Somatic Experiencing in Weybridge is for people whose bodies seem to stay on “high alert” even when life looks calm from the outside. You may feel like your mind understands that you are safe, yet your chest is tight, your heart jumps at small noises, or you find yourself scanning for danger in ordinary situations. In my Weybridge practice I offer Somatic Experiencing combined with somatic EMDR, so trauma work happens in a way that is measured, collaborative and genuinely workable in day-to-day life, not just in the therapy room.
We begin by helping your nervous system find small islands of safety. That might mean feeling the pressure of your feet against the ground, noticing how the chair supports your back, or allowing your eyes to look around the room instead of locking on one point. Slowing the out-breath, softening the jaw and letting the shoulders drop a few millimetres gives your body proof that it does not have to brace all the time. These micro-adjustments are simple, but they form the foundation for Somatic Experiencing work in Weybridge.
Once there is a little more steadiness, we map how activation shows up in your particular system. For some people it is a racing heart and buzzing limbs; for others it is numbness, fog, or a feeling of leaving the body altogether. Together we track the subtle changes: when your breathing becomes shallow, when your hands start to tingle, when your mind races ahead. Learning your body’s early “warning lights” lets us respond sooner, before panic or shutdown fully take over.
Somatic Experiencing then works with pendulation: gently moving between pockets of activation and pockets of resource, never forcing you to stay too long in either place. We might spend a few moments with the sensation of pressure in your chest, then deliberately shift attention to a part of you that feels more neutral or even slightly pleasant—perhaps your hands, your feet, or the sense of support from the chair.
Over time, your nervous system learns that it can touch the difficult material and still come back to regulation. This is core to body-based trauma therapy in Weybridge with me.
When it is right for you, we weave EMDR into this somatic frame. Instead of rushing through long sets of eye movements, we use shorter, titrated rounds of bilateral stimulation, staying close to your physical experience. You are invited to notice what happens in your body as we briefly touch on key memories or themes: a shift in temperature, a wave of sadness, a sense of relief. We pause frequently, check consent at every stage and return to grounding if anything feels too much. The aim is not to re-live trauma, but to allow your system to finally update old information in a way that feels bearable.
A large part of Somatic Experiencing Weybridge work is translating therapy into the fabric of everyday life. Together we create tiny, practical experiments you can try between sessions. That might look like taking 30 seconds to feel your feet before you open a stressful email, pausing to notice your surroundings before you walk into a busy supermarket, or using a simple hand-on-heart gesture when you notice self-criticism spiking. These rituals are short enough to use on a commuter train, in the office or in your kitchen, yet repeated use helps your body remember that it has options other than freeze, fight or flight.
As your capacity grows, we explore situations that used to feel impossible. Maybe you begin to attend social events again, sleep without the same level of dread, or travel on public transport with less fear. Many clients describe a clearer sense of the edges of their mood, rather than everything feeling blended together into “too much.” Others notice that their reactions no longer feel so sudden and overwhelming; there is a brief gap in which they can choose how to respond. Somatic Experiencing and somatic EMDR in Weybridge focus on exactly this kind of embodied choice.
We also pay close attention to boundaries. Trauma often teaches people to override their own limits—saying yes when they mean no, staying in conversations that feel draining, or pushing their bodies long past exhaustion. In our work we practice noticing “micro-no’s” and “micro-yes’s” in your system: the leaning-in sensation that signals interest, the urge to pull back that signals a limit. You are supported to experiment with clearer boundary phrases and exit strategies that still feel respectful and kind.
The structure of therapy is flexible so it can fit around real lives. Some people prefer in-person sessions in Weybridge, valuing the shared room and the chance to have a dedicated physical space for healing. Others choose secure online sessions because of childcare, health issues or distance. Many clients like to blend the two over time. We can discuss frequency, length and focus so that the work matches both your nervous system and your schedule.
Throughout, the emphasis is on practicality and kindness. Somatic Experiencing is not about doing exercises perfectly; it is about finding what genuinely helps your body feel fractionally safer, then repeating those things often enough that they begin to stick. There is room for doubt, humour, frustration and relief. You do not need to arrive “brave” or “strong”; your ordinary, mixed feelings are welcome.
If you are curious about Somatic Experiencing in Weybridge, or wonder whether this kind of body-oriented trauma therapy might help with anxiety, panic, dissociation or long-term stress, you are very welcome to ask questions. You do not have to know how to describe your experience in clinical language—plain words are enough.
To find out more or arrange an initial session, please use the contact page: https://www.cherie-james.com/contact. You can briefly outline what you are dealing with, what has and hasn’t helped so far, and what kind of pace would feel manageable for you. From there we can decide together whether working in this way is a good fit.
FAQ
Q1. How does somatic EMDR support somatic experiencing effectively?
By stabilising first with grounding and regulation, then processing stuck moments in short bilateral sets with clear consent.
Q2. Will I learn skills that work under pressure?
Yes—portable anchors, doorway pauses, boundary lines and evening wind‑downs you can actually keep.
Q3. Can I mix online and in‑person sessions?
Yes—Weybridge appointments and secure online options can be blended to fit your week.