Embodied Therapy for Adults

You are used to showing up for others.

You hold responsibility. You stay steady when others need you. You move through long days of decisions, care, problem-solving, or emotional labor. From the outside, you may appear capable, composed, and dependable.

And when the day ends, your body may still feel like it’s braced.

Your mind may replay conversations, memories, or worries. Rest may feel shallow or out of reach. You might notice tension you can’t stretch away, emotions that feel distant or overwhelming, or a quiet sense that you’ve been carrying more than anyone realizes.

If any part of this feels familiar, you are not alone, and nothing about this means something is wrong with you.

Often, these are deeply human responses to prolonged stress, overwhelming experiences, or years of holding space for others without enough space to be held yourself.

Therapy can offer a place to set some of that weight down, even briefly, and begin to listen to what your inner world has been trying to communicate.

Life is tough as it is and experiencing any of the above can have a big impact on your relationships, self-care, and managing responsibilities that come with parenting, college, or work. You may not remember the last time you engaged in an activity where you felt relaxed, fully connected to others, and during which worries seemed more manageable. You may not know exactly when it all started or it may seem to you as though you always experienced anxiety and stress. Life may have drastically changed for you after a traumatic experience and maybe you have been trying to put the puzzle pieces back together ever since. It is normal to experience periods in life that are unpleasant, however, it may be beneficial to seek professional help to address your concerns, if they happen for weeks, months, or longer. 

A Different Rhythm of Therapy

Therapy here is not about pushing for insight or rushing toward change. It is about creating a steady, responsive space where your nervous system has time to settle and your experience can unfold at a pace that feels manageable.

Some sessions may include conversation. Others may include noticing sensation, emotion, imagery, or internal dialogue. We may pause often. We may slow down when something important begins to surface. There is room for silence, curiosity, uncertainty, and choice.

This work gently explores how past and present experiences may still be living in the body, shaping patterns of protection, connection, tension, or withdrawal, while supporting your system in finding new possibilities for regulation and ease.

Nothing is forced. Nothing is required. The direction of the work is guided collaboratively and adjusted moment by moment based on what feels safe enough and supportive for you.

What Brings People Here

Many people who reach out are not looking for quick solutions. They are often noticing something deeper asking for attention.

You may recognize yourself here if you:

• Feel exhausted even when you are functioning well

• Notice your body remains alert or tense long after stressful moments have passed

• Carry memories, experiences, or relational patterns that feel unresolved

• Feel disconnected from yourself, others, or the present moment

• Are navigating transition, loss, burnout, or identity shifts

• Are curious about understanding yourself beyond coping or managing

• Long for a space where you do not have to be the strong or responsible one

You do not need to have a specific diagnosis, story, or goal to begin this work. Sometimes the starting place is simply sensing that something inside you deserves attention, care, and time.

An Integrative, Body-Centered Approach

Our work may draw from several modalities depending on what feels most supportive for you. These approaches are not used as techniques applied to you, but as frameworks that help us listen more carefully to your experience.

This may include:

Somatic Experiencing
Supporting awareness of nervous system responses and gently building capacity for regulation, grounding, and embodied presence.

Internal Family Systems–Informed Parts Work
Exploring protective and vulnerable aspects of self with curiosity and compassion, allowing internal relationships to become more understood and integrated.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
When collaboratively chosen, EMDR can support the reprocessing of experiences that may feel stuck or unresolved, allowing memories to be held with less intensity or disruption.

Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR)
A neuroscience-informed approach that works with very early orienting and shock responses held in the brainstem and nervous system. DBR focuses on tracking subtle physiological and emotional responses connected to overwhelming or attachment-related experiences, often at a pace that prioritizes safety and stabilization.

Mindfulness and Guided Introspective Practices
Inviting gentle attention toward internal experience while supporting choice, grounding, and self-awareness.

Sand Therapy and Symbolic Exploration
Using imagery, metaphor, and tactile experience to express and process internal experiences that may be difficult to access through words alone.

Sound or Gentle Movement Practices
When appropriate, elements such as sound meditation or Trauma Center Trauma Sensitive Yoga may be incorporated to support nervous system settling and embodied integration.

You always remain in choice about how the work unfolds. Your pace, consent, and comfort are central to every session.

The Felt Experience of This Work

Many people describe this space as different from environments where they are expected to perform, explain, or solve problems quickly.

Here, you may notice moments of exhale. You may notice sensations becoming clearer or emotions gaining language. You may find yourself connecting dots between experiences that once felt fragmented or confusing.

Sometimes the work feels quiet. Sometimes it feels emotional. Sometimes it feels simply like being accompanied in a way that is unfamiliar but deeply relieving.

There is no expectation that therapy follows a particular timeline or produces specific outcomes. The intention is to create conditions where insight, integration, and regulation can emerge naturally when your system is ready.

About Working Together

I’m Vanessa. My role is to offer a steady, attuned presence while supporting you in exploring your inner landscape with care and respect.

I work primarily with adults who carry significant responsibility in their lives. People who support others professionally or personally and who are seeking a place where they can step out of those roles and turn inward.

My approach is relational, somatic, and attachment-informed. I believe meaningful work happens when you feel safe enough to be curious, honest, and fully human within the therapeutic relationship.

You are the expert on your experience. I walk alongside you, helping notice patterns, track shifts, and support your nervous system in building capacity for connection, choice, and self-understanding.

Beginning Therapy

Reaching out for therapy can feel vulnerable, especially if you are accustomed to managing things independently.

If you feel drawn to explore this work, I invite you to begin with a consultation conversation. This is an opportunity to ask questions, share what you are hoping for, and sense whether this space feels supportive for you.

There is no pressure or expectation, only a chance to connect and consider what feels right for your next step.