In 2023, I was teaching some clinical nursing courses through a local nursing program. I was no longer working as a nurse in a clinical capacity at the time, but I would accompany and coach my students during 12-hour shifts as they rotated through the obstetric units at local hospitals. I was also seeing Somatic Experiencing clients part time in my private practice, as I’ve done for many years. 2023 was also the year I decided to begin receiving medical support from a fertility clinic to try for a pregnancy. I knew, almost as soon as I made the decision to receive support from the fertility clinic, that I would have to pause my work as a nursing instructor, mainly because my nervous system was so jarred by being both in hospitals and academia. I worried that the stress from my work would inhibit my capacity to become pregnant. But my private practice work with clients has continued and has since grown into a nearly full-time practice. Now in 2026, I am (finally) pregnant! I have often asked myself if it is appropriate to do trauma resolution work with clients while at the same time being focused on keeping my own nervous system as healthy as possibly to nurture a tiny human being. And now that I am visibly pregnant, several clients have expressed concern about sharing parts of their trauma with me, out of a worry that it might affect my baby. As a result, I have thought a lot about this, and I’ve been in an active process of listening in to myself throughout my day and during my client sessions. One of my primary self-observations in my work is that I feel quite regulated and relaxed throughout my sessions. (Yes, sometimes I have uncomfortable pregnancy symptoms- acid reflux, burping, being ridiculously hungry and needing to eat snacks between every single session- but all this is apparently normal pregnancy stuff and I’d be feeling it at home or while doing any other job!) By “regulated”, I mean that I feel present: I feel able to be in my body, in the room, while staying connected to my clients and tracking their process. This seems to be true with a wide range of clients, people of any gender, and with a wide range of nervous system presentations. (This capacity for regulation with my clients hasn't always been true for me, by the way. I recall past work with clients where I would have trouble falling asleep at night, going through mental loops about difficult cases, feeling distressed for hours and even days after certain sessions.) A client I had been working with for many months recently brought up some revelations related to early childhood abuse, and then expressed fear about hurting my baby by sharing those painful parts of their trauma history with me. I thought to myself that if I were in this client’s shoes, I would probably have the same concerns working with a pregnant practitioner. During our session, I stayed present with my client, but at the same time I inquired into my own experience, gently checking into what my own nervous system was up to as we worked together. What I observed seems to be consistent with what I am noticing during many of my sessions: I am not feeling overwhelmed, scared, thrown off my center, etc. when my clients share scary, painful stuff with me. I also energetically checked in with my baby- and I felt, so completely, that my baby was safe and happily tucked inside my womb, floating within many protective layers inside me. I am reminded of how we define and understand “trauma” in our work as somatic experiencing practitioners. Painful things, sometimes unthinkably inhumane things, have happened, or are currently happening, for many people, ecosystems, and even entire communities & cultures. Yet our bodies store and process these experiences in distinctly different ways. Trauma could be understood as the way our bodies and nervous systems respond, in the here and now, to painful or scary stuff. An important goal of somatic therapy is to feel a healthy sense of connection to self and other in present time, despite, or even in relation to, past or current traumatic events. (I need to express a big caveat here: this is not to place the blame in any way on trauma survivors. Absolutely the contrary: people and systems that oppress or inflict harm should be held accountable for the harm they cause. Accountability and justice are necessary, sadly missing for many survivors, and are vital parts of the trauma healing process.) This leads me to the question: If I am exposing myself to the pain of my clients, am I traumatizing my baby? With the above definition of trauma in mind, it seems to me that if I were leaving client sessions feeling overwhelmed, triggered, or exhausted, this could potentially have a negative impact on my baby, especially if I didn’t find ways to allow traumatic stress to move through and out of my body. But despite some of the distressing content I hear in my sessions, I find that I am not storing traumatic stress from my sessions in my own body, and apparently not “taking on” the pain and trauma of my clients. I feel a very clear sense that my baby is safe and protected inside of me, even while I am present, showing empathy, supporting, and listening to my clients express painful stuff. Let me contrast this with another area of my life where I find myself feeling less regulated. Example: I sometimes catch myself in a news-intake loop, reading too many upsetting news articles, and coming away feeling distressed by the state of the world. This is certainly an example where I need to allow the built-up traumatic stress to move through and out my body, being extra mindful about how much I “take in”, and finding some ways to “change the channel” so that I’m pendulating my awareness to less triggering experiences. I suspect that if I spent all my time stressing about the state of the world, this would in fact negatively affect my baby. In these moments, I need a lot of mindfulness to protect myself and my baby from what I take in, and to do the work with myself to release built-up stress from my body. I am grateful to find healthy ways to combat trauma, and in turn to teach this to my clients. And rather than feeling bad coming out of sessions, I mostly feel pretty good! Sensing into this a little more, I observe the presence of healthy social engagement in sessions, arguably the most important mitigating factor for managing traumatic stress. It feels important to name that even while I feel myself staying regulated during sessions, I do feel a full range of human emotion. I believe emotional range is an important aspect of coherence. There are times when I feel anger or sadness on behalf of my clients for something they are going through, and it seems to me that these emotions are an appropriate mirroring of the client’s experience. And maybe, probably, this is the fruit of my own personal growth work: I find myself able to feel a wide range of emotions and yet simultaneously stay within my window of tolerance. It occurs to me this is also the work of a good parent! I do very much hope I can translate this capacity for regulation to parenthood, along with a very large dose of giving myself grace for all the ways I’m sure I will stumble along the way.

