Somatic Coaching Frequently Asked Questions
What is somatic coaching, and how is it different from traditional therapy?
Have you ever felt like you understand a problem intellectually, but still can't seem to change it? That's because stress, trauma, and emotional patterns often live in the body as much as the mind. Somatic coaching helps you work with both. Through guided exercises, nervous system tools, movement, and body awareness practices, you'll learn how to release stress, build resilience, and create lasting change—not just think differently, but actually feel different. Many clients find this approach helps them move forward faster than talk-based approaches alone.
What does a session look like?
Every session is personalized to where you are that day. We begin by checking n with your body and nervous system, then choose from a mix of tools:
Somatic coaching and sensation tracking
Somatic EMDR for reprocessing
Gentle hands on work (in person)
Embodied movement
Biodynamic Cranial Sacral for deep regulation work. (in person)
You stay fully in choice. The pace is guided by what your system can safely integrate, never forcing or overwhelming.
Do you use touch in sessions?
In-person sessions in Colorado Springs:
Yes, when appropriate and always with full consent. I offer trauma-informed touch through therapeutic massage and Biodynamic Cranial Sacral Therapy. Touch is never required.
Online Sessions: No touch is involved. We work powerfully with sensation tracking, Somatic EMDR, guided movement, and coaching.
Do I have to talk about or relive my trauma?
No. The beauty of somatic work is that I do not need your entire life story to start working with you. We can come up with some idea of thought or behavior patterns that you want to work on and get started. All of the embodied work we do will lead us back to places where your nervous system was overwhelmed and responded in fight, flight, or freeze. This work focuses on the body's felt sense and completing unfinished survival skills rather than telling your story.
How many sessions will I need?
The number of sessions depends on your goals. Many notice real shifts in stress and well-being within 3-6 sessions. For deeper or long-standing patterns, ongoing work brings the best results. If you want rapid transformation, my exclusive 2-day Trauma and Somatic Intensives are designed for significant change in a short time. We’ll tailor a plan to fit your needs and investment in your own healing. Everything starts with a complimentary consultation to explore what’s right for you.
Is this therapy or coaching?
Somatic coaching shares some similarities with therapy in that we work with emotions, stress, trauma, and personal growth. However, I do not provide psychotherapy, diagnose mental health conditions, or treat mental illness.
Instead, somatic coaching focuses on helping you understand and change the patterns held in your body and nervous system that may be contributing to stress, anxiety, burnout, relationship challenges, addictive behaviors, or feeling stuck. Sessions are practical, experiential, and focused on building awareness, resilience, and lasting change.
Many clients choose somatic coaching because they've spent years talking about their challenges and are looking for a more body-centered approach. Others combine somatic coaching with traditional therapy and find the two work well together.
If you are experiencing a mental health crisis or need diagnosis and treatment for a mental health condition, a licensed mental health professional is the appropriate resource.
What issues do you commonly help with?
Clients often come to me when they:
Suffer from C-PTSD
Feeling stuck in survival mode, anxiety, or burnout
Repeat unwanted patterns despite self-awareness.
Seek support after large or small traumas, life transitions like divorce, or the death of a significant person.
Past medical or religious trauma
This work is especially helpful for those who like to “think” their way through life but sense something deeper needs attending.
Do you offer online sessions?
Yes. Online sessions are effective for nervous system regulation, Somatic EMDR, coaching, and movement practices. In-person sessions in Colorado Springs additionally include hands -on bodywork.
What are your rates, and do you take insurance?
My services are private pay only and reflect the quality and depth of the work I offer. You can find current rates for single sessions, packages, and 2-day intensives on my website. Flexible payment options are available, including HSA and payment plans for intensives. Investing in this work is an investment in your long-term healing, growth, and quality of life.
How do I get started?
The best next step is a complimentary 15-minute free consultation. We’ll talk about what brings you here and whether my approach feels like a good fit. No pressure-just honest conversation.
Call 719-201-1243 or use this link to schedule a consultation at no charge.
Still have questions? I am here. Healing doesn’t have to feel mysterious or overwhelming. Reach out anytime.
testimonials:
Growth!!
The growth I've experienced in just a few sessions with Melissa is amazing. I'm working on parts of myself that have been ongoing obstacles throughout my life, but that I've never been able to fully unravel. I cannot recommend her highly enough, and I am so grateful to have found her.
Kara Carroll
Living embodied finally!!!!
When I talk with others about my life, I like to tell them I’ve been on a 20+ year healing journey that’s included a lot of different milestones. Working with Mel has been one of them, and I believe it’s going to be one of the last, marking the end of my total healing. As for many people, talk therapy alone provided tools but didn’t get at the root issues for me. Later, I reconnected to my body through yoga, massage, and other somatic work that was needed and did bring some healing, but without any real specificity. At some point, it occurred to me that I needed the two integrated, and I began to seek a capable guide for the journey.
Mel, her approach and demeanor, and even the design of her office, really facilitate the curious, sensitive work she does. She has a gift for recognizing and drawing out what’s ready to be explored. And I’m always amazed at the creative ways she uses the space, various modalities, and her intuition to invite me to explore. I’ve had more breakthroughs in a few sessions than in years of talk therapy. If you’re ready to do your work, I recommend giving her a try.
Stef K.
Transformative Weekend Intensive
After six months of seeing Mel online, I decided to dive into an intensive session. Throughout our time together, I gained skills and realized how my nervous system would shut down to protect itself during stress. Spending a weekend digging into these patterns really changed things for me. I feel like a completely different person now. I know I’ll need to keep practicing what I’ve learned and stay aware of my progress, but I can't say enough good things about this experience. In just six months, this therapy has transformed me more than ten years of talk therapy ever could.
Audrey S.