Blog

Many breathwork practices promise cathartic release — but is that true healing? Discover the difference between discharge and integration, and why a trauma-informed, somatic approach leads to lasting transformation

In a world that often pulls us in a thousand directions, it can feel hard to find steady ground inside ourselves. The body reacts to stress before we even think about it—racing ahead into fight or flight, withdrawing into freeze, or softening into fawn. These states are not flaws. They are intelligent ways the nervous system has learned to keep us safe. But sometimes, what once protected us begins to feel like it controls us. That’s where gentle awareness and simple practices can bring us back to balance. To support you, I’ve created a free Nervous System Healing Guide—a beautifully designed, practical companion for daily life. What is the Nervous System? The nervous system is the body’s communication network. It links brain, body, and environment, sending signals that shape how we move, feel, and respond. At its heart is the autonomic nervous system, which works automatically to keep us safe.

Do you live with anxiety, chronic stress, or emotional overwhelm?Do you feel unsafe in your own body, stuck in shutdown, or always on edge?Have past experiences left echoes you can’t seem to shake? Somatic Experiencing® (SE) is a gentle, body-based approach to trauma. Instead of retelling the story, we listen to the body’s language — sensations, impulses, activation, stillness — and give space for what was once unfinished to complete. What Is Somatic Experiencing®? Somatic Experiencing was developed by Dr. Peter Levine as a way of helping the body release trauma held in the nervous system. Unlike talk therapy, SE works with the body’s natural rhythm — the movement between activation and rest — allowing survival energy that was once trapped to safely discharge. (To see how SE weaves with other modalities I offer, visit My Approach). The Benefits of Somatic Experiencing® Through SE, your nervous system learns it is

Core Process Psychotherapy (CPP) is not about fixing, but about listening. It invites you to slow down, to meet your experience with breath and presence, and to discover that beneath pain and confusion there is something whole, wise, and intact. What Is Core Process Psychotherapy? Rooted in Buddhist psychology and contemplative practice, Core Process is a mindful, relational approach to psychotherapy. Instead of pushing for change, it invites you to notice what is already here, with compassion. From that ground, healing unfolds naturally. (To learn how CPP weaves with other practices I offer, visit My Approach). The Benefits of Core Process Core Process Psychotherapy offers: A safe, relational space to explore whatever arises — thoughts, emotions, sensations, or silence. A gentle pace that honours your nervous system rather than overriding it. A mindful path that helps old patterns soften so clarity, self-trust, and belonging can emerge. (To see what this

Breathwork is one of the most ancient and accessible tools for healing. By turning toward the breath, we open a bridge between body and mind — a way to reconnect with ourselves, release what is held, and restore balance. Among many approaches to breathwork, Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB) offers a unique, circular rhythm that bypasses the thinking mind and opens space for deeper healing. What Is Breathwork? At its heart, breathwork is the practice of using conscious breathing to bring awareness, regulation, and transformation. Different forms of breathwork have been used across cultures for centuries — from yogic pranayama to modern somatic practices. Breathwork can be calming, energising, clarifying, or deeply healing, depending on the approach and the intention. (To see how I weave breathwork with psychotherapy and somatic work, visit My Approach). What Is Conscious Connected Breathwork? Conscious Connected Breathwork (CCB) is a rhythmic, circular breathing pattern that helps

When life feels overwhelming—when anxiety spikes, sleep is restless, or emotions feel impossible to manage—it’s easy to think something is “wrong” with you. But often what you are experiencing is not a flaw, but a nervous system out of balance. The nervous system is our body’s internal compass. It constantly scans for safety or threat, shaping how we breathe, think, and feel. Understanding it is the first step to healing. (→ Learn more about how I work with the nervous system through breath, body, and awareness on My Approach.) The Nervous System Explained The nervous system has two main branches: Sympathetic Nervous System – mobilises us for action, the “fight or flight” response. Parasympathetic Nervous System – calms and restores us, often called “rest and digest.” When these systems flow together, we move through life with resilience—able to rise to challenges and then return to calm. But trauma, stress, or