Taking a breath here as I start to share. You might like to take a breath too, and feel your feet on the floor. I’m in the hospital, I’ve been here for over a week. I'm staying in the antepartum unit of the birth center, trying to stay calm and pregnant as long as safely possible. I am 32 weeks 4 days, and each of those days means a lot! (A term pregnancy is considered 37 weeks, and best to get to 38-40 if possible.) I have preeclampsia, a progressively worsening disease of pregnancy whose only cure is delivery of the baby. I’ll spare you the medical details, but in brief, there is a fine balancing act between staying pregnant to try to grow my baby as much as possible and having me deliver my baby preterm in order to protect me from a stroke or seizure. Taking another breath, noticing tension in my face. Looking up from my computer and out the window. Letting my shoulders drop a tiny bit. I’m riding that fine line at the moment, gradually coming to terms with the likelihood that I’ll be induced into labor or head to the operating room for a c-section any day, even any hour, now. I was receiving lovely holistic midwifery care through my pregnancy, looking forward to an unmedicated birth at the birth center, and so looking forward to the moment when I could hold my healthy newborn against my chest. Within a day, I switched my care provider to an obstetrician, and my now high-risk pregnancy is managed under Maternal Fetal Medicine. I have had to surrender to the possibility of receiving any number of medical interventions I had hoped to avoid. How to resource myself in a place like this, where my whole world is this little hospital room, and I’m all too aware of a) all the bad things that could happen, and b) the inevitability of going through the birth process very soon, before either I or my baby is ready and c) the fact that I’m now incredibly observant, bordering on vigilant, of all my physical symptoms that could be a sign of my condition worsening. How to regulate my nervous system, when my very physiology is moving towards increasing dysregulation in a way I have absolutely no control over? I’m going to pause here, and do some resourcing now…. Talking to my baby, letting her know I’m right here with her, and that I’m having some big feelings because I really want to stay pregnant and keep her safe. Feeling her move inside me. Singing her our special song. Taking a few more breaths. I’m learning a lot about surrender, (which I hear is a large part of parenting). I’m learning a lot about preeclampsia, and this hospital unit, and my nurses, and how vast an ocean of tears I seem to have inside me. I’m learning how much my family loves me. I’m learning a lot from watching out my hospital room window about the people who seem to frequent the 3rd floor patio. Two days ago, a visiting friend wheeled me out to the patio in a wheelchair. It was so lovely to get some fresh air and sun on my face. I saw two people- one clearly a patient, a 60-ish year old woman with her IV pole and wrist bands, and the other a visitor- an unusual looking man probably in his late 50s with a mohawk. I’d been observing those two going out to the patio for several days, so when I saw them on the patio I was excited to say hi to my friends. I waved, and they looked surprised. I had forgotten that our relationship was entirely one-sided! Just me watching them through my window. Remember the “Voo” sound? (If you've explored somatic experiencing, that is.) A gentle natural in-breath followed by a gently sustained outbreath while chanting Vooooooo…. Letting some of that vibration be felt in the belly and chest, titrating the length or volume or intensity of it so has a small but perceptible effect, in the direction of more systemic coherence… Voooooo… I do it now, on a comfortable low tone, and I feel the vibration, and the slightest little shift inside. 30 seconds pass, I give it some time, and oh- there it is- the spontaneous deeper breath that follows and slight relaxation through my body. My circumstances haven’t changed, no magical cure has emerged for my condition, but I feel a tiny bit more space inside my chest. I had such a kind nurse yesterday—she sat with me for nearly 45 minutes, even though she had other patients and things to do, just being with me while I cried. She didn’t try to make it all better. She empathized, made eye contact, showed me that she understood. I felt met, in the way that I aspire to meet and be present with my clients. What a gift. It’s 6:15, time to order breakfast, and I’m feeling hungry. I’m still here, pregnant for another meal, and my baby is still inside me. A tiny bit of relief. A slow walk to the window, doing the smallest bit of chi gong while looking outside. I can only tolerate a very small amount of stimulation, movement, activity, before I feel my symptoms start to spike. But it feels good to have my feet on the floor and gently shift my weight back and forth. There are geraniums in pots outside my window, and I’m noticing how the morning sun is gradually spreading against the wall and the roof. A single crow is taking a walk across the patio. My little view (and poor photography skills). See the crow? Maybe this is a good place to pause for now. The doctor will round soon, and the nurse will come check my blood pressure, she’ll put my baby on the monitor. This story is not finished, but then again, no true story ever is. I’ll update soon when I can. Oh- and so many people have reached out to offer support and check in with me. Thank you, thank you… my bandwidth is super limited so I might not be able to reply to messages or calls but please know that your caring intentions and words are gratefully received.

