Kelly Carter, ITP
I'm Kelly Carter, and I empathize with the struggle of feeling like your body and mind are at odds. For years, I navigated through chronic pain, oscillating between extreme anxiety and depression. It wasn't until early 2022 that I discovered somatics, and it’s transformed my world. Managing chronic pain became more achievable, I found a method to process intense emotions and trauma, and my body started adapting beyond the fight-or-flight response. Let me share my journey with you so you can determine if I might be able to assist you.
From a young age, I was raised with the expectation of being a "good Christian girl," exposed to intense expressions of faith. Following high school, I spent three years at BSSM, where I was consistently immersed in purity culture values, extreme religious practices, and harmful doctrines. At the age of 22, a mental health breakdown made me realize that my body had never felt safe; it was begging me to slow down. I needed an opportunity to learn how to be different, to cultivate a sense of safety from within. Reconnecting with my voice and rediscovering what it feels like to be at home in my body became essential. I've come to understand that reconnecting with the body and trauma processing will be my life's work.
Your healing journey can be soft.
What is somatics?
Somatics is a body-based practice. "Soma'' means "The body," so when we practice somatics, we are literally doing the work of the body. There are various approaches, techniques, and philosophies surrounding somatics. My perspective is the body holds inherent wisdom and possesses the ability to heal. A core tenant of this practice involves creating space to tune into what the body is expressing. I hold space for this through gentle movements, breathwork, meditation, and other modalities.
It's widely acknowledged that the nervous system processes about 70% of the information our system takes in daily. This implies that, whether consciously aware or not, we are in constant communication with our bodies throughout the day. The body needs opportunities to unwind and process this information, especially in the context of trauma. The nervous system can adopt patterns associated with trauma, and somatics provides an opportunity to process these patterns. I often refer to these embodied traumas or lived experiences as body memories. There’s no shame in having these body memories, we all do however they might be leading us in ways we are unaware of. Becoming aware is most of the work.
I’m trained in a trauma informed first approach which means my focus is on understanding your story and holding a space that’s nonjudgmental but more importantly, not re-traumatizing. My practice is an inclusive space where all are welcome.
How to know if it’s right for you?
I might be biased, but I genuinely believe that somatics can benefit almost everyone. However, it's important to note that somatics is not a substitute for licensed mental health support, such as therapy. Instead, somatics can complement and integrate well with the work you might be doing in talk therapy.
If you find yourself in a mental health crisis, seeking clinical support is crucial. Nevertheless, I'm more than willing to be part of your support team, working alongside other professionals to help you achieve whatever wellness looks like for you. Somatics, while immensely beneficial, can be intense, and unexpected emotions may surface. I assure you that I'll never encourage you to exceed your comfort zone or tolerance level. However, having a strong support system is recommended if we decide to work together.
Somatics is particularly effective for individuals dealing with anxiety, depression, or both. If you've experienced trauma, somatics can play a significant role in supporting your healing journey. Moreover, if you've endured religious trauma, navigated purity culture, or are in the process of recovering from cult experiences, somatics may provide invaluable support. Drawing from my personal background, somatics has been instrumental in rebuilding trust in myself, feeling secure in my body, and reclaiming my voice.
If you struggle with the concept of "trusting your gut," somatics may be precisely what you need.