Body-based care for transitional times

Support for birth, death, and the many beginnings & endings in between

Somatic:

of, relating to, or affecting the body; also an umbrella term for therapeutic modalities that focus on the body & the nervous system

Doula:

a person who provides non-medical care (emotional, logistical, educational, physical) through significant life experiences (birth, death, illness, transitions)

Hi there! I’m Ash.

And I’d love to be a companion on your journey, supporting you as you navigate all the ups & downs that come with having a body & being a person.

Animals in the wild know how to navigate birth, death, and stressful events—they go into activated nervous systems states and intuitively know how to come back to a relaxed baseline. The human animal knows how to navigate this terrain too, but we live world that has separated us from the language of the body, the cycles of the earth, and the support of community—all the things we need to prevent trauma and feel safe.

My work as a somatic practitioner & doula is supporting people in actually hearing what their bodies have to say and (re)teaching people some of the skills that the body already knows. This work can feel slow & subtle, but over time transforms the way that people interact with their self and the world around them.

Is somatic support like therapy?

Sorta! It’s also really different: I typically don’t work with people in active crisis, I have a different set of skills, and I don’t diagnose. Many of the people I work with also see a psychotherapist who supports their ability to process things verbally, but sometimes they feel like something is missing—some people feel disconnected from their physical body and want support specifically around that. As a somatic practitioner I offer a space where people can learn about how bodies work, practice listening to their unique body with compassion & patience, and explore different tools for bringing those listening skills into everyday moments.

Is working with a doula like having a midwife?

Nope! A doula provides emotional, physical, mental, informational, logistical, and / or spiritual support but doesn’t provide any medical-related care or advise from a medical perspective. Many of my doula clients appreciate having a support person who is dedicated solely to their emotional wellbeing during birth, death, or other health-related experiences (surgeries, appointments, etc.) and who can be with them before / during / after in a way that a doctor simply can’t. Doulas help create care plans, find resources, ask questions, and generally help people to feel witnessed while interacting with a fast-paced medical system.

What sorts of things do people bring to your sessions?

Some common themes include: wanting support before / during / after difficult life transitions (birth, death, beginnings, endings), wanting to feel more connected to the body, practice being in the present moment, boundaries, consent, caregiver burnout, increasing capacity for self care, loss of identity, chronic illness, desire to transform old patterns, medical trauma & difficult encounters with the medical system, collective & personal grief, patterns of fear / anxiety, feeling stuck and wanting to try a new type of support, and physical or emotional pain.