Somatic experiencing (SE) provides a unique perspective on trauma, shifting the focus from traumatic incidents towards how the body processes and retains these experiences as autonomic nervous system processes. In this article, I offer some insights about how somatic experiencing views trauma - through a somatic lens that is more integrated and empowering. This shift in perspective allows for a holistic and integrated approach to trauma recovery. Commonly Accepted Definitions of Trauma According to the American Psychological Association (2024), trauma is described as " an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, crime, natural disaster, physical or emotional abuse, neglect, experiencing or witnessing violence, death of a loved one, war, and more ." And in a SAMHSA 2014 review of the literature on trauma-informed care, trauma is defined as " experiences that cause intense physical and psychological stress reactions" and that "results from an event, series of events, or set of circumstances that is experienced by an individual as physically or emotionally harmful... and that has lasting adverse effects on the individual’s functioning and physical, social, emotional, or spiritual well-being." While these definitions are widely accepted, there is potential for a more profound examination. The ACE's Research The research known as the Adverse Childhood Experiences study (ACE's research) is a pioneering investigation that highlighted the significant influence of childhood trauma on future health conditions. It unveiled a strong connection between the severity and recurrence of adverse childhood experiences and the emergence of diverse health problems in later life. These results emphasize the crucial need to address early traumatic incidents to lessen their harmful impacts on individuals' welfare. The ACE's research findings shed light on the detrimental impact of trauma on individuals, reinforcing our existing understanding of its harmful effects on overall well-being. Through a comprehensive analysis of adverse childhood experiences, the research underscores the profound implications of trauma, both physical and psychological. It delves into the intricate ways in which trauma can disrupt normal development, hinder emotional resilience, and contribute to a range of health issues. By highlighting the long-term consequences of adverse experiences, the ACE's research serves as a crucial reminder of the urgent need for trauma-informed care and support systems. Research has shown that the presence of supportive relationships in a child's life can buffer the negative effects of adverse childhood experiences, leading to better outcomes in terms of mental health, academic achievement, and overall health. Relational support, in the form of healthy relationships, plays a crucial role in mitigating the impact of adverse childhood experiences on an individual's well-being and development. When individuals have consistent, caring, and supportive relationships with significant figures in their lives, they are better equipped to navigate and cope with the challenges posed by negative experiences they may have encountered. Some Other Ways to Define Trauma: Too Much, Too Fast... or Too Little, Not Enough One definition of trauma is: "too much, too fast, for too long" or "too little, not enough." In those "too much, too fast" moments, our nervous systems could not adequately mobilize or act. For example, there wasn't enough time to protect oneself, to run away, to hide, or to respond appropriately. And in those "too little, not enough" moments, there was an absence of support, human contact, protection, or appropriate stimulation.   In sessions, we identify what was missing or what was needed, and we support the nervous system in present time to mobilize, register a new kind of support, or do something it didn't get to do in the past. Somatic Experiencing recognizes the autonomic nervous system's reaction to previous experiences and aims to facilitate the completion of unresolved processes within the nervous system. The therapy seeks to facilitate the completion of physiological responses that were interrupted or suppressed during the initial event. Ultimately, the goal of Somatic Experiencing is to support individuals in renegotiating their relationship with past traumas, fostering healing, and promoting a greater sense of well-being. This work is incredibly reparative and empowering.   