We’ve all been through things that really shook us up, leaving us feeling out of control, scared, or as though we couldn’t handle anything. Deeply distressing, traumatic experiences can stick with us, affecting how our nervous systems work and even making our bodies more prone to health issues, such as….
- Fibromyalgia and other chronic pain syndromes
- Chronic Fatigue Syndromes and Irritable bowel
- Autoimmune and cardiovascular diseases
- Disruptions in the endocrine systems
- Migraines
Past traumas can also lead to physical, emotional and cognitive symptoms like….
- Anxiety, panic, irritability, overreactions
- Numbness, dissociation, shutdown, difficulty concentrating, brain fog
- Intrusive memories and racing thoughts
- Sleep disturbances
- Mental health issues
Whether you’ve experienced acute trauma (a single traumatic event), chronic trauma (repeated stressful events) or complex trauma (long term exposure to a stressful environment, especially in childhood), here’s the good news: trauma’s effects don’t have to define your life forever! Though our brains and bodies retain trauma memories, we can heal.
With the right kind of support—like trauma informed therapies, mindfulness, bodywork, Brainspotting, and guidance in learning to self-regulate—we can improve nervous system functioning and change the emotional and behavioral patterns that interfere with our quality of life.
Body-based therapies like Somatic Experiencing® focus on regulating the nervous system directly through gentle awareness of physical sensations, breathwork, movement, and completing protective responses that may have become stuck in the body. It isn’t even necessary to retell the story of your trauma. These therapies can be especially effective for anxiety because they don’t rely only on thinking—they help your body to feel safe again.
We hope that you will find appropriate support for post-traumatic growth and healing. In the meantime, here’s a short breathing exercise to help calm your stress response on the spot:
Inhale for 4 seconds … Exhale for 6–8 seconds … Repeat for 2–5 minutes.
For free guided meditations: OpeningIn.
For more information and research on Somatic Experiencing®: TraumaHealing
Lori Volpe
Somatic therapy for anxiety, PTSD, and nervous system dysregulation.
Lori draws from cutting edge therapies that address the mind-body connection, accessing the roots of anxiety, panic, depression, post-traumatic stress, distressing emotions and stress reactivity. Her mindful, embodied approach offers an alternative to traditional talk therapy.
Lori completed the 3-year Somatic Experiencing® program, then a finished a 1-year program to become a Mind-Body Professional. Her coursework has included Internal Family Systems, Attachment Theory, Inner Relationship Focusing, and Polyvagal Theory. She continues with various training and studies that can help foster well-being and healing.
Clients will experience a gentle, compassionate, connected, non-judgmental space while collaborating with Lori to address nervous system dysregulation. Treatment is customized to meet individual client’s needs and goals.
Decades of mindfulness and yoga practice, teaching, and study inform her work and enable Lori to be fully present and attuned to clients.
BA, Sociology, Hamilton College
Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner and Training Assistant
Certified Trauma-Sensitive HeartMath Practitioner
Certified Mind-Body Practitioner
NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM) Professional – for complex trauma
Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Facilitator
