Somatic Therapy
Come Home to Your Body
At Velvet & Vine, we believe your body is not a battleground—it is a homecoming. Somatic therapy invites you to listen to what your body already knows: the wisdom in your breath, the stories written into your muscles, the quiet resilience of your heart.
Our trauma-informed somatic therapy offers a healing space for queer, trans, and neurodivergent individuals who have learned to survive in a world that too often asks them to shrink, hide, or harden. Here, your softness is sacred. Here, your body is not the problem.
Whether you are navigating the echoes of trauma, seeking to reconnect with your sense of safety, or simply curious about what it means to feel at home in your own skin, somatic therapy can help.
What Is Somatic Therapy?
Somatic therapy (from the Greek soma, meaning “the body”) is a body-based therapeutic approach that focuses on how trauma, stress, and emotions are stored in and expressed through the body. Unlike talk therapy alone, somatic therapy gently integrates mind, body, and nervous system healing.
At Velvet & Vine, we draw from modalities such as:
🌿 Polyvagal-informed approaches: Supporting nervous system regulation
🌿 Sensorimotor psychotherapy: Increasing body awareness and integration
🌿 Trauma-sensitive breathwork: Gentle, consent-based practices to cultivate safety
🌿 Somatic parts work: Exploring the body’s protective patterns with compassion
Through slow, attuned, and consensual work, you’ll learn to notice and befriend your body’s signals—building resilience, easing hypervigilance, and restoring a sense of choice and agency.
Who Can Benefit from Somatic Therapy?
Somatic therapy is especially supportive for:
🌿 Queer, trans, and non-binary individuals processing body image concerns, dysphoria, or the impacts of societal oppression
🌿 Neurodivergent individuals (including ADHD, autism, sensory processing differences) seeking regulation tools that honor their unique nervous system
🌿 Those living with PTSD or complex trauma who want to address the body’s memory of trauma, not just the mind’s
🌿 People exploring body liberation, pleasure, and consent after histories of harm or shame
🌿 Anyone wanting to feel more present, grounded, and connected to their body in daily life
Why Somatic Therapy Matters for Queer and Trans Bodies
Too often, queer and trans bodies are sites of other people’s projections, judgments, and harm. The world teaches many of us to armor ourselves—to leave the body, to go numb, or to live on alert.
Somatic therapy at Velvet & Vine is about reclaiming your body as yours.
🌿 We honor gender diversity and body diversity.
🌿 We center consent, choice, and collaboration in every session.
🌿 We understand how systemic oppression shapes the nervous system.
🌿 We believe that softness, safety, and sovereignty are your birthright.
Our somatic work doesn’t aim to “fix” you—it aims to create space for you to feel, choose, and thrive.
What Happens in a Somatic Therapy Session?
Every session is unique and co-created with you. There’s no agenda other than supporting your healing.
A typical session might include:
🌿 Gentle check-ins about your body’s current state—what’s present, what feels safe, what needs care
🌿 Breath awareness or grounding practices to help regulate your nervous system
🌿 Mindful movement, stretching, or posture exploration (always optional and consent-based)
🌿 Noticing body sensations, impulses, and emotions without judgment
🌿 Supporting you to complete interrupted stress or trauma responses (like fight, flight, or freeze) in a safe, contained way
🌿 Integration through dialogue, reflection, or creative practices (like drawing, journaling)
At Velvet & Vine, we always move at your pace. Somatic therapy is not about forcing change—it’s about inviting it.
Trauma-Informed, Queer-Liberation-Centered
Somatic therapy at Velvet & Vine is:
🌿 Trauma-informed: We prioritize safety, choice, collaboration, and transparency. We recognize the ways trauma—including systemic trauma—can impact the body and nervous system.
🌿 Queer-liberation-centered: Our work honors the richness of queer and trans lives. We affirm your identities, relationships, and journeys.
🌿 Neurodivergence-affirming: We celebrate bodyminds that work in diverse ways. You’ll never be asked to “mask” or suppress who you are.
🌿 Body-liberatory: We reject harmful standards of size, ability, gender expression, or appearance. Your body is already worthy.
Somatic Therapy Can Support You With:
🌿 Anxiety, hypervigilance, and chronic stress
🌿 Shame, internalized oppression, and body disconnection
🌿 Navigating gender dysphoria with care and compassion
🌿 Healing from sexual trauma and boundary violations
🌿 Reconnecting with pleasure, joy, and embodied aliveness
🌿 Processing grief, loss, or medical trauma
🌿 Burnout and overwhelmin activist, caregiving, or helping roles
You don’t need to have a specific diagnosis or trauma history to benefit. Somatic therapy is for anyone wanting to come home to themselves.
Your Somatic Therapist’s Approach
Our therapists bring together training in somatic modalities, trauma healing, and anti-oppressive care. We understand that no two bodies are the same, and that healing happens in relationship, presence, and trust.
We work collaboratively to:
🌿 Co-create a space where you feel seen and respected
🌿 Build nervous system tools you can take into your daily life
🌿 Support sustainable healing, not quick fixes
🌿 Always honor your agency and consent
Frequently Asked Questions
Is somatic therapy safe for people with complex trauma?
Yes. Our trauma-informed approach means we go at your pace, always prioritizing safety and consent. You’re in charge of what’s explored.
Do I have to do movement or touch-based practices?
No. Somatic therapy is flexible. We can work entirely through awareness, visualization, or breath. You’ll never be pressured into anything.
Can somatic therapy help with gender dysphoria?
While somatic therapy isn’t a replacement for gender-affirming care, it can support you in navigating dysphoria with compassion, grounding, and body sovereignty.