somatic & nervous system informed therapy
Repair your nervous system and gently rebuild a felt sense of safety
what is Somatic & Nervous System Informed Therapy?
This approach is grounded in the understanding that healing happens not just through insight, but through creating new experiences of safety, connection, and steadiness within the nervous system. Somatic and nervous system-informed therapy explores how stress, trauma, overwhelm, and life experiences can become stored within the body and impact emotional regulation, relationships, and daily functioning.
Through increased awareness of bodily sensations, nervous system responses, emotional patterns, and stress cycles, clients are supported in learning how to regulate overwhelm, reconnect with their bodies, process experiences more safely, and move out of chronic survival states. This work may incorporate grounding techniques, mindfulness, body awareness, attachment-focused interventions, and polyvagal-informed strategies to support greater balance, resilience, and overall wellbeing.
WHAT IS A Somatic & Nervous System Informed therapy SESSION LIKE?
Somatic and nervous system-informed therapy sessions are collaborative, paced, and tailored to what feels most supportive for you in the moment. Rather than focusing only on talking through experiences, sessions may gently include awareness of what is happening in your body, emotions, and nervous system as you share your story.
You might explore current stressors, past experiences, or emotional patterns while also noticing physical sensations, tension, breath, or shifts in activation or shutdown. Your therapist may guide grounding exercises, mindfulness-based practices, or gentle regulation strategies to help support a felt sense of safety and stability throughout the session.
Our Somatic & Nervous System Informed Therapy services support individuals navigating experiences such as:
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Symptoms may vary from person to person but may include the following:
Persistent Nervous System Activation: Feeling constantly “on,” tense, restless, or unable to fully relax even during moments of rest or safety.
Difficulty Regulating Stress Responses: Feeling emotionally flooded, overstimulated, or unable to recover fully after stressful experiences or daily demands.
Hypervigilance: Feeling constantly alert, scanning for problems, anticipating stress, or struggling to feel grounded and present.
Physical Symptoms of Stress: Muscle tension, headaches, jaw clenching, fatigue, digestive discomfort, chest tightness, or shallow breathing connected to chronic nervous system activation.
Emotional Exhaustion: Feeling mentally, emotionally, or physically depleted from prolonged stress, caregiving responsibilities, or emotional labor.
Shutdown or Freeze Responses: Feeling numb, disconnected, unmotivated, or emotionally “stuck” after prolonged overwhelm.
Difficulty Slowing Down or Resting: Feeling unable to fully relax, stop overthinking, or settle your body and mind even when opportunities for rest are available.
Heightened Sensitivity to Stimulation: Becoming easily overwhelmed by noise, touch, multitasking, social interaction, or ongoing sensory input.
Feeling Disconnected from the Body: Difficulty recognizing physical needs, emotional cues, tension, or signs of overwhelm until reaching a breaking point.
Sleep Disturbances: Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or waking feeling unrested due to chronic stress activation.
Irritability or Emotional Reactivity: Feeling emotionally short-fused, reactive, or more sensitive during periods of nervous system overload.
Feeling “Stuck” in Survival Mode: A sense that your body and nervous system remain in patterns of urgency, protection, or depletion without fully returning to balance.
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Symptoms may vary from person to person but may include the following:
Heightened Sensitivity to Noise or Stimulation: Feeling easily overwhelmed by sound, touch, lights, clutter, multitasking, crowds, or ongoing sensory input.
Difficulty Filtering External Input: Feeling mentally or physically overloaded in busy, loud, fast-paced, or highly stimulating environments.
Emotional Reactivity During Overstimulation: Becoming irritable, anxious, emotionally flooded, or tearful when sensory input exceeds nervous system capacity.
Physical Signs of Nervous System Overload: Experiencing headaches, muscle tension, rapid heartbeat, fatigue, shallow breathing, or a strong urge to escape overstimulating environments.
Feeling Touched Out or Overextended: Feeling overwhelmed by physical touch, caregiving demands, constant interaction, or lack of personal space.
Difficulty Recovering After Stimulation: Needing extended quiet, rest, or alone time to feel regulated again after social interaction or sensory exposure.
Shutdown or Withdrawal Responses: Feeling emotionally numb, disconnected, frozen, or needing to isolate after periods of overwhelm.
Difficulty Concentrating or Staying Present: Struggling to focus, process information, or remain grounded when the nervous system becomes overloaded.
Increased Anxiety or Hypervigilance: Feeling constantly on edge or more reactive to environmental stressors and unpredictability.
Burnout from Chronic Overstimulation: Feeling emotionally and physically depleted from prolonged exposure to stress, noise, demands, or sensory overload.
