Somatic Experiencing® in Durham, NC

It’s a body-based approach to healing trauma, developed by Dr. Peter Levine. It focuses on resolving stuck survival energy in the nervous system.

SE isn’t anti-talk—many sessions include conversation—but the primary focus is on your body’s cues and building regulation in the autonomic nervous system. Rather than processing solely through thoughts and narratives, we track sensations, impulses, and micro-shifts that signal relief and capacity.

No. You can share as much or as little as you want. SE aims to work with what is tolerable and effective now, so you’re never asked to re-tell painful experiences for their own sake. We go slowly and look for signs of steadiness as we work.

It varies. Some people feel meaningful shifts within 3–6 sessions; others work longer, especially with developmental trauma or long-term stress patterns. We’ll check in regularly about goals and pacing.

Yes. Many clients report improvements in sleep, digestion, chronic pain, and overall energy as their nervous system comes into balance.

People come to SE for developmental trauma, shock trauma, chronic stress, anxiety or shutdown patterns, sleep difficulties, and stress-related symptoms (like tension or digestive changes). SE focuses on nervous-system regulation, so benefits often ripple into mood, energy, and relationships.

Yes—SE is an emerging, study-backed modality. A randomized controlled trial found significant reductions in PTSD and depression symptoms for people who received SE, with large effect sizes; another RCT found a brief SE add-on improved PTSD symptoms versus usual care. A 2021 scoping review summarized the growing (but still developing) evidence base.

Research on Somatic Experiencing®

• Brom, D., Stokar, Y., Lawi, C., Nuriel‐Porat, V., Ziv, Y., Lerner, K., Ross, G., & Ross, R. (2017). Somatic Experiencing for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Outcome Study. Traumatology, 23(2), 123–132. https://doi.org/10.1037/trm0000068

• Andersen, T. E., Lahav, Y., Ellegaard, H., & Manniche, C. (2017). A randomized controlled trial of brief Somatic Experiencing for chronic low back pain and comorbid post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 8(1), 1331108. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2017.1331108

• Kuhfuß, M., Maldei, T., Hetmanek, A., & Baumann, N. (2021). Somatic experiencing – effectiveness and key factors of a body-oriented trauma therapy: A scoping literature review. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 12(1), 1929024. https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2021.1929024

• Payne, P., Levine, P. A., & Crane-Godreau, M. A. (2015). Somatic experiencing: Using interoception and proprioception as core elements of trauma therapy. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 93. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00093

All three are trauma-focused. EMDR uses bilateral stimulation while recalling aspects of traumatic memory; Sensorimotor integrates body awareness with cognitive and emotional processing; SE emphasizes restoring regulation by completing thwarted defensive responses, often without prolonged exposure to traumatic content. Some people use them sequentially or in combination over time.

You and I track what your body is doing in the present—breath, posture, tension/softening, impulses to move, shifts in temperature or emotion. We might pause, orient to the room, or make tiny adjustments that help your system settle. Over time, these small completions add up to more resilience. I can work with or without touch. When not using touch, we generally sit in chairs across from one another. When I use touch, the client generally lies face up and fully clothed on a massage table, though touch can also be received while seated in a chair if that is more comfortable and manageable.

Sometimes—only if it’s clearly beneficial and you want to. Touch is never required in SE. If we include it, we’ll discuss the intention first, get your explicit consent, and you can change your mind at any time.

Yes. We titrate—meaning we take small, digestible steps so your system doesn’t flood. Highly sensitive people often appreciate how SE respects pacing and keeps a strong focus on regulation and choice.

Sessions are typically 60 minutes. I also offer 90 minute or 2 hour sessions for folks who want more time and space. Weekly or every-other-week is common at first; then we may space out as you feel more capacity day-to-day.

Great. SE often complements other care. With your permission, I can coordinate with your providers so we’re all supporting the same goals.

Yes. SE is compatible with medication and most therapies. Always follow your prescriber’s guidance; SE supports regulation and can be part of a broader care plan.

Yes. Many clients find online SE effective. Even touch work can be received in an online format, using intentional presence rather than actual touch. The practitioner will bring their intention and their presence to various points on the clients body. One of the gifts of the pandemic was that practitioners witnessed how effective SE and touch work can be when performed virtually.

I see clients in person in Durham (Southpoint area) and online for clients worldwide. You can start with a free compatibility chat to see if this work fits what you’re looking for.

No. I’m a licensed massage and bodywork therapist (LMBT) and a certified Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner. I don’t provide psychotherapy or counseling. My work is trauma-informed and body-based, and it complements (but doesn’t replace) mental health therapy.

We look for concrete, life-level changes: better sleep, fewer spikes/crashes, easier boundaries, more ease in your body, and greater capacity to meet stress without tipping into overwhelm. We’ll set simple goals and check progress together.