Somatic Touch for wholeness.
Helping to repair developmental trauma and the impacts of stress, with nonverbal experiences of connection, support, and regulation.
“By fostering safety, trust, and curiosity, we can rewrite our life stories. When we bring talk and touch together, we access our innate wholeness and cultivate the heart-centered connection that supports post-trauma growth.”
—Aline LaPierre
"The power of touch helps to soothe the nervous system, restoring a sense of safety and trust in the moment. Warm, safe touch activates the release of oxytocin—the “tend and befriend” hormone that creates pleasant feelings in the body and is the brain’s direct and immediate antidote to the stress hormone, cortisol."
— Stephen Terrell
Hands-on healing for regulation and nervous system coherence.
I offer hands-on support with training in modalities that are trauma-informed and attachment based, including Somatic Experiencing, Transforming Touch, and NeuroAffective Touch. These approaches gently address the physical and emotional imprints of trauma by working with the nervous system to repair early relational ruptures, restore regulation, connection, and a sense of safety within the body. Somatic touch can help support healing from physical, emotional and relationship pain.
Learn More:
Aline LaPierre on What a NA Touch session looks like and why touch for trauma healing
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Somatic Experiencing touch gently supports the body's structures (muscles, joints, diaphragms, and organs) to improve regulation and function. It's not about manipulating the body, but rather facilitating a sense of safety and promoting natural healing processes. This approach can be beneficial for a variety of challenges, including managing high stress or anxiety, releasing tension, processing difficult emotions, increasing body awareness, and supporting the completion of defensive fight-or-flight responses.
Trauma can be held in the body in ways that aren't accessible through simply focusing on bodily sensations. Because early trauma is often stored as "somatic" memories, touch-based therapies may be necessary to access and support these deeper, pre-verbal experiences.
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Our earliest relationships shape our nervous system and our capacity for connection. NeuroAffective Touch® (NA Touch) developed by Dr. Aline LaPierre, recognizes this profound connection and offers a pathway to healing through attuned touch and relational support. This approach specifically addresses attachment-related challenges and focuses on repairing developmental trauma by offering clients the fundamental missing nonverbal experiences of connection, support, attunement, and nurturing.
NA Touch helps build a body-based connection to the experience of trust and comfort.
Source: neuroaffectivetouch.com
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I am currently training in Stephen Terrell’s TEB approach, or Transforming the Experience-Based Brain. TEB is a scientific Regulation-Focused Approach for treating complex and developmental trauma. It operates on the principle that early developmental ruptures can continue to disrupt a person’s life, and It works with a 7-point protocol to build attachment and somatic trust in the body.
Transforming Touch utilizes intentional, often very light touch to help attune and support regulation, fostering safety and grounding within the body. This can help support the release of deeply held tension and the integration of early relational experiences that may be contributing to current struggles.
The focus is on restoring balance and coherence within the nervous system, supporting the development of greater capacity for self-regulation, reducing reactivity, and fostering a more secure sense of self and connection to others. It’s a valuable modality for those seeking a deeply embodied healing experience that complements and often enhances the benefits of talk therapy, helping to repattern early relational imprints at a foundational, physiological level.
Key aspects of TEB include:
* Creating a Safe Haven: TEB emphasizes establishing a secure and trusting environment between the client and therapist.
* Repairing Early Reflexes: The approach aims to repair disruptions in early development by working with the nervous system and addressing early reflexes.
* Incorporating Presence, Regulation, and Relationship: TEB utilizes these elements to facilitate healing and repair.
* Working with the Nervous System: TEB directly interacts with the nervous system to reset neurological patterns and promote regulation.
* Resilience Building: By regulating the nervous system, TEB helps individuals develop greater resilience to stress and triggers.
* Accessibility: TEB can be administered with or without touch, and can be conducted in person or remotely.
TEB is considered an integrative neurodevelopmental approach that can be effective in addressing developmental trauma, even in individuals who may not be consciously aware of experiencing it.
