Relational Somatics
Psychotherapy, Coaching, and Restorative Touch
Our bodies carry the imprint of everything we’ve ever experienced, making them essential allies in the therapeutic process. I believe in the art and science of soulful healing. The physiology and subtle energetic patterns within the body—such as the fascia, nervous system, and other vital systems—hold important clues about our emotional and mental well-being.
By attuning to and fully embodying our inner experience through focused attention, felt sense, and other creative processes, we can begin to shift our physiology and energetic patterns. In other words, cultivating a harmonious relationship with the body can move us out of states of hopelessness and collapse into feelings of competence, autonomy, and confidence. This practice helps align the mind and body with the unique vibration of our Soul or Core Self, rather than with the fragmented or wounded parts shaped by generational and collective trauma.
I come from a multidisciplinary approach with expertise in understanding the impact of trauma and the importance of building resiliency. I have over a decade of specialized experience using talk-based, body-based, mindfulness-based, and transpersonal-oriented therapies. My holistic approach—drawing from Somatic Experiencing, Somatic Internal Family Systems, Body-Mind Centering, Jungian Psychology, and Polarity Therapy (among others)—supports the untangling of complex emotional patterns that may be holding you back.
WORK WITH Leslie
Psychotherapy
Coaching & consultation
Restorative touch
embodied awareness
In the context of traumatic stress, "recovery" is largely defined by one’s ability to regain a felt sense of safety and trust. This means having capacity to process or digest traumatic experiences without feeling overwhelmed or threatened. We grow this capacity by learning to consciously maintain connection to an internal felt sense of safety and support. This enables clients to heal and move forward with their life.
somatic experiencing
“To experience embodied awareness, take notice of the underlying sensations that actually inform you about how you feel. If you were to be asked how you feel when you are stressed or in pain, a common answer might be, “I feel anxious” or “I feel upset.” It’s important to go further by becoming curious about how you know that you’re feeling anxious or upset. Is there a tightness or burning that is happening right now inside of you that you are labeling “anxiety” or “upset”?”
― Peter A. Levine
Somatic Internal Family Systems
“IFS can be seen as attachment theory taken inside, in the sense that the client’s Self becomes the good attachment figure to their insecure or avoidant parts. I was initially amazed to discover that when I was able to help clients access their Self, they would spontaneously begin to relate to their parts in the loving way that the textbooks on attachment theory prescribed. This was true even for people who had never had good parenting in the first place. Not only would they listen to their young exiles with loving attention and hold them patiently while they cried, they would firmly but lovingly discipline the parts in the roles of inner critics or distractors. Self just knows how to be a good inner leader.”
― Richard C. Schwartz, No Bad Parts: Healing Trauma and Restoring Wholeness with the Internal Family Systems Model
Restorative Touch
Restorative Touch is a unique creation based on Advanced Somatic Trainings, Transforming Touch, Polarity Therapy, Reiki, and years of advanced massage and bodywork trainings. These sessions are touch based interventions (sessions are also offered virtually through energetic intention and focused attention) to assist the mind and body in recovering from physical and emotional overwhelm, which can also be called traumatic experiences. These experiences can range from the earliest of moments of life to current ongoing chronic pain. This body oriented touch modality works to create new pathways in our neurophysiology by introducing the intentional presence of safe and loving touch. Using touch, we can have direct access to the physiology of developmental trauma, the resulting personality and attachment style, and can move far beyond the limitations of verbal exploration.
embodied movement
Body-Mind Centering (BMC) is a creative, experiential approach to movement, consciousness, and the body that uses movement, touch, voice, and mind. It was developed by Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen and is based on the application of anatomical, physiological, psychophysical, and developmental principles. This practice is an ongoing, experiential journey into the dynamic, ever-changing landscape of the body. The mind—our thoughts, feelings, energy, soul, and spirit—is the explorer. Through this journey, we discover how the mind finds expression through the body’s movement
“Knowing oneself comes from attending with compassionate curiosity to what is happening within.”— Gabor Mate
HeartMath
“Health is not merely of the body. It is the natural expression of the body, mind and soul when they are in rhythm with the One Life. True health is the harmony of life within us, consisting of peace of mind, happiness and well-being. It is not merely a question of physical fitness, but is rather a result of the soul finding free expression through the mind and body of the individual.” —Dr. Randolph Stone, DO, DC Founder of Polarity Therapy
A brain without a body cannot Think. A body without awareness does not know it is feeling. mind-body-soul.
To understand the truth in our words, we must first be able to feel ourselves. Awareness of your thoughts and actions begins with slowing down and noticing the sensations in your body. Connecting to these sensations helps you witness you’re feelings and understand their influence on your perception and behavior. By engaging with your body’s subtle and unique responses to life experiences, you can navigate circumstances and emotions with more confidence and have greater freedom in how you show up in the world