Knowing what to do isn’t always enough
You may understand the change you want to make and have a clear plan for moving forward, yet still find yourself hesitating, avoiding, becoming overwhelmed or returning to familiar patterns.
This is because change is not only a matter of thinking differently. Your emotions and bodily responses can also influence what feels possible, safe or right for you.
Somatic approaches bring these responses into the coaching process, helping the changes you make feel authentic, rather than forced.
What does “somatic” mean?
In coaching, a somatic approach involves paying attention to bodily sensations and responses alongside your thoughts, feelings and behaviour. Noticing how your body responds to a situation, decision or possible action can help us identify what is blocking progress and what supports you in moving forward.
How can somatic approaches help?
Somatic approaches may be helpful when:
- You know what you want to do but repeatedly struggle to do it
- Stress or overwhelm makes it difficult to think clearly or take action
- You avoid situations in which you may be seen, judged or evaluated
- Perfectionism or fear of getting something wrong holds you back
- A setback or difficult experience has affected your confidence
- Changes to your health and wellbeing are difficult to sustain
- Your thoughts say “yes,” but another part of you seems to resist
By noticing and addressing what happens emotionally and physically, we can work towards behavioural change with less internal conflict.
Change that feels more aligned
Sometimes people try to create change by pushing harder, being more disciplined or overriding how they feel. This may work temporarily, but it can be difficult to sustain when the change continues to feel uncomfortable or internally conflicted.
Somatic coaching does not mean waiting until every action feels easy. It helps you understand and respond to the feelings and bodily reactions accompanying change, so that you can act with greater awareness, choice and confidence.
The aim is for new behaviour to feel increasingly congruent with who you are and what matters to you, rather than simply like something you believe you should be doing.
Part of a tailored coaching approach
Somatic coaching is just one way of working within a broader coaching psychology process.
Your coaching will be tailored to you. We may draw on somatic awareness alongside psychological understanding, reflective conversation and practical action. Where appropriate, other specialist approaches may also be considered.
Is somatic coaching right for me?
You do not need any previous experience of body-based approaches. You only need to be willing to approach your goal with curiosity and notice more than your thoughts alone.
Somatic coaching remains focused on your present situation, your chosen goal and the change you want to create. It is not a form of trauma treatment or a replacement for psychological therapy.
A free discovery call gives us an opportunity to discuss what you would like to change and whether this approach might be helpful for you.