Anxiety is our mind's way of keeping us safe, a survival instinct that triggers the "fight-or-flight" response even when no immediate danger is present. Traditional therapy often focuses on addressing anxious thoughts, helping us reshape our mental patterns. However, somatic psychotherapy and parts therapy go deeper, working directly with the nervous system to uncover why we remain in survival mode. By understanding and regulating these underlying responses, we can release the grip of anxiety, breaking free from cycles that keep us stuck and moving toward a life of balance and true freedom.

Item descriptionHigh-conflict divorce can be incredibly destabilising, often triggering symptoms of PTSD as individuals process what they've endured. The intensity of the divorce process can reawaken survival-mode responses, forcing people to navigate a flood of painful memories, self-doubt, and anxiety. Many find they’ve tolerated negative and damaging behaviours for so long that they struggle to recognise their own boundaries and self-worth.

During and after a high-conflict divorce, it’s common to feel depleted, disconnected, and unsure of how to rebuild. Therapy—particularly somatic psychotherapy and parts therapy—provides a pathway to gently settle the nervous system, rediscover a sense of inner calm, and begin the healing process. These approaches allow individuals to reconnect with themselves, identify and release unresolved pain, and find a place to resource and recover, ultimately helping them reclaim their strength and rebuild their lives with clarity and self-compassion.

Stress is often the resurfacing of old triggers—reactions from past experiences that the body and mind have stored as survival mechanisms. These defence systems work at a do-or-die rate, carrying an intense, often unconscious charge that keeps us pushing forward. While we may feel that we're just dealing with current demands, the nervous system is actually responding to layers of past triggers, compounding stress and driving us toward burnout. Somatic psychotherapy and parts therapy help to uncover these hidden triggers, allowing the nervous system to release stored tension and helping us create a balanced, sustainable way to engage with life.

Codependency is a pattern rooted in "submit" and "avoidance" modes, where we prioritise others’ needs at the expense of our own, often out of a deep-seated fear of disconnection or rejection. It’s a way of keeping safe by adapting to others, avoiding our true selves, and seeking validation outside of us. Traditional therapy can help us recognise these behaviours, but somatic psychotherapy and parts therapy go further—working with the nervous system to understand why we default to these patterns in the first place. Through this deeper work, we can break free from codependency, reconnect with our authentic selves, and cultivate healthier, balanced relationships.

Complex grief and loss are often at the core of many survival strategies, deeply embedded emotions that shape how we navigate the world. These feelings, left unprocessed, become stored in the body, guarded by intricate defence systems designed to protect us from further pain. Traditional approaches may address the surface feelings of grief, but somatic psychotherapy and parts therapy dive deeper, helping to uncover and release the impact of this emotional weight on our nervous system. By working directly with these held patterns, we can gently soften defences, heal the root of our survival strategies, and open the door to authentic healing and resilience.

Depression often stems from stored, unprocessed pain and emotions that once felt overwhelming. Over time, we build defences and survival strategies to avoid facing this deep inner pain, creating patterns to protect ourselves from what once felt unbearable. However, these defences can’t hold forever—eventually, they burn out, leaving us feeling empty, exhausted, and experiencing a sense of collapse. This is where depression takes hold. Somatic psychotherapy and parts therapy work with the nervous system to gently access and process these buried emotions, allowing us to release the weight of unhealed wounds and gradually rebuild a life grounded in resilience and self-compassion.

Mood disorders are often rooted in repressed emotions—feelings that have been deeply buried to avoid discomfort or pain. While medication can provide essential support, it can sometimes block the receptors needed to fully process and release these underlying emotions, creating a cycle of highs and lows as the body and mind attempt to cope. Somatic psychotherapy and parts therapy go beyond symptom management, working directly with the nervous system to safely uncover, feel, and integrate these repressed emotions. This deeper approach can help smooth the emotional rollercoaster, allowing for a more balanced and grounded experience of self.

Narcissistic abuse can be so subtle that many don’t realise the damage it has done to their self-esteem until they step away from it. Often, strong, resilient people believe they can handle it, thinking they’re immune to its effects. But narcissistic abuse doesn’t just impact the present—it erodes the younger, vulnerable parts within us, unearthing unfinished childhood wounds that are still seeking healing. These deep-rooted needs and unresolved pain become hidden targets, leaving us feeling depleted and disconnected. Therapy, especially approaches like somatic psychotherapy and parts therapy, helps us reconnect with and heal these wounded parts, restoring self-worth and reclaiming our authentic selves.

In CPTSD and PTSD, trauma—whether from significant events or seemingly smaller experiences—leaves an imprint on the body at a cellular level, often stored deep within our nervous system. This impact goes beyond memories; it creates splits and fragmentation within our personality or sense of identity as a way to protect us from overwhelming pain. These fragments, formed as survival strategies, can cause us to feel disconnected from ourselves, as if parts of our identity are locked away. Through somatic psychotherapy and parts therapy, we can gently work with these stored traumas, reintegrating these fragmented parts to bring a sense of wholeness, safety, and healing back into our lives.

Self-esteem and confidence are deeply influenced by our earliest experiences and emotional imprints, often shaped by how safe, valued, and accepted we felt in our formative years. When these needs aren’t fully met, layers of self-doubt and insecurity can build, sometimes leading us to rely on external validation to feel worthy. These patterns of low self-worth become stored in the body and reinforced by defence mechanisms, making it hard to break free. Somatic psychotherapy and parts therapy work directly with these underlying beliefs and bodily imprints, allowing us to release old self-judgments and reconnect with an authentic, unshakable sense of confidence from within.

Trauma is an imprint left by experiences that overwhelmed our ability to cope, often stored deeply within the body and nervous system. These imprints aren’t just memories; they become protective patterns that influence our thoughts, emotions, and behaviours, even years after the event. Trauma responses are triggered by reminders of past experiences, often outside of our conscious awareness, causing us to relive the original pain or fear. Over time, these survival strategies become woven into our identity, creating barriers to fully experiencing life. Somatic psychotherapy and parts therapy work gently to release these stored memories, helping the body and mind heal from within, reintegrating fragmented parts, and allowing us to feel safe and whole again.

Fertility issues can carry a profound emotional weight, often triggering feelings of inadequacy, grief, and frustration that can become stored within the body and nervous system. These experiences can activate survival responses—like self-blame, despair, or emotional shutdown—as a way to cope with the ongoing stress and uncertainty. This can create a cycle where both mind and body remain in a heightened state of tension, impacting overall wellbeing. Somatic psychotherapy and parts therapy work to release these deeply held emotions, supporting both the nervous system and the psyche to process the complex layers of grief and expectation, ultimately fostering a space for healing and self-compassion.