Somatics comes from the Greek word "soma" meaning the body in its wholeness - body/mind/spirit as integrated and inseparable.  Coaching from a somatic perspective involves seeing the client as a whole person, more than their intellect, more than their capabilities ... working with who they are as a whole, vital, interactive, living being.

I became a Somatic Coach because I saw my psychotherapy clients benefiting from insights being able to change some of their behaviours but struggling to change who they were at their core.  Their fundamental "self" needed something more in order to grow and evolve. Then I had the good fortune to meet Dr. Richard Strozzi-Heckler and in him I recognised a master from whom I could learn the requisite skills to pass on to my clients.

As a somatic coach I work with you to uncover what we call your conditioned tendencies which have shaped the way you respond to the world around you.  For example, when startled by a tiger on two legs (the kind we tend to come across these days, not the tiger on four legs beheld by our ancestors) are you likely to startle into a fight, flight, freeze or dissociate response? We all have one of these reactions, appropriate to maintain our safety, and it's useful to know your particular default. Then when the tiger on two legs is your subordinate with whom you want to develop a positive relationship, how do you work with this conditioned tendency to lessen its grip? How can you be knocked off centre and return to centre with speed and efficiency? The answer is practice, practice, practice, and I can teach you practices to embody the type of characteristics that will support you in the direction of your ambition.

Photo: Demonstrating centering practice with Rev. Francis Briers at a workshop (with thanks).