What is a Somatic Practitioner? How does this work?
What most people don’t know is that the nervous system is literally responsible for everything we do—
—our behaviors, habits, and decisions all originate from subconscious neural pathways that have been carved into the nervous system.
In a high-pressure, fast-paced world, many of us are living in chronic states of stress without even realizing it. This constant activation of the fight, flight, or freeze response can lead to anxiety, depression, burnout, and even chronic physical health issues. Through somatic practices, nervous system education, & nervous system reprogramming, I help my clients to recognize these living patterns within their bodies and compassionately guide them toward a greater state of balance and resilience. By working with your nervous system, you can break free from survival mode and live with more ease, clarity, and connection.
Buuuuut I believe in being thorough, and I’m an absolute geek for this stuff,
So here’s the long answer:
What does Somatic mean?
Soma very simply translates to body. Somatics is the study of the body as a living, sensing, and feeling organism. At its heart is the understanding that the body and mind are deeply interconnected—our thoughts and emotions shape how we physically feel, and our bodies hold the imprints of our life experiences. These patterns are often stored in the nervous system, which acts as the body’s command center.
Somatic practices are the embodiment of this understanding: simple, practical tools to help build healthy neural pathways.
Who is Somatic Coaching for?
Whether you’re curious about exploring the wisdom of your body or simply want to feel more present and connected, this work has something to offer you.
My clients might:
Feel stuck in their healing: If you’ve been trying to grow for years without the results you want, somatic coaching can help uncover the deeper patterns holding you back.
Live with chronic pain or chronic health issues: Somatic practices offer tools to reconnect with your body, uncovering any nervous-system related causes (neuro-plastic) and rewiring the body for safety and ease. This can help to alleviate chronic symptoms.
Carry childhood trauma: For those with a complicated story, this work provides a compassionate space to uncover and rewire survival patterns that no longer serve.
Struggle with burnout: High achievers and caregivers alike can use somatic coaching to slow down, recalibrate, and restore balance.
Have relationship challenges: Whether it’s with a partner, family member, or friend, somatic work supports healthier connection and communication.
And my passion? Parents. Somatic coaching helps you find more presence and connection with your children, navigate challenges with flexibility, and model resilience for your kids.
Wherever you’re starting, this work meets you there, guiding you to uncover the resources within your body for a life of ease, connection, and authenticity.
What does a somatic session look like?
Sessions are tailored to you, adapting to your needs each day. Here's what you can expect in different combinations:
Somatic practices: Move out of your thinking mind and into your feeling body. We’ll get curious about your breath, sensations, impulses, and emotions, sometimes through gentle movement or sound exercises. Cringing at the thought? I get it, I once did, too!—I promise we’ll take it slow. Movement and sound practices are often suggested as “homework,” so you can experiment with them on your own.
Nervous system education: Understanding how your nervous system works can create incredible safety. Learning the physiological "why" behind your behaviours and habits brings clarity, self-compassion, and hope for change.
Inner child/parts work: This isn’t about reliving painful memories. Instead, we’ll gently notice the imprints those memories left in your body. Together, we’ll meet the needs that weren’t met in childhood, creating space to heal and move forward with freedom.
Integration practices: The real magic happens between sessions in daily life. We’ll explore easy, no-pressure ways to weave what you’ve learned into your routines, making the work stick in meaningful ways.
Every session is a space designed to meet you where you are and move at your pace.
It’s all about the Nervous System
Here’s the most important fact that most people don’t understand about life and wellbeing:
The nervous system is responsible for everything you do.
Every behaviour you exhibit, habit you develop, and decision you make - originates in the nervous system.
Somatic work is based in the detailed understanding of the human nervous system. Polyvagal theory, a brilliant theory by Dr.Stephen Porges, explains the adaptive responses of the autonomic nervous system, the branch of the nervous system responsible for subcortical (or unconscious) mechanisms & behaviours. The polyvagal theory bridges nervous system science with the practical applications of somatic work. This is how, through somatic work, we can reprogram the nervous system to stop triggering unhealthy (maladaptive) patterns, and instead lean toward healthy (adaptive) patterns.
The Role of Trauma
Trauma isn’t one-size-fits-all. It shows up in many forms, from life-altering events (often called “Big T” trauma) to the quieter, more subtle experiences of ongoing stress, disconnection, or unmet needs (“little t” trauma). What matters is not the event itself, but how it felt to you—and how your nervous system adapted to survive it. For some, even the word “trauma” can feel overwhelming or triggering. That’s why I often frame it as “challenges” or “adversity”.
In somatic work, we recognize that these experiences leave imprints in the body, shaping how we respond to the world. Our sessions are about meeting those patterns with curiosity and compassion, helping your nervous system release what it’s been holding onto. This process isn’t about reliving the past but reclaiming your present, so you can move through life with greater ease, resilience, and connection.
Hi, I’m Kayla.
On New Years Day, 2023, my mind and body fell apart.
It had been a year and a half since my second child was born. A few days later, he was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition. Although I didn’t understand it at the time, the stress and uncertaintly that I experienced in the first 18 monthes of his life wreaked absolute havoc on my nervous system.
I found myself dealing with depression, anxiety, chronic pain, chronic fatigue, and a laundry list of other chronic conditions. I couldn’t get out of bed that day. As a lay there in absolute despair, I pulled out my phone and wrote a letter to myself. It began : “My body has chosen a very powerful time to give me a final warning. I will not spend another day of this year feeling like this. I simply can’t.”
I have always been concious of my health and well being, but this was the day that I chose to go deeper than I had ever gone before. What followed was not a journey I ever could have planned or expected. The right people, the right ideas, the right modalities began dropping into my lap.
I found the world of somatics and nervous system science - and I began to heal.
Fast forward to present day, and you’ll find the woman writing this : 85% healed from the chronic conditions that plagued her, thriving, and absolutely lit up by the work that got her there.
An understanding of the mind-body connection saved me from a life of misery. Sharing this knowledge with you — and translating it into parenting philosophies — is my life’s work. I will never stop learning, never stop sharing, and never stop believing in the power of understanding the nervous system. I can’t wait to experience more of this empowering feeling - together.
Kayla is a certified as an Integrative Trauma Coach by the Aura Institute, and a Certified Somatic Coach by Pause LLC.
