Somatic Therapy in Adelaide
There is a kind of knowing that lives beneath words. It is the way your shoulders lift before a difficult conversation, the tightening in your chest when something feels off, the heaviness that settles in your body long after a hard day has passed. Somatic therapy works from the understanding that our experiences, emotions, and patterns do not just live in the stories we tell about ourselves. They live in our nervous systems, our muscles, our breath, and the way we hold ourselves in the world.
At Temenos Psychotherapy, somatic therapy is an invitation to listen to all of you, not just the part that can put things into words.
What does somatic therapy actually feel like?
Sessions at Temenos are warm and unhurried. There is no pressure to arrive with the right words or a coherent narrative. We often begin simply by noticing: how your body feels as you settle in, where tension is living, what sensations arise as you speak.
I pay close attention to the subtle language of the body. A shift in breath, a change in posture, a feeling that arises in the chest or the stomach. You might be invited to slow down around something that feels significant, to stay with a sensation rather than immediately moving past it, or to notice what your body seems to want to do in response to a feeling.
Over time, many clients describe a growing sense of ease in their own skin. A quiet reconnection to parts of themselves that had gone very still.
The Somatic approach
My somatic work is grounded in Hakomi, a body-centred psychotherapy developed by Ron Kurtz. Hakomi brings together mindfulness, non-violence, and the body's own wisdom as a guide into the deeper layers of who we are. It works from the understanding that our most formative beliefs about ourselves and the world are often held beneath conscious awareness, and that the body is a reliable map to finding them.
In practice, this means I follow what is alive in you. Your words, your body, your felt sense. Rather than directing sessions toward a predetermined outcome, I work with curiosity. This is what makes Hakomi different from many other approaches, and it is often why clients describe sessions feeling genuinely unlike therapy they have tried before.
You can read more about the Hakomi approach in the What is Somatic Therapy blog post, or learn more about Sophia's background and training.
What somatic therapy can help with
People come to somatic therapy at Temenos for many different reasons. Some of the most common include:
Trauma and complex PTSD (C-PTSD)
Anxiety and nervous system dysregulation
Childhood patterns and early relational wounds
Chronic stress and burnout
Low self-worth and self-criticism
Difficulty feeling present in your body
People-pleasing, self-abandonment, and difficulty with boundaries
Relationship difficulties and attachment patterns
Grief, loss, and life transitions
A general sense that something is stuck, even when life looks fine on the outside
This is not an exhaustive list. If you are unsure whether somatic therapy might be right for what you are carrying, a free connection call is the gentlest place to start. You can also explore the full range of support available on the therapy page.
In person in Walkerville, Adelaide, or online
Temenos Psychotherapy is located at 105 Walkerville Terrace, Walkerville SA 5081, a warm and private space that is easily accessible from across Adelaide. Online sessions are available to anyone in Australia. The depth and quality of the work translates fully to video, and many clients find the comfort of their own space supports them to go deeper.
Book a free 20-minute connection call
Taking the first step toward therapy can feel like a significant thing. If you are curious about whether somatic therapy and working with me might feel like a good fit, a free 20-minute connection call is available. No commitment, no pressure. Just a gentle conversation to see how it lands.