Somatic Trauma Resolution

Breathwork

Emotions are embodied experiences and, as the element of water, we need to be with them in compassionate presence to let them flow and move through us. Without actualizing these impulses and emotions, which are often natural responses to our experiences, this can manifest as parts of us that feel stuck, stressed, defensive, or even inaccessible. This leads us more prone to stress responses and reactivity in our daily lives.

But through the mind-body connection and activating breathwork, we can gently express, resolve, and release this from the autonomic nervous system, softening tension, traumas, emotions, and reactive fight-flight-freeze states stored deep within the subtle layers. 

My focus is on real healing, weaving in trauma science, somatic experiencing, conscious expression. healing touch, integration, and relational elements, not just over-activation for a temporary cathartic high like you see in most holotropic breathwork or even in many psychedelic journeys.

Experience somatic trauma release breathwork to open up to more presence, connection, and creativity. Feel more alive in your body, lighter in your mind, and unbound to the past.

True healing happens from a place much deeper than just words, and that’s this work.

  • My focus is on real healing, weaving in trauma science, somatic experiencing, conscious expression. healing touch, integration, and relational elements, not just over-activation for a temporary cathartic high like you see in most holotropic breathwork or even in many psychedelic journeys.

    My sessions and pace are unique to you and your nervous system, so I leverage more general somatic embodiment and focus on stabilization or more biodynamic breathwork as needed. I also weave in brainspotting, and energetic based breath to open the subtle body’s capacity to process and change.

  • The body, as the first layer of mindfulness, supports us in deeper inner awareness and connection to our present moment experience.

    The breath, which means spirit or life force across languages, revives our vitality and unlocks our infinite reservoir of compassion ad creativity, opening us up to intimate connections to ourselves, others, and to life.

    Activating breathwork in particular is used to access the layers of the autonomic nervous system through stimulation, while putting our analytical and intellectual mind to rest so we focus on feeling.

    My focus is again on true healing so is not about over-stimulation, and we engage in stabilization or regulation as much as needed, as well as discovering and expanding resources. But without any stimulation, it’s not trauma healing. We’ll find the sweet spot for you together.

  • Trauma is not a pathology, but an adaptive and self-protective or survival response. To heal trauma is to restore a sense of safety.

    Our impulses to traumatic experiences need to be expressed and the emotions realized so the autonomic nervous system’s cyclical process can complete. By completing these impulses, feeling what needed to be felt through compassionate presence, and shedding layers of false identity, we can reconnect to our heart and true self which is innately healing and resilient.

    Trauma can be acute/shock based that’s from a specific event, developmental based from our early life experiences, or from chronic stress and repressed authentic emotions overtime.

    From my perspective, all trauma science and trauma healing is about actual healing, so although not everyone has experienced or identifies with explicit trauma, the inability to be present and be your authentic self is something far more universal.

    Don’t get caught up in calling every part of you a trauma response though as that’s not helpful. Instead, use this knowledge as liberation to understand your nervous and attachment systems had initially been responding in a way to protect you. And now, if you’re ready to change, you can do something new. I’d be honored to support you on that journey with this work.

  • The body is the vehicle for us to experience, to live and to feel.

    Somatic healing is an approach that focuses on the connection between the mind and body to help release trauma, stress, and emotions. It works on the idea that our experiences, particularly the ones that are hard to be present with, are stored in the body, or rather create layers of defense, protection, and compensation patterns that keep us in a sense of feeling stuck.

    Healing can come from addressing this through the power of physical sensations and emotional feelings. Emotions that we allow ourselves to feel, using the body as the vehicle, flow through us and complete on their own. Notice how you get butterflies in your belly when you’re nervous, teary eyed when sad, flush when angry, etc. These are the body’s physiological responses to emotions moving through us.

    Trauma overwhelms the nervous system and prevents our natural physiological response to the experience to complete. This makes the autonomic nervous system rigid, stuck in the experience of the past, and the life force of the individual unable to freely express. So somatic healing empowers our innate ability to resolve and release trauma on its own, shedding those defensive blocks and returning to our true self.

    Somatic healing like somatic experiencing and breathwork are bottom-up methods, rather than top-down methods like talk therapy. We let the body lead, rather than the mind.

    See also my somatic trauma resolution brainspotting offering or more broad somatic healing here.

  • Trauma is healed physiologically, because it’s held physiologically.

    For those working through more generalized trauma or healing, in a series of 7 sessions or more together we can move through the body’s belts of tension, starting with the eyes and working our way down through our own inner layers of experience.

    Each belt of tension in the body reflects different dynamics from our fears deep in the abdomen blocking our gut instinct, our relational wounds at the heart, and our authentic expression at the oral belt.

    Shed layers of defensive mechanisms and identity, revealing new creative resources you didn’t even know you had and make new space within. Feeling is healing and we do this together, through compassionate presence.

  • Start by booking a free 15-minute discovery call using the calendar below.

    I offer single sessions for returning clients or those seeking just to try the work. But for true transformation, I offer a 7-session package or a 12-session personalized Integrative Container.

  • If currently managing a heart condition, detached retina or glaucoma, diagnosed brain or abdomen aneurysm, high blood pressure, uncontrolled diabetes or thyroid conditions, epilepsy, experiencing or being treated for psychotic or mental illness conditions (including diagnosed bipolar or schizophrenia), recent surgery/injury, currently pregnant, or any serious medical or mental condition mentioned that you are unsure about, this type of breathwork is not recommended.

  • Sessions are either online from anywhere in the world via live Zoom, or in-person in NYC.

    For those in the New York City area, I always recommend in-person for any of my somatic work as it is more powerful when we’re together. Please reach out to book. I utilize a space in Chelsea, Manhattan.

This work is best for:

  • healing unprocessed trauma

  • releasing negative emotions and experiences

  • stress relief

  • trouble sleeping

  • tension or chronic pain in the body

  • depression, anxiety

  • stuck in a fight-flight response or functional freeze state

  • trouble with vulnerability or intimacy

This work helps with:

  • stress management

  • nervous system repatterning

  • more creativity and access to intuition

  • more presence

  • feeling more alive in your body

  • more connection, vulnerability, and intimacy

  • more ease and softness in body and mind

  • mental clarity

Meet your practitioner

Hi, I’m Susan Reis and I’m glad you’re here. We all have the innate ability to self-heal, to connect, and live a life of meaning.

I’m a biodynamic breathwork facilitator, but I’m also a somatic practitioner, brainspotting trained, crisis response trained, parts work coach, attachment coach, functional breath coach, mindfulness teacher, and understand the subtle body energy system. I bring in all my resources into these sessions, adapting to you and your unique needs.

My work isn’t about fixing, it’s about being.

I look forward to supporting you on your journey.

Book a free consultation and let’s talk.