Somatic Experiencing Touch Therapy
Discover Somatic Experiencing Touch Therapy
Hello there! I’m Peter Cellarius, and I’m here to introduce you to the transformative world of Somatic Touch Therapy. It’s a gentle, yet powerful approach that can help you heal from stress, trauma, and chronic pain – even when other methods haven’t quite hit the mark.
Somatic touch therapy works with the nervous system to support emotional regulation, relaxation, and greater self-awareness. Sessions are trauma-informed, paced carefully, and grounded in compassionate support.
What is Somatic Touch Therapy?
Imagine a therapy that speaks your body’s first language – touch. That’s what Somatic Touch Therapy is all about. It’s a unique approach that helps your body recover from physical and emotional overwhelm, creating new pathways to reset towards safety, relaxation, and healthier functioning.
This gentle, slow-paced therapy provides critical signals to your body, decreasing stress hormones and increasing trust hormones. The result? A more regulated, resilient you – from your nervous system right down to your vital organs.
What is Somatic Touch Therapy?
Imagine a therapy that speaks your body’s first language – touch. That’s what Somatic Touch Therapy is all about. It’s a unique approach that helps your body recover from physical and emotional overwhelm, creating new pathways to reset towards safety, relaxation, and healthier functioning.
This gentle, slow-paced therapy provides critical signals to your body, decreasing stress hormones and increasing trust hormones. The result? A more regulated, resilient you – from your nervous system right down to your vital organs.
How Can Somatic Touch Therapy Help You?
- Chronic stress or anxiety
- Trauma, especially including early childhood and developmental experiences
- Persistent pain or health issues including POTS, dysautonomia, RSD/CRPS
- A sense that something's "off," or that you cannot settle or regulate fully
What to Expect in a Session
In our sessions, you’ll remain fully clothed as we work together to listen to your body’s needs. Using gentle, attuned touch, we’ll help your body release tension, process difficult emotions, and reconnect with areas that might feel disconnected or numb. I use a massage table, and I use slow, gentle, sustained touch for joints, diaphragms, and sometimes organs. It is safe, respectful, graduated, and settling.
Every session is tailored to your unique needs, always moving at a pace that feels safe and comfortable for you. We might work with you seated, lying down, or even incorporate some gentle movements – whatever serves your healing best. SE Touch is not for everyone but if it sounds intriguing, let’s talk.
Meet Your Somatic Touch Therapist in Victoria, BC
Peter Cellarius is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP), and Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT/EFIT) certified practitioner. He brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of how our bodies hold and process stress and trauma. His diverse background allows me to offer a truly integrative approach to your healing journey.
His approach is warm, patient, and deeply attuned to your needs. He is committed to creating a safe space where your body can begin its journey back to balance and well-being.
Is Somatic Touch Therapy Right for You?
You may be drawn to somatic touch therapy if you feel stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected, or if you’re curious about approaches that integrate both mind and body, such as Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy. You do not need to know exactly what you need before reaching out.
Curiosity, self-awareness, and a willingness to explore the body’s role in healing are often enough to begin, especially when gently working with the effects of trauma held within the nervous system.
If you’re curious about exploring somatic touch therapy, we can talk.
Frequently Asked Questions About Somatic Touch Therapy
What is somatic touch therapy?
Somatic touch therapy is a body-based approach that uses gentle, intentional touch to support nervous system regulation and awareness. It focuses on working with sensations and physical responses rather than relying on talk therapy alone.
What happens during a somatic touch therapy session?
Sessions take place with you fully clothed and are guided by consent and comfort. Gentle, sustained touch may be used while you are seated or lying on a massage table, always at a pace that feels safe and supportive for your body.
Is somatic therapy the same as massage?
No. Somatic touch therapy is not massage. The intention is not muscle manipulation, but supporting the nervous system through slow, attuned touch that helps the body settle and regulate.
Who may benefit from somatic touch therapy?
Somatic therapy may be helpful for adults experiencing chronic pain, emotional distress, physical symptoms, or a sense of feeling disconnected. It can be especially supportive when talk therapy alone has not felt sufficient.
