San Diego Somatic Therapy

When your body speaks louder than words

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WHERE ARE YOU NOW?

Stress, anxiety, and unresolved trauma don’t just stay in your thoughts; they show up in your body, whether through IBS, restless nights, or that constant edge you can’t shake. At Pathways Family Therapy, we offer somatic therapy in San Diego to help you move beyond typical verbal and conceptual treatment, to listen to and respond to your body, so that you can feel tangible, lasting relief.

WHERE WILL YOU GO?

Grounded in your physical body

The goal isn’t to police your mind or force your thoughts into submission. The goal is to build capacity in your nervous system so you can notice what arises without immediately bracing against it. With guidance, you can learn to decode the body’s signals, metabolize stress responses, and safely reconnect with others and yourself.

You want to be able to inhabit your skin without bracing for the next wave. To stay present in a conversation without your nervous system sounding alarms. To meet your internal experience with curiosity instead of fear. That kind of embodied healing is possible.

Regulation isn’t about silencing the storm, it’s about learning how to anchor yourself right in the middle of it, even when your body tells you it’s not safe to let go.

HOW WILL YOU GET THERE?

Healing felt from the inside out

At Pathways Family Therapy, we provide holistic, body-centered somatic therapy to help individuals process trauma, regulate their nervous system, and restore inner balance.

Our approach may include:

Somatic Experiencing and Grounding Techniques to build body awareness and safely discharge stored physical tension
Mindfulness and Breathwork Interventions to calm an overactive nervous system and anchor you in the present moment
Nervous System Regulation to help manage emotional stress, trauma responses, and physical manifestations of anxiety
Art and Expressive Therapies to integrate mind-body healing and process complex emotions beyond traditional talk therapy
Holistic Individual and Family Support to help you build healthy boundaries, strengthen relationships, and foster deep emotional resilience

Our team works closely with you (and your family, if helpful) to create a treatment path that’s clear, manageable, and focused on what matters most: your healing and long-term well-being.

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Meet our San Diego somatic counselors

Connor Seidler, LMFT

For a highly creative, sensitive spirit, somatic experiences can originate from undue stress, from a myriad of traumatic life experiences, and so much more. These bodily relics or signals matter. They are telling us something, and I’m here to help you listen. I came to therapy through art, and that creative lens still shapes how I work today.

As a Registered Art Therapist, I offer something a bit different from traditional approaches: sessions that integrate mindfulness, creative expression, and body awareness to reach what words alone sometimes can’t. This is especially helpful if you feel stuck in talk therapy or want a more intuitive, sensorial way to process anxiety, trauma, or identity. My approach to somatic therapy is flexible, expressive, and deeply personalized to how you naturally experience the world.

Credentials: Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist #138186, Registered Art Therapist #21-224
Specialty Areas: Art therapy, trauma, anxiety, depression, schizophrenia, addiction, identity, and relationship needs

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Jennifer Phelps, LMFT

Sometimes it’s not just the impact your bodily experiences have on you; it’s how they play out in your most important relationships. It’s hard for others who don’t experience somatic struggles to understand what you deal with on a daily, or even minute-to-minute, basis. I specialize in helping couples and individuals untangle the patterns they keep repeating, especially in moments of conflict, disconnection, or self-doubt.

My background in couples and family therapy, combined with approaches like IFS, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and DBT, allows us to slow things down and listen to what your nervous system is actually saying. If you’re looking for a somatic therapist in San Diego who blends relationship work with body awareness, I offer a steady, practical path forward that goes deeper than insight alone.

Credentials: Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist #146060
Specialty Areas: Couples therapy, relational distress, low self-esteem, anxiety, depression, trauma, personality disorders

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Victoria Perez, LCSW

Growing up can feel overwhelming, and a lot of what kids and teens carry shows up in their bodies before they have words for it. I specialize in working with children, teens, and young adults navigating anxiety, trauma, self-confidence, and family changes, with sessions offered in both English and Spanish.

