Somatic ‘relational’ therapy = somatic therapy + relational therapy.

The Somatic Therapy techniques are ESSENTIAL to help you feel safe in your own body, but they are just part of the therapy picture.

Somatic therapy techniques help you listen to the wisdom of your body but an equally important aspect of our session is the therapeutic relationship between you and me.

Why? Because it’s likely that you’ve been harmed/upset/rejected in relationship and the route to your healing is through relationship.

Feeling safe, seen, and accepted in the presence of another human helps rewire old patterns and teaches your nervous system: “Oh… it’s safe to connect.”

Neuroplasticity and emotional growth happens when we heal through relationship. 

Yes, you may have been hurt in relationship with others, but let’s look at how you can heal by understanding yourself and your patterns with others.

READ MORE: https://sarahtuckett.com.au/somatic-relational-therapy-whats-it-all-about/

Somatic therapy is good for people who want some form of support as they experience issues in their life that affect their emotional or mental health.

Over the past 10 years I’ve helped hundreds of people recover from:

• Anxiety and panic attacks
• Depression
• Stress and burnout
• Emotional crisis
• Relationship issues
• Loneliness and isolation
• Overwhelm about job or parenting
• Grief (humans and four-legged companions)
• Life transitions e.g. relationship change, menopause
• Trauma:
  • PTSD (single event trauma)
  • Complex trauma (repeated or prolonged trauma)
  • Developmental or relational trauma (difficult childhood which is impacting how you relate to people – aka attachment trauma)
  • Dissociation (a protective mechanism of the nervous system that many trauma survivors experience – it makes you feel like you are ‘out of your body’ or ‘not really here’)
  • Somatisation of distress resulting in chronic pain conditions (e.g. Fibromyalgia and Functional Neurological Disorder) and Autoimmune disease.

READ MORE: https://sarahtuckett.com.au/somatic-psychotherapy-north-brisbane/

Yes absolutely! A very important part of somatic therapy is about helping you regulate your nervous system and ‘calm the farm’.

Often, the very first thing I do with new clients is to explore which of the many calming polyvagal regulation techniques you prefer. I want to give you tools or resources so that you can regulate (calm) your nervous system with me (co-regulation) and without me (self-regulation).

There are heaps of different techniques. Some involve self-touch (like a self-hug for example), breathing techniques and some involve movement.

I won’t be offended if you don’t like technique A or B. I’ll simply offer you C and D (and so on) until we find something that DOES work for you. We all like different things, so there are lots of techniques you can try.

And when you’re ready, we can look at what’s underneath/causing the anxiety.

Read more:  https://sarahtuckett.com.au/anxiety-counselling-north-brisbane/

When you’re in a talk therapy session (like CBT or ACT for example) you are using your amazing mammalian brain to think about your thinking. You are trying to get cognitive insight into your behaviour and thoughts.  This is really important and it’s PART of how we create positive change for you.

However… Cognitive insight doesn’t automatically rewire the body and create change.

You can understand your attachment style, your triggers, and how your childhood impacts you in the present time — but it can feel like your NERVOUS SYSTEM and BODY haven’t quite got the memo. That’s likely because you’ve had a cognitive, or ‘top-down’ approach so far, and we need to work with your body and nervous system. Learning how to regulate your nervous system and processing emotions and other information at a deeper, ‘felt’ level.

This is especially important if you are someone who ‘intellectualises’ everything. You live in your brain and feel a bit disconnected from your body.

That’s why Somatic therapy is often called a “bottom-up” approach: teaching your body and nervous system that you are safe, not just your brain.

READ MORE: https://sarahtuckett.com.au/somatic-psychotherapy-north-brisbane/

People often search for somatic therapy when they need help processing trauma. The reason somatic therapy is helpful in processing trauma, is because it focuses on your nervous system state, and when we have experienced trauma we often get stuck in one of those states (flight/fight/freeze/collapse/fawn). The trauma becomes ‘stuck’ in the body.

What we want to do is help the body and mind safely and gently process and release the trauma – when it feels ready to.

We might work on

• Nervous system regulation
• Dissociation (feeling like you’ve left your body, or not really feeling ‘here’)
• Trauma. Whether it’s single event trauma (PTSD) or complex trauma (repeated or prolonged trauma)
• Trauma is often relational or developmental trauma (a difficult childhood affecting how you relate to people as an adult). You might also think of it as attachment issues.
• Often the body will express your internal distress through ‘somatisation’ e.g.chronic pain or autoimmune diseases

I follow a 3-stage trauma-informed approach to working with clients:

1. Establishing safety and stabilization – teaching you tools for self-soothing and self-regulation so that you feel calmer and in control.
2. (When you feel ready) processing past hurts, exploring what’s behind limiting self-beliefs and unhelpful patterns of behaviour.
3. Integrating your new way of being in the world into your life.

