“It’s not that settling is good and activation is bad.
Your body needs to be able to do either one, based on the needs in the moment.
Ultimately, your body will learn to activate, or settle, or move back and forth
between the two as you need to, whenever you need to.”
-Resmaa Menakem
After almost 10 years in the field of clinical social work, I realized that there was a missing piece in traditional talk therapy the piece that is so intimately connected with the body and our physical experience. Enter somatic therapy and more recently a more integrative approach including fully clothed and holistic bodywork modalities. I have completed extensive training in Somatic Regulation and Resilience (SRR), a modality of healing that integrates talk therapy with co-regulating touch as well as a complete massage and bodywork program under which I maintain licensure. SRR is especially effective in working towards shifting patterns adopted as a result of early adverse experiences. Most sessions include a combination of talk, SRR, craniosacral and ortho-bionomy. You and I will work collaboratively to decide what combination will be most gently effective overall and within each session.
This work can be done in a more traditional, ongoing therapy structure, through short-term work or through intensive treatment episodes (extended sessions scheduled as needed). Intensive sessions can be well-suited for folks who are from out-of-town as well as folks who are local but need a reset, have a talk therapist but want to add somatic work to their healing or are feeling stuck..
Two days a week I have a therapy dog-in-training, Luna, with me. She generally greets clients and then either lays near you or rests near by offering what I like to refer to as "vibration therapy" (a.k.a. snoring). Having a therapy dog present is believed to " reduce blood pressure, provide physical stimulation and assist with pain management. Social benefits {may include} greater self-esteem and focused interaction" (www.therapydogs.com).
About Me
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Licensed Massage Therapist with over 15 years of experience providing counseling to adults and adolescents. I am honored to be a part of my clients' journeys and provide a warm, culturally-sensitive and collaborative environment for clients to be able to explore and identify the roots of their concerns.
I work individually with adults and adolecents (16+) to address:
*anxiety
*developmental trauma (early trauma, often without narrative)
*relationship issues
*activated or depressed nervous system
*life transitions
*chronic patterns of tension in the body
Education
BA Sociology, Beloit College 2000
MSW Social Welfare, UC Berkeley 2004
Massage Certification New School for Massage and Bodywork, Chicago, 2012
Further Training
Certified in SRR (Kathy Pain and Stephen Terrell)
Craniosacral (somato-emotional release with Carol Gray)
SSP Protocol Certified (developed byStephen Porges- not currently offered)
I am bi-cultural, mixed race and the child of an immigrant, originally from Chicago, and and a parent of two awesome kids. When not working (and it's not raining), I love spending time outside with my family, hanging with our dog Luna who is in training to become a certified therapy dog and curled up with a book whenever I can find a quiet moment.
And, two podcasts in case you'd like to hear more about somatic therapy and me.
https://theholdenvillagepodcast.buzzsprout.com/2171842/13247706-anjuli-shah-johnson