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Symptoms may vary from person to person but may include the following:
Persistent Muscle Tension: Chronic tightness in the jaw, neck, shoulders, chest, back, or hips related to ongoing stress or nervous system activation.
Difficulty Relaxing the Body: Feeling physically “braced,” guarded, or unable to fully settle even during periods of rest.
Stress Held in the Body: Carrying emotional stress physically through tension, shallow breathing, clenching, fatigue, or discomfort.
Frequent Headaches or Body Pain: Experiencing tension headaches, migraines, body aches, or stress-related discomfort without clear medical explanation.
Nervous System Hyperactivation: Feeling physically restless, on edge, overstimulated, or unable to slow down.
Fatigue & Physical Exhaustion: Feeling drained or depleted from prolonged nervous system activation and chronic stress patterns.
Shallow Breathing or Chest Tightness: Difficulty taking deep breaths or feeling constriction in the chest during periods of stress or overwhelm.
Digestive or Stress-Related Physical Symptoms: Stomach discomfort, nausea, appetite changes, or gastrointestinal symptoms connected to stress activation.
Difficulty Recognizing Physical Needs: Feeling disconnected from hunger, exhaustion, tension, or other bodily cues until reaching a point of overwhelm.
Feeling “Stuck” in the Body: A sense that stress, trauma, or emotional experiences remain physically stored or unresolved within the nervous system.
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Symptoms may vary from person to person but may include the following:
Persistent Mental & Emotional Fatigue: Feeling emotionally drained, depleted, or as though you have little capacity left to manage daily stressors or responsibilities.
Difficulty Recovering After Stress: Feeling unable to fully recharge or return to baseline, even after rest or time away from responsibilities.
Feeling Constantly “On”: Experiencing ongoing nervous system activation, emotional labor, caregiving demands, or pressure without adequate restoration.
Emotional Numbness or Shutdown: Feeling disconnected from emotions, relationships, joy, or motivation after prolonged overwhelm or stress.
Increased Irritability or Emotional Reactivity: Feeling more emotionally sensitive, overstimulated, short-fused, or overwhelmed by everyday demands.
Difficulty Feeling Present or Engaged: Struggling to feel mentally grounded, emotionally connected, or fully present in daily life.
Reduced Capacity for Stress: Feeling overwhelmed more quickly or finding it harder to cope with situations that once felt manageable.
Physical Symptoms of Depletion: Fatigue, body heaviness, tension, headaches, sleep disturbances, or stress-related physical discomfort.
Withdrawal or Isolation: Pulling away from relationships, responsibilities, or activities due to emotional depletion or lack of energy.
Feeling Stuck in Survival Mode: A sense that your nervous system has remained in prolonged states of stress, urgency, or overfunctioning without adequate recovery or support.
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Symptoms may vary from person to person but may include the following:
Constant Sense of Being “On Alert”: Feeling as though you are always scanning your environment for potential threat, danger, or something that may go wrong.
Difficulty Feeling Safe or at Ease: Struggling to relax even in safe environments, with a persistent sense of unease or anticipation.
Heightened Sensitivity to Environment: Becoming easily reactive to sounds, tone of voice, facial expressions, body language, or changes in routine.
Racing Thoughts or Anticipatory Worry: Frequently thinking ahead, preparing for worst-case scenarios, or trying to stay ahead of potential problems.
Physical Signs of Alertness: Muscle tension, shallow breathing, rapid heartbeat, restlessness, or difficulty sitting still.
Difficulty Resting or “Switching Off”: Feeling unable to fully relax, unwind, or let your guard down even when there is no immediate stressor.
Startle Response: Being easily startled or having strong reactions to unexpected noises, movements, or changes in your environment.
Sleep Disturbances: Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep due to a heightened sense of alertness or mental overactivity.
Over-Scanning in Relationships: Being highly attuned to others’ moods, tone, or reactions, often interpreting subtle cues as signs of disapproval or danger.
Feeling “On Edge” in the Body: A persistent internal sense of tension, readiness, or bracing for something to happen.
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Symptoms may vary from person to person but may include the following:
Intrusive Body Memories or Flashbacks: Experiencing trauma as physical sensations in the body (tightness, nausea, shaking, heat, or collapse) that feel as if the experience is happening again.
Emotional Flashbacks with Body Activation: Sudden shifts into fear, shame, panic, or overwhelm that are accompanied by strong physical responses such as rapid heartbeat, muscle tension, or breath changes.
