Spiritual Healing: Somatic Based
Listening to the Body: A Guide to Somatic Self-Inquiry
Have you ever noticed how your body “speaks” before your mind catches up? A tight chest before a hard conversation. Butterflies in your stomach when something feels exciting. A heavy weight in your shoulders when life feels overwhelming.
These sensations aren’t random; they’re the body’s way of holding memory, emotion, and truth. The challenge is that most of us are taught to ignore these signals, to live from the neck up and rely only on our thoughts to guide us.
My work is about helping you bridge that gap. Through the practice of somatic self-inquiry, I guide clients in turning toward these physical signals with curiosity instead of pushing them away. It’s not about over-analyzing or "fixing" yourself—it’s about slowing down enough to listen, ask gentle questions, and discover what your body is really trying to tell you.
What is Somatic Self-Inquiry?
Self-inquiry is the practice of turning inward with gentle curiosity. When practiced somatically—through the body—it shifts from a purely reflective mental exercise into a lived, embodied experience.
At its core, self-inquiry is not about why something is happening; it is about what is happening right now. For example, instead of asking, “Why do I always feel anxious before meetings?” a somatic approach might be:
“Where do I feel this anxiety in my body?” * “What happens if I breathe into that place?” * “If this part of my body could speak, what would it say?”
This shift may seem small, but it changes the entire process. By moving away from problem-solving and into presence, we create space for the body’s innate intelligence to reveal insights on its own.
What We Can Explore Together
Because somatic self-inquiry begins with the body, it opens the door to many different layers of experience, from the physical and emotional to the symbolic and mystic. In our sessions, we use the body as an active guide to explore:
Body Mapping: Noticing where sensations, emotions, or energy patterns live in the body, and how they shift with focused attention.
Inner Child Work: Connecting with younger parts of ourselves that may still carry unmet needs, fears, or longings.
Fears and Resistances: Meeting the protective responses of the body with curiosity instead of judgment, allowing us to understand rather than fight them.
Archetypes: Exploring universal inner roles, such as the nurturer, the warrior, the healer, or the seeker, and how these energies live within you.
Cultural Myths and Collective Beliefs: Noticing how family systems, cultural narratives, or societal pressures are carried physically and shape how we experience ourselves.
Past Lives: For those open to it, exploring impressions, images, or stories that feel older than this lifetime, which often arise spontaneously in deeper somatic work.
These explorations are not about “getting it right.” They provide a creative, embodied way of accessing deeper truths that ordinary thinking often cannot reach.
Why This Work Matters
Somatic self-inquiry helps us reconnect with the parts of ourselves that often remain hidden beneath daily routines, stress, and mental chatter. When you learn to listen to your body with guided curiosity, profound shifts begin to happen:
Greater Self-Awareness: By noticing where emotions and patterns live in the body, you become more attuned to how your inner world shapes your outer behavior.
Emotional Resilience: Meeting sensations and feelings with presence strengthens your capacity to stay grounded during challenges.
Release of Old Patterns: Bringing awareness to stored tensions or beliefs gently loosens their grip, allowing new choices to emerge.
Integration: Instead of feeling split between “thinking” and “feeling,” you begin to experience yourself as a whole, embodied being.
My Approach as Your Guide
The heart of this work is self-healing. My goal is never to make you dependent on me as a practitioner, but to empower you with the skills to listen inwardly. However, self-healing doesn't mean you have to heal alone.
Even in my own personal practice, there are times when I feel stuck, when I can’t quite access what’s underneath, or when I sense a larger pattern emerging that feels too big to hold alone. That’s when the presence and guidance of a trained practitioner is invaluable. I serve as that guide for my clients: providing the depth, safety, and steady presence needed to go further than you might on your own.
My approach is deeply rooted in Mary Shutan’s Body Deva work, a lineage I have trained in and practiced for almost a decade. I also bring over 15 years of experience teaching trauma-informed, therapeutic yoga, where I’ve witnessed firsthand how mindful movement and awareness support profound healing. Alongside this, I hold a degree in psychology and am currently completing my Master’s in Social Work, giving me a strong foundation in understanding how systems, trauma, and societal pressures impact the body, mind, and spirit.
When we work together, you’re not just receiving intuitive guidance; you’re entering a safe, grounded space shaped by decades of hands-on experience, formal education, and deep personal practice.
Ready to Begin?
Somatic healing is about meeting yourself where you are, gently and consistently. If you feel called to begin this work, know that you already carry the wisdom you need inside you. I am simply here to help you remember how to listen.
> Disclaimer: The information shared in this post is for educational and informational purposes only. Somatic healing, as described here, is a self-healing and spiritual practice designed to cultivate personal growth and embodiment. It is not psychotherapy, counseling, or medical treatment. I am not a licensed clinical therapist, and this content and my services are not intended to diagnose, treat, or replace professional psychiatric or medical care. For many clients, this work serves as a beautiful complement to traditional therapy. If you are experiencing significant clinical distress, acute trauma, or a mental health crisis, please seek support from a licensed healthcare provider.
