My Approach to Helping
I am passionate about integrating body-oriented practices into psychotherapeutic work to support you in connecting with sources of strength and vitality that are already alive within you as a basis for renegotiating trauma and moving towards the goals that bring you into therapy.
I include methods from Somatic Experiencing - a body-oriented approach to healing trauma and other stress disorders - in therapy sessions, to support you in experiencing optimal functioning of your nervous system. A balanced nervous system is a foundation for strong self esteem, healthy relationships, and feeling safe and fully alive in your being. Learning to balance your nervous system in the context of therapy is empowering, creative and fun and can foster increased resilience in all all areas of your life.
My Therapy Focus
I specialize in working with women, families and children using a trauma-informed-body-oriented approach. I am strongly informed by my studies of Somatic Experiencing, a body-oriented method for resolving trauma and other stress conditions developed by Peter Levine, PhD. Based on his observations of animals in the wild fully recovering and 'moving on' immediately after life threatening experiences, Dr. Levine developed a theory and method to aid people in achieving resolution from traumatic experiences. I integrate these methods into my work, meaning I'm tracking your nervous system, and guiding you to experience greater calm and stability in your physiology during our sessions.
I work with the body through talk, offering gentle and skillful guidance of how to bring awareness to the places it's needed for healing. You can read more about how I integrate methods from Somatic Experiencing into therapy sessions to support trauma healing here:
https:sarahrossphd.comresourcing-pendulation-titration-practices-somatic-experiencing.
Important Factors for Choosing a Therapist
Finding a therapist can seem daunting. It requires a big energetic output. However, once you find a person you work well with, it can be really rewarding. Because the goodness of fit between therapist and client is perhaps the MOST important factor in therapeutic outcome, I encourage people to talk to different therapists, and even meet with a few different practitioners to get a sense of who you want to work with. And then, go with your gut about who feels best. Good luck!
