of the polyvagal theory. 

Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a neurobiological approach for resolving trauma symptoms and relieving chronic stress. It is a talk and touch-based approach that aims at noticing and tracking body sensations and the rhythms of nervous system activation.

Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises (TRE) were created by Dr. David Berceli, a PhD Social Worker and expert in the field of trauma. TRE is a series of exercises that assist the body in releasing deep muscular patterns of stress, tension and trauma through neurogenic tremors. Yes, trembling can help us release the pent up energy that is caused by experiencing trauma and stress! 

Dr. Stephen Porges, a leading thinker in the fields of psychology and neuroscience, created the Polyvagal theory in 1994. The theory sheds new light on how the mind-body connection and autonomic nervous system shape our experiences, perception, and behavior.