My approach blends evidence-based tools with a steady focus on how stress lives in the body. If you’re looking for a somatic therapist in San Diego who offers culturally responsive, youth-centered care, I create a space that feels safe, relatable, and easy to step into.

Credentials: Licensed Clinical Social Worker #137980
Specialty Areas: Children, teens, young adults, anxiety, trauma, family transitions, school stress, parent separation, and divorce

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Breanne Dargon, LMFT

With over 15 years in residential and private practice, I specialize in supporting adults navigating complex trauma, major life transitions, and long-standing mental health challenges.

I take a trauma-informed, systems-based approach to therapy, with a particular focus on how experiences show up in the body. I also integrate CBT, DBT, attachment, and emotion-focused methods so that the therapy experience is customized to your unique needs and goals. I bring a grounded, steady presence to this work, shaped by years of supporting people with complex trauma.

Credentials: Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist #99204
Specialty Areas: Trauma, anxiety, depression, life transitions, bipolar disorder, personality disorders, schizophrenia, family support

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What sets our practice apart from other San Diego somatic providers

Body-based work blended with other methods. We combine somatic therapy with evidence-based talk therapy approaches to create a customized therapy experience for each person.
A systems lens that looks beyond the individual. We consider your relationships, family dynamics, and environment as a critical part of the healing process.
Experience with more complex needs. Many of our clinicians have backgrounds in residential and higher levels of care, so we’re comfortable supporting deeper, more layered challenges.
Flexible ways to connect. We offer in-person sessions at two different locations, plus virtual sessions, to make getting support as accessible as possible.
Support that extends beyond individual therapy. We offer a 2-day Family IOP, group therapy, art therapy, and consultation for residential pretreatment and aftercare, all in one place.

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FAQs about somatic therapy

What is somatic therapy?

Somatic therapy is a body-centered approach to mental health that looks at how stress, trauma, and emotions show up in your nervous system. You’ll learn how to tune into physical sensations like muscle tension, panic signals, heightened sensory modes, and bodily disconnection. Deepened awareness and respectful nervous system management can help release you from stuck patterns and build a greater sense of safety in your body.

What does a somatic therapist do?

A somatic therapist helps you notice and work with how your body responds to stress, emotions, and past experiences. That might look like slowing things down to track physical sensations, exploring the great regulating power of the breath, adjusting movement, or connecting body cues to what you’re feeling internally. It does not involve any physical touch from the therapist.

How is somatic therapy different from regular talk therapy?

Talk therapy often focuses on thoughts, insight, and personal history. Somatic therapy adds another layer by including the body as part of the process, paying attention to things like sensory experience, muscle tension, and gut reactions. For many people, especially those dealing with trauma or anxiety, this approach helps access and shift patterns that talk alone may not reach.

Our approach blends somatic therapy with talk therapy, so you can process and explore your experiences and emotions in ways that work best for you.

What can somatic therapy help with?

We use somatic therapy to help with a wide range of issues, including

Trauma & PTSD
Anxiety, chronic stress & panic
Depression
Relationship issues
Identity recognition
Addiction recovery

If you’re ready to begin, or want more information about how somatic therapy can help in your growth and healing process, we invite you to contact our office for a free consultation.

Does somatic therapy help with CPTSD?

Yes, many people with complex PTSD (CPTSD) find somatic therapy particularly helpful. Because CPTSD often involves long-term or repeated stress, the nervous system can stay in a heightened state even when you’re safe. A somatic therapist can help you slowly build a sense of regulation, safety, and trust in your body at a pace that feels manageable.

Is somatic therapy covered by insurance?

Many insurance companies cover somatic therapy, especially when it’s provided by a licensed clinician. At Pathways Family Therapy, we’re considered an out-of-network provider, so we do not directly work with insurance. We do provide a monthly superbill that you can submit to your insurance provider for reimbursement, based on your particular plan’s benefits.