TARVEHALE "PAZ" SAUNDERS

I believe somatic therapy is grounded in the understanding that the body stores our emotional history. Stress, trauma, and long-term tension shape how the nervous system responds — creating patterns of bracing, activation, fatigue, or disconnection.

My clinical somatic framework recognizes that different bodies need different pathways to heal. Some require slow, grounding work to help the system settle; others need expressive or active techniques to release the charge they’ve been carrying.

Rather than forcing the body to change, I focus on creating the internal conditions that allow it to unwind on its own. Through intentional movement, breath, and body-based practices, we support your system in releasing what it has held and returning to a grounded, regulated state.

Every person holds stress differently. Before beginning somatic work, I assess whether your body needs:

• Down-Regulation

 For overwhelm, anxiety, shutdown, grief, fatigue, or chronic stress.
This may include: slow grounding movement, breath-based calming, stretching, sensory grounding, and gentle unwinding.

• Up-Regulation & Discharge

For restlessness, agitation, suppressed anger, emotional intensity, or trapped survival energy.
This may include: shaking, vocal release, pad striking, punching bag work, short exertion bursts, or obstacle-style movement.

Your body tells us which pathway it needs. My role is to guide you toward regulation.

My approach blends clinical nervous-system understanding with somatic movement, breath awareness, and therapeutic bodywork. Sessions move through three core pillars:

• Awareness — noticing what the body is holding
   
• Regulation — calming or activating the system as needed
   
• Release — allowing stored tension and emotion to unwind
   

Depending on your nervous system, we may use grounding holds, micro-movements, contralateral patterns, breath-led release, or expressive techniques. Everything offered is trauma-informed, permission-based, and paced with your comfort.

Somatic sessions are grounding, intentional, and deeply supportive.
You can expect: a calm environment, guided awareness, gentle or expressive movement based on your needs, and space to soften, release, and reconnect with your body.