Hypervigilance & Nervous System Activation: The body remaining in a prolonged state of alertness, scanning for danger and staying physiologically “on guard” even in safe environments.
Dorsal Shutdown or Dissociation: Feeling numb, disconnected, frozen, foggy, or “not in your body” as a protective response when overwhelm becomes too much.
Difficulty Regulating the Nervous System: Struggling to move between states of activation and rest, often feeling stuck in survival responses like fight, flight, freeze, or fawn.
Chronic Physical Tension: Persistent tightness, bracing, or holding patterns in the jaw, shoulders, chest, stomach, or throughout the body.
Startle Response & Sensory Sensitivity: Being easily startled or physically reactive to sound, touch, tone, or environmental changes.
Sleep Disruptions & Night Activation: Difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, or experiencing nightmares and body-based restlessness at night.
Somatic Memory Triggers: The body reacting to reminders of trauma (smells, places, sensations, or relational dynamics) before the mind is fully aware of the trigger.
Fatigue from Nervous System Dysregulation: Deep exhaustion resulting from prolonged states of activation, shutdown, or cycling between survival responses.
Difficulty Feeling Safe in the Body: A persistent sense of unease, disconnection, or inability to fully inhabit the body without tension or alertness.
Relational Nervous System Patterns: The body responding to relationships with protective strategies such as withdrawal, appeasement, over-control, or emotional shutdown.
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Symptoms may vary from person to person but may include the following:
Rapid Emotional Shifts: Experiencing emotions that rise quickly in intensity and feel difficult to slow down or regulate once activated.
Nervous System Overactivation: The body moving into states of fight or flight (racing heart, tension, agitation) during emotional triggers or stress.
Difficulty Returning to Baseline: Feeling “stuck” in emotional activation long after the triggering event has passed.
Emotional Flooding: Becoming quickly overwhelmed by emotions that feel larger than what the current situation seems to warrant.
Somatic Signs of Reactivity: Physical sensations such as shaking, heat, chest tightness, clenched jaw, or shallow breathing during emotional distress.
Impulsive or Reactive Responses: Acting or speaking quickly from an activated nervous system state before there is time to pause or reflect.
Shutdown or Freeze After Activation: Moving from heightened emotion into numbness, disconnection, or emotional collapse once overwhelmed.
Heightened Sensitivity to Triggers: Strong emotional and physical reactions to tone, conflict, perceived rejection, or relational stress.
Difficulty Accessing Regulation Skills in the Moment: Knowing coping strategies cognitively but struggling to access them when the nervous system is activated.
Relational Dysregulation Patterns: Emotional intensity that shows up most strongly in close relationships due to attachment and nervous system activation.
Feeling “Hijacked” by Emotion: A sense that emotions take over, making it difficult to stay grounded, present, or connected to a sense of choice.
After-Effects of Emotional Activation: Fatigue, shame, guilt, or exhaustion following periods of heightened emotional reactivity.
Investment Structure & Pricing Plans
At this time, Crescent Counseling & Consulting, LLC is not paneled with any insurances. We elect to remain out-of-network in order to best protect you and your confidentiality; maintain the ability to decide the type and time-frame of treatment that best fits you and your needs; and to avoid having to give a preemptive mental health disorder diagnosis.
These rates honor and reflect the dedication that our clinicians have to provide the highest quality care. We regularly receive continuing education, pursue advanced credentials, and engage in consultation to ensure that you receive the gold standard of care.
With that being said, we understand that finances are a significant consideration when seeking quality mental health care. If you find yourself in a situation where reduced fees would be of service, we do have a select number of reduced fee sessions available. We also hold the ability to provide you with a superbill after each session for you to submit to your insurance for potential reimbursement.
Payment options include Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express, or Health Savings Account (HSA) cards that can be charged like a credit card.
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When it comes to establishing a therapeutic relationship, no one is a perfect fit for everyone.
I offer a complimentary 15 minute consultation call for you to get to know me, ask any initial questions you may have about the therapy process, and to allow me to assess and ensure your needs are within my scope of practice.
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These sessions are the perfect fit if you need to be more mindful of budget and/or scheduling.
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These are the most commonly selected sessions - sessions range anywhere from 45-60 minutes and are offered on a weekly, biweekly, or monthly basis.
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These sessions are most commonly used for initial intake sessions - though, if preferred, can be offered upon client request.
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EMDR Intensives are set up to provide multiple sessions of EMDR over a 1, 2, or 3 day period. They are cost effective and are well suited to those with busy schedules or who want to find relief from symptoms and traumatic distress more quickly than ongoing weekly EMDR sessions can provide.