somatic experiencing

find the freedom to thrive in your body

Somatic Experiencing (SE™)Therapy

Elisa Peterson, MEd, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP™)

SE™ Training Assistant & SE™ Credit Provider

SE Personal Session Provider at : Beg, Int, & Adv
SE Individual Case Consult Provider: Beg & Int

Relief for Stress 🦋 Transforming Symptoms of Trauma 🦋 Support through Life-Changes

Somatic Experiencing (SE™) is a gentle, body-centred approach that supports you and the many changes you experience throughout your life. When you begin to feel the impact of life’s challenges, stress or trauma , SE can help your body heal symptoms of trauma, chronic stress, and stress-related disorders.

SE does not require you the client to re-tell or re-live traumatic events. Instead it offers you a compassionate space to reconnect with your body and gradually release symptoms of trauma and stress.

I will guide you to gradually track body sensations in a way that feels manageable and supportive. When our nervous system begins to settle, we start to feel better in our body, build resiliency to stress, regain a sense of wholeness and inner balance and increase our capacity for vitality.

Book an Appointment

Areas of Specialization

Anxiety
Sexual Violation and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
PTSD & Early Developmental Trauma
Women’s Spirituality

Symptoms of Trauma SE can Help

chronic pain
chronic fatigue
migraines
sleep disturbances
digestion issues
anxiety and depression

Do SE sessions involve touch work?

SE Touch is one aspect or tool that can be used during your Somatic Experiencing Session. We will first discuss what area of the body we will work with. You have the choice of laying on a table, remaining seated in your chair or perhaps laying on a yoga mat. Unlike some types of bodywork, you are always clothed in an SE session.

SE Touch is a quiet process where my hand is held still. Like all SE sessions, I will guide you as you track your body sensations. Using touch is not a necessary component of your session- the decision is always yours. Touch can be a helpful way to connect to your body and regulate your nervous system. Each person and each session are unique.

Areas that touch can be particularly helpful:

Working with Early Shock Trauma, Early Developmental Trauma or Complex Trauma
Helping a client learn to differentiate between appropriate, caring touch and inappropriate, harmful touch
When the use of verbal language is limited, either due to disability or language

What types of trauma can SE help?

In Somatic Experiencing, we do not define by the event itself but look for the roots of trauma in the physiology of our nervous system. Our nervous system is very good at responding to potential threat whatever the stress may be. Sometimes the threat is from an acute incident such as fall, car accident or an assault. Sometimes it may be a result of chronic daily stress we experience in our relationships or in doing our job.

As human beings we don’t readily settle our heightened nervous system and come back down to rest after being activated by threat and stress. When that happens, what can show up over time are various physiological symptoms that are the body’s way of coping and managing high levels of activation in our body. Chronic pain and fatigue are common symptoms of dysregulation. Others can include digestive issues, headaches, mental fogginess, lack of motivation or poor sleep patterns such as insomnia.

Book an SE Appointment

Booking Your SE Appointment:

Virtual Appointments through Jane App
In-Person Appointments @ Canopy Integrated Health located in North Vancouver, BC.
Sliding scale available: please Contact Elisa.

Contact Elisa

email @ elisa@elisapeterson.ca

phone @ 778-688-6824

Book an SE Appointment

Elisa Peterson is a very gifted healer and facilitator. She effectively uses her acquired knowledge and intuitive skills to empower one on their healing journey. As a counsellor, I would not hesitate to refer my clients to her.

Claudia Otto

Addictions Counsellor