Unintegrated Resource Another way to define trauma (credit to my first SE teacher, Steve Hoskinson ) is as "unintegrated resource." I find this definition particularly insightful as it removes the negative connotations associated with the term and suggests that source energy is embedded within trauma. Consider this: in the event of an accident where there is no opportunity to respond (for instance, not having enough time to brake during a car accident), the body retains this memory in the form of tension, pain, or anxiety. These experiences often intertwine with unwelcome emotions or distressing core beliefs. Over time, individuals may become entrenched in specific behaviors, like being overly reactive or struggling with insomnia or a fear of driving. By using SE, it is possible to uncouple the fight, flight, and freeze responses from difficult emotions or physical sensations, allowing them to be released and enabling the individual to tap into these energies as resource.   Many individuals may feel trapped in negative patterns or experiences, but it's important to understand that these situations do not define us permanently. The human body has an incredible capacity to heal and adapt, allowing us to break free from these limiting cycles. Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a powerful therapeutic approach specifically crafted to tap into this innate potential for transformation. By working with the body's wisdom and intelligence, SE empowers individuals to release past traumas, rewire neural pathways, and cultivate a sense of safety and resilience.   "Unintegrated resource" implies that we can  integrate parts of our nervous system that have been previously exiled or suppressed, and in the process, we can start to free up our hearts, bodies, and minds.   Connect with Alisha and Explore SE Using SE tools, and in the context of a supportive relational container, it is possible to heal some of our deepest wounds. I have seen some remarkable changes in my clients doing this work together. Feel free to reach out and schedule a phone consult . I'd love to get to know you and learn how I might support you in your healing. Resources American Psychological Association (APA). (2024). Trauma . American Psychological Association. https://www.apa.org/topics/trauma Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (US)- SAMHSA.(2014). A Review of the Literature. In Treatment Improvement Protocol (TIP) Series, No. 57 . Trauma-Informed Care in Behavioral Health Services. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK207192/ Felitti, V. J., et al. (1998). American Journal of Preventive Medicine , 14 (4), 245–258. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0749-3797(18)32034-8 The End of Trauma. (2021). A Podcast Series with Steve Hoskinson, Founder of Organic Intelligence . . https://www.endoftrauma.org/

I am so grateful to you. I see you- you who have threaded your way through the tunnel of your own pain, spent countless hours studying the healing arts, wondered how you could make ends meet while also doing the work you love. Thank you for jumping through all those academic hoops, sitting for those exams, reading all those books, mostly to learn that the best therapy of all is simply a combination of presence, attunement, and compassion.   Thank you. Some of you have been therapists, teachers, friends, and healers for me, and I thank you. You have held space for my tears and my pain. Thank you for your patience and your love. Thank you for being willing to navigate rupture and repair with me.   Some of you have been my clients, and I feel immensely honored each time we are together, what a gift to witness your growth and healing. I see myself in you. I probably mess up with you sometimes, and I’m sorry. I’m willing to learn, to find the best way to be with you, to do it better next time.   Thank you for being a witness to human suffering and for wishing to alleviate that suffering. Thank you for using your authenticity for good. Thank you for coming back to your heart, yet again. Thank you for not taking stuff personally. Thank you for getting stuck in shame spirals and then finding your way out. Thank you for accompanying yourself, while at the same time accompanying others, through life’s tender moments.   I am writing you this letter because I want you to know that you are valued, you are needed, and you have a profound impact on those who come to you for healing. Like me, you probably forget your value and your impact, especially when you are holding space for clients in a lifetime of pain. Like me, you have also probably made some mistakes, wondered if you should stay in your profession at all, and lost hope, only to (somehow) be reminded once again of the essential goodness of humans and found your way back to your heart. I want you to know that I see you doing your best, and your best is beautiful. I see you, showing up for another day, another human.   Thank you.