READ MORE:  https://sarahtuckett.com.au/somatic-relational-therapy-whats-it-all-about/

Yes! I estimate that 80% of my clientele have some form of neurodiversity. I adapt sessions to meet all my clients needs and preferences READ: Somatic therapy for neurodiversity

I alter my sessions for every single client, neurodivergent or neurotypical. I work with what comes in my door that day. What you’ve just experienced that day or what’s been on your mind. Some people like the ‘manualised’ structure of CBT for example, but that’s not my thing. I like to have flexibility to tailor the session to whatever you need that day.

But here is how I specifically alter somatic therapy sessions for neurodiverse clients:

• I’ll be conscious of other sensory needs – lighting, temperature, textures you touch – and ask you to ask for what YOU need. Therapy is all about you, not a rigid idea of “how therapy should look.”

• You don’t need to sit perfectly still like a good girl/boy. Quite the opposite. I’ll invite you to kick off your shoes, put your feet up on the sofa and keep searching for comfort in your body. Or sit on the exercise ball so you can bounce and wiggle to your heart’s content. If you need to keep repositioning your body, go for it.

• I’ve got things you can fidget with or bring your own. Feel free to stim away. I’ve also got a billion cushions and things to cuddle.

• My studio is one place you can safely drop the mask, if that’s what you want (it may not feel safe at first). You don’t have to make eye contact if that’s something that drains your energy. You can also ask me to look away so it doesn’t feel like you’re in the spotlight.

• I’m happy to send extra reminders if you are someone who has difficulty remembering appointments E.g. additional cheeky SMS reminders

Read more: https://sarahtuckett.com.au/somatic-therapy-neurodivergent/

Our first somatic therapy session is all about getting to know each other and giving you some simple tools for self-soothing (nervous system regulation). First, I’ll get you to fill in a consent form to give me some information about you and make sure that you are aware of what our therapy journey is going to consist of. I get a snapshot of your life such as what you do for work, your relationships with the important people in your life, what your childhood was like and so on.

As part of this therapy session, I want to help you learn how to self-soothe and self-regulate. This first session is all about noticing the sensations in the body and doing some easy techniques to learn how to calm and soothe yourself.

In subsequent sessions We may dive further into something we were discussing in the last session or you may come to me with an “OMG, this thing just happened to me this week and I need to tell someone about it.”

When you’re starting to feel emotional about something we’re discussing you have the choice to pause and regulate, or to dive into it. We’ll look at where you’re experiencing the emotion in your body and I’ll start to get you to use your imagination to visualise it — If you have a knot in your stomach or a heavy weight in your chest, what size does it feel like? What colour does it feel like? What texture does it feel like?

When you feel comfortable, we will start to incorporate changes to posture, movement and breathing.  How are you moving? How are you not moving?  What would feel ‘good’ to you right now.

READ MORE: https://sarahtuckett.com.au/anxiety-counselling-north-brisbane/#whattoexpect

Somewhere between one and many, depending on your motivation, your history and your time/energy/money.

Some people just want a few somatic therapy sessions and some stay for years.

If you’ve had a traumatic childhood and have experienced complex trauma we are not going to be able sort that out in 3 sessions. But if you’ve had a relatively easy-breezy life so far and merely want to process some feelings about your partner, then maybe that would be just a few sessions.

The choice is yours.

Read more in my blog: https://sarahtuckett.com.au/how-many-therapy-sessions-will-i-need/

Yes somatic therapy is trauma-informed and safe. My main aim is to make you feel safe and help regulate your nervous system using polyvagal regulation techniques.

In the last 10 years since I initially qualified as a somatic psychotherapist, I’ve been constantly keeping updated with the latest training and research. I have regular supervision and I am a Registered Clinical Member of PACFA which means I abide by their ethics and regulations. You can read more about my training here:    https://sarahtuckett.com.au/somatic-psychotherapist-north-brisbane/#mytraining 

Some of the polyvagal techniques involve self-touch: you hugging yourself or holding yourself, for example.

I sometimes offer touch, but it is always with your consent. For example if you were feeling dissociated or out of your body, I might ask if I could put my foot on top of your foot (to help you feel the ground).  Or I might offer you my hand for you to squeeze (so that you can feel your hand). But it is always an offer, not an obligation. And I will always ask your permission first. And you can no without the risk of offending me.

My fee: FY25-26 session rate is $185 including GST for 1 hour. My FY26-27 session rate is $195 including GST for 1 hour.

Health fund rebates are available for BUPA, Medibank Private, AHM, Australian Regional Health Group (HBF, Teachers Union, Teachers Union Health, Police Health, Emergency Services Health, St Luke’s Health, See -U by HBF (prev CUA Health), Unihealth, AIA Health, Phoenix Health Fund, GMHBA, Westfund, Mildura Health, Doctors Health fund, Australian Defence Force, Nurses & Midwives Health).

