About The Work
Somatic trauma therapy looks at the connection of mind and body for holistic healing. We are one interconnected system, meaning that our emotions, physical body, and thoughts affect one another. Together we will work on resetting your autonomic nervous system and discharging trauma from your body.
Trauma and stress causes a physical response. We have been conditioned to ignore physical symptoms and emotions, and therefore we have been trying to heal by working solely with the mind and ignoring the body. To heal, we have to address the body, emotions and the mind, as a whole - as a singular entity.
Trauma includes, but is not limited to:
Emotional overwhelm
Physical discomfort: rigidity, uneasy, tension, pain, tightness, exhaustion, burnout symptoms
Ruminating thoughts, negative/limiting beliefs (you’re not lovable, not worthy, etc), flashbacks, nightmares, PTSD
…and so much more
Trauma Recovery
What Does a Session Look Like?
It’s important to note that each session is specifically tailored to the individual, and no two sessions are alike.
Trauma is a unique and personal experience - no two people are impacted by trauma or chronic stress in the same ways!
Therefore, it is my intention for you to engage in different healing practices for transformation and empowerment. I lovingly guide people who are ready to discover their innate intuition and capacity for healing to feel safe in their body, comfortable in their own skin, and embodied, integrated, and whole.
Often in trauma, our relationship with our self and our bodies are affected. Whether we've learned to dissociate, or we've simply lost trust and feel unsafe in our bodies. Our goal in somatic therapy is to learn to reclaim our bodies and build trust in its innate wisdom and strength.
I am most passionate about empowering people to reconnect with their strengths and innate capacity for healing allowing them to live a life of confidence, purpose and freedom. As a somatic trauma recovery guide, I support folks in rebuilding trust in their intuition and body again by guiding them through a healing journey that considers the whole person - body, mind, and spirit - and addressing trauma at the root. Using tools and techniques from yoga, breathwork, mindfulness practices, Somatic Experiencing, martial arts and other body-centered modalities, I invite the exploration of unsettled trauma in the body - supporting people in becoming more present, attuned to their authentic needs and taking aligned action to build confidence, reclaim their power, their lives and walk with a new embodied purpose.
Metta Healing Arts began with Trauma-Informed yoga offerings and since 2012 has grown to incorporate breath training (identifying unhealthy patterns/habits which prevent us from breathing fully and in turn feeling our best self), Mindfulness (learning to stay in the present moment while recognizing and accepting our thoughts, feelings, sensations as is), strength training (helping people get out of stagnation and more active and strong incorporating simple strength building exercises – using emotional skills to support the fears and trauma issues that are blocking people from their own strength), as well as Somatic Experiencing practices (body based therapy inviting the exploration of unsettled trauma using the language of the body), Expressive Arts Therapy, Self-Defense Skills, Family Constellations (exploring how our ancestral patterns are present and affect us today), Skydiving therapy (to overcome the emotion of fear and increase our capacity to tolerate big and often uncomfortable emotions).
What Is…?
Somatic experiencing: body-based therapy that tracks the felt sensations in your body and invites the exploration of unsettled trauma using the language of the body. Sometimes we need to talk, sit with what’s here, and encourage and allow the body to release and discharge any stuck energy.
Breath training: identifying unhealthy patterns/habits which prevent us from breathing fully. The restoration of controlled breath helps return the body to a regulated state/alert relaxation.
Mindfulness: learning to stay in the present moment while recognizing and accepting our thoughts, feelings, sensations as is.
Strength-based practices: incorporating simple strength building exercises to help people get out of immobility – using emotional skills to support the fears and trauma issues that are blocking people from their own strength.
Expressive Arts/Creative movement: invites the exploration of unsettled trauma using the language of the body- following your bodily sensations and natural impulses, rather than suppressing them, to create your own form of bodily expression.
Self-defense: incorporating basic self-defense tools (striking, releases from grabs, verbal self-defense, setting healthy boundaries, etc.) creates empowerment, builds confidence, and releases suppressed instinctual responses to threat.
Family Constellations: energy work that explores how our ancestral patterns are present and affect us today
Skydiving Therapy: Want to skydive? And use it to heal unresolved wounds and trauma? We use skydiving therapy to overcome the emotion of fear and increase our capacity to tolerate big and often uncomfortable emotions.
“I came across Julie during a time in my life when I felt hopeless- I tried everything to heal from my past trauma but still felt filled with anxiety every day and felt like I couldn’t move forward with my life. Julie truly changed my life in such a short amount of time! She helped me regulate my nervous system & step out of constant fight or flight mode so that I could be present in my life again and enjoy it again. I went from feeling constantly sick and crippled with anxiety to peaceful, present, happy & aligned. She helped me heal in more ways than I ever thought possible and I’m forever grateful! If you are feeling crippled by anxiety & the trauma of your past and have no idea how to move forward and find the light, I have no doubt that Julie will help you get there. I will never be able to express enough how grateful I am💖 THANK YOU”
“My anxiety has dropped, I’d like to feel it’s thanks to all the tools you’ve given me. I wouldn’t be where I’m at now without all our time together and all your guidance. I love you Julie”