Living in Santa Barbara, I am well-acquainted with Santa Ana winds, those forceful dry winds blowing from the east, that sometimes lead to fires. Just last week the Palisades and Eaton fires ripped through large parts of Los Angeles, upending the lives of tens of thousands of people. And yesterday the smoke made its way to Santa Barbara, followed by more Santa Ana winds last night. I noticed myself becoming activated, and I felt I had to mobilize. I packed a bag just in case, and walked through the house to make sure all the windows were securely closed. I took photos of my possessions, and put the cat carrier by the front door. So many of us feel a similar sense of vigilance and even terror at these times. For good reason: by now most folks in California have lived through fires. For example, I currently live on my family’s property, in a house that was rebuilt after the 2008 Tea Fire obliterated the home I grew up in. Being activated and mobilized during times of crisis is an absolutely healthy and appropriate response to immediate danger. From the perspective of the nervous system, this is what we are designed for. Like other animals, we need to be able to fight, flee, take cover, and protect our loved ones during times of acute danger. However, our nervous systems are not designed to be on high alert in an on-going and continuous way. This is what leads to symptoms of trauma including: stored physical tension, anxiety & depression, sleep challenges, emotional disregulation, feeling numb, and so much more.   The following practice was developed by Somatic Experiencing Practitioners working in crisis areas to support first responders and individuals impacted by disaster. I recommend implementing this practice to counterbalance the physiological stress you might be experiencing in relation to crisis. In other words, yes- do pack your bags. Yes- do evacuate if necessary. Do whatever you need to do to find safety. But then when you are in a safe place, do this practice to give your nervous system a much-needed break. You may need to mobilize again, but when you do, you will have a clearer head and you'll be much less likely to panic or freeze. The following set of steps can also support you if you experiencing post-traumatic stress symptoms (e.g. the threat has passed, but the trauma response remains).   SCOPE - For Nervous System Stabilization and Safety S- Slow down : take 10 steps slowly, noticing sensations on bottom of the feet. Pause and notice that you are ok in this  moment.   C- Connect to your body: cross arms & ankles, tuck hands under armpits, lower head & breathe. Connect to sensations in feet and hands.   O- Orient: Slowly look around, noticing colors & shapes. Let your eyes land on something pleasant or comforting to look at, like taking a brief visual vacation. Also orient with the ears, tuning into sounds.   P- Pendulate: Find a place of ease in the body, however small. Shift your attention back and forth slowly: ease- tension- ease.   E- Engage: engage socially, even if in only a small way. Connect with someone who can support you.   Here’s the link to SCOPE on the Somatic Experiencing International website, made freely available to the public: SCOPE Wishing you and your loved ones safety and ease, wherever you are.

Somatic Experiencing (SE), pioneered by Peter Levine , is a healing body-centered somatic therapy practice. This approach incorporates a variety of tools and practices to promote an internal sense of safety, regulation, and agency. Practitioners receive certification from Somatic Experiencing International . Goals of Somatic Therapy Sessions: The primary goal of SE sessions is to regulate the nervous system and enhance nervous system resilience. Although conversations are part of the process similar to traditional therapy, the emphasis in SE is on enhancing sensory awareness. Additionally, the approach involves exploring movement impulses, addressing nervous system activation levels, developing a keen sense of personal boundaries, and more. Unlike conventional talk therapy, touch may be incorporated into sessions, always with explicit consent. Advantages of a Somatic Experiencing Approach: Gain the ability to confidently navigate through once intimidating situations with reduced fear Enhanced comfort for the body, reducing discomfort Improved capability at handling stressful events Have more agency in how you respond to triggering experiences Improved interpersonal communication abilities Better sleep quality, reduced anxiety levels, increased concentration, and heightened motivation. And much more!   It is valuable to consider the option of engaging in somatic therapy, traditional psychotherapy, or a combination of both. Reasons to consider somatic experiencing sessions alongside, or instead of, traditional psychotherapy : There is unresolved nervous system activation, overwhelming emotion, or uncomfortable body sensations that don’t seem to improve much with talk therapy You’re tired of talking about  the trauma, and you’d like to help your nervous system recover  from it You’ve been in talk therapy for awhile and feel you’d like to go deeper You've been through an accident, challenging medical procedure, or other traumatic experience, and you are experiencing unwelcome sensations such as tension, anxiety, physical discomfort, emotional distress, or intrusive thoughts.   When new clients express any of the above motivations for transitioning to somatic therapy, I recommend the incorporation of both Somatic Experiencing (SE) and their current talk therapy simultaneously, at least initially. This approach can offer a more comprehensive form of support and establish a platform for integrating the insights gained through therapeutic conversations.   Further resources: Here are some further resources to explore when considering somatic therapies: ·    Article in Psychology Today: Somatic Therapy  ·    From VeryWell Mind: What is Somatic Therapy ? ·    From Harvard Health: What is somatic therapy ? ·    From Everyday Health: Somatic Therapy : What is it and How Does it work ? I also would recommend reading Peter Levine’s book, Healing Trauma . This is an accessible way for you to get started with some somatic tools on your own.   Thanks for reading, and as always feel free to reach out with questions via my website’s contact page , or peruse further resources here .