I am a registered WorkCover provider and can bill them direct if you have a claim number.

Yes. Health fund rebates are available for BUPA, Medibank Private, AHM, Australian Regional Health Group (HBF, Teachers Union, Teachers Union Health, Police Health, Emergency Services Health, St Luke’s Health, See -U by HBF (prev CUA Health), Unihealth, AIA Health, Phoenix Health Fund, GMHBA, Westfund, Mildura Health, Doctors Health fund, Australian Defence Force, Nurses & Midwives Health).

I will provide you with a receipt with my provider number and item code so that you can claim back from your health fund.

The amount of rebate depends on your cover/policy. Please speak to your health insurance fund about cover for ‘Counselling’.

Sorry, no. Currently, only psychologists and mental health social workers are eligible for the Mental Health Treatment Plan under Medicare. Therefore, I cannot accept the Mental Health Treatment Plan referral from your GP. However, I keep my rates as low as possible so that it is comparable to the out-of-pocket gap you would pay to see a psychologist.

Counselling is a shorter-term process when a client has just one issue they are looking for help with e.g. a relationship breakdown. However, they may not want to look deeper than that.

In psychotherapy we’re taking the process deeper, looking at:

• Your patterns of behaviour (e.g. panic attacks or how you in self-sabotage relationships);
• Your beliefs and thought processes;
• How historical events in your life may have an impact on your behaviour now;
• How you behave and feel in relationship with others;
• Looking at the root causes of problems (and how you may have participated in them).

It takes time for these issues to form in you. So it will take time for us to link experiences together and form new patterns. So somewhere between 6 sessions and many.

Read more about this in my blog post: https://sarahtuckett.com.au/the-difference-between-counselling-and-psychotherapy/

No need to bring anything. My suggestion is that you wear something comfortable so that you can relax a bit more. Nothing worse than wearing something a bit too tight so that you can’t relax on the sofa.

I’ll always invite you to kick off your shoes and put your feet up. There’s also an exercise ball if you prefer to sit on that. Or we can sit on the floor on the big cushions/mats.

There are lots of cushions and Squishmallows to cuddle and things to fiddle with.

I encourage wriggling, fidgeting and stimming. Do what makes you feel better.

The studio is airconditioned so we will be comfortable in this Queensland heat.

I’m happy to draw down the blinds if you are someone who is triggered by bright light (but it’s pretty shady here as we are surrounded by bamboo).

There’s an ensuite toilet in the studio for your comfort.

It’s quiet here. The studio is at the back of my garden, away from the road. You can hear birds, the bamboo rustling and neighbours going about their life. It’s private and relaxed.

https://sarahtuckett.com.au/anxiety-counselling-north-brisbane/#whattoexpect

The majority of clients come to see me once a fortnight. Keeping a regular session is key to your progression. If we leave it any longer than that it’s more difficult for me to support you through difficult times, and I find we spend most of the session catching up on your life rather than delving into the important feelings, thoughts and behaviours.

(If you are in crisis I suggest you come to see me every week at the beginning so that I can support you in whatever you are going through.)

We work together within a framework of regular appointments. It’s the regular time together that holds us steady as we make sense of old patterns, childhood developmental trauma and current relationships. We look at past causes of suffering as well as your future growth.

Like learning a new sport or a musical instrument, you need regularity of sessions to make headway. This process doesn’t work with flexible appointment times. Instead we both put aside a regular time for us to meet. This is your time. (If you need to miss an appointment, please let me know in advance and we will see if we can find an alternative time).

Here’s a handy guide: How often should I have a therapy session?

I see people face-to-face in my studio in inner-north Brisbane (Kelvin Grove) and online via Zoom.

I prefer not to do phone consulations because I need to see what is happening to you as we talk. e.g. whether you are tapping your foot in agitation, or whether you are frowning as you talk about your boss!

First of all, I ask all new clients to fill in my enquiry form: https://sarahtuckett.com.au/enquiry/

When I have space in my diary I’ll contact you to offer you a free 15-minute discovery call (phone call) so that we can talk about what’s going on for you and how I can help you. It’s also a chance for you to make sure that I’m the right therapist for you.

I can make appointments for you or you can access my diary online 24×7 (I will send you the link).

My particular approach to somatic therapy requires a level of emotional maturity, so it is not appropriate for people under 21 (our brain is not fully mature until we are 24/25).

It is also not appropriate for people who are actively suicidal. If you are feeling this way, please contact: Your GP, a hospital, a specialist helpline like LifeLine (13 11 14) or Beyond Blue (1300 22 4636).

I do not do couples work – that’s a specialisation that needs particular training and I’m happy to recommend respected colleagues to you.

I do not work with people with severe mental health conditions like active psychosis, schizophrenia and personality disorders. (It’s outside my scope of training)