Somatic IFS Therapy in Los Angeles
A body-based approach to trauma and emotional overwhelm
In-person in West LA & Beverly Hills • Telehealth Across California
When Insight Hasn’t Fully Shifted the Experience
You may be deeply reflective and aware of your patterns.
Yet certain situations can still evoke reactions that feel bigger than your thoughts.
At times, this may feel confusing and even frustrating, especially if you’ve already done meaningful work.
You might notice:
appearing steady outwardly while feeling unsettled or tense inside
tension in the body or shifts in breath during conflict or difficult conversations
wanting to respond differently, yet reacting automatically
becoming self-critical after emotional moments
shutting down, withdrawing, or going quiet when things feel intense
understanding what is happening intellectually, yet the emotional charge lingers
What Somatic IFS Can Support
This approach can be helpful when emotional patterns feel persistent, reactive, or hard to shift through insight alone. It may also resonate if you are seeking deeper integration or wanting to find ways to improve nervous system regulation work. Together, we work with both your parts and your embodied experience in a steady, paced way.
You might seek Somatic IFS for support with:
chronic anxiety, stress, or overwhelm
emotional reactivity or shutdown in relationships
parts that show up more in the body than in words
people-pleasing and difficulty with boundaries
trauma-related patterns
wanting to feel more grounded and embodied
What Is Somatic IFS?
Somatic IFS builds on the Internal Family Systems model, which understands the mind as containing protective and vulnerable parts organized around a core Self.
What distinguishes Somatic IFS is the intentional inclusion of the body in the therapeutic process. It incorporates awareness of sensation, use of breath, and other body-based practices such as movement to support a more embodied experience of Self leadership.
When Insight Needs a Physical Anchor
Insight can help you understand why something feels difficult. Yet understanding does not always immediately change how your body responds.
The nervous system may continue to react based on past learning, even when the present moment is different.
Bringing attention to physical cues and incorporating the body during the therapeutic process can help bridge the space between awareness and lived experience.
What Does Somatic IFS Look Like in Session?
Somatic IFS sessions include traditional parts work while also attending to what is happening physically in the moment. As we explore a reaction or emotional pattern, we may notice changes in breath, posture, muscle tone, or internal sensation.
When appropriate, we may collaboratively engage in somatic practices based on what is arising in the moment. These are integrated thoughtfully and guided by what feels steady for you.
Some experiences are accessed more clearly through sensation than through explanation. Because the work includes both reflection and embodiment, it may unfold at a slower and more intentional pace.
If This Approach Resonates
If this approach resonates with you, I invite you to reach out. Somatic IFS therapy is available in person in Los Angeles and via telehealth throughout California.
You are welcome to schedule a consultation to explore whether this work feels like a good fit.