SOMATIC THERAPY & YOGA THERAPY
Many people who seek one-to-one sessions are looking to heal in some way. This work honours that instinct—supporting a deeper relationship with the body’s intelligent, natural healing mechanisms and guiding you on a self-healing journey.
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I work with individuals experiencing anxiety, unease, depression, and various expressions of physical imbalance or dis-ease. Often, the path to healing begins by befriending the nervous system and coming into a more compassionate, connected relationship with oneself.
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Together, we explore a personalised synthesis of somatic practices including fascia and repatterning work, yoga, pranayama, and embodied inquiry. These sessions are tailored to meet you exactly where you are—offering a “for you” approach that gently supports your unique process.
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Without relying on traditional talk therapy, we work gradually and collaboratively. I offer reflections, somatic invitations, and space for your system to speak and guide the work. Through open inquiry and embodied presence, we listen deeply to the cues of your body.
TOP - DOWN​ & BOTTOM UP PROCESSING
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Traditional talk therapies often engage top-down processing, where the prefrontal cortex draws on current and past information to interpret a situation and guide the body’s response. This approach relies on logic, planning, and conscious awareness—encouraging individuals to identify, challenge, and change unhelpful thoughts and behaviours.
However, during trauma or heightened emotional activation, these cognitive areas of the brain often go offline. When this happens, rational thought becomes less accessible, and top-down approaches may not be effective on their own.
Bottom-up processing, on the other hand, works through the body and nervous system to access the root of trauma. It engages the whole brain by addressing somatic awareness, implicit memories, and survival responses such as fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. By focusing on the body’s sensations and internal cues, bottom-up approaches can help release stored trauma and build a foundation of safety, regulation, and resilience from the inside out.
YOGA THERAPY
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Yoga Therapy is a holistic and integrated approach to healing and wellness. Rooted in the ancient wisdom of yoga, it draws from yoga postures, breathwork, meditation, mindfulness, and Ayurveda—while also incorporating modern understandings from kinesiology, neurobiology, physical therapy, and Western psychology.
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At its heart, Yoga Therapy recognises that true well-being arises when we support the whole person—body, mind, heart, and spirit.
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What Can Yoga Therapy Support?
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Yoga Therapy may benefit many of the body’s systems, including:
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Cardiovascular and respiratory health
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Muscular and skeletal function
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Digestive and immune support
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Nervous system regulation
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Mental and emotional well-being
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Stress resilience and energy levels
Visit the International Association of Yoga Therapists for more information about the field.
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What Might a Session Include?
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Sessions are tailored to the individual and may include:
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Personal discussion and guided self-reflection
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Mindfulness and meditation practices
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Breath awareness and breathwork (pranayama)
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Guided imagery and relaxation techniques
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Dynamic, gentle, or restorative yoga postures
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Somatic release exercises
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Hands-on support (with consent)
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Written reflection or journaling
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At-home practice suggestions
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Common Areas of Support
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Yoga Therapy can support those navigating:
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Anxiety and stress
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Depression or mood fluctuations
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PTSD and trauma
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Chronic pain or illness (e.g., low back pain, autoimmune conditions, cancer)
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Chronic muscle tension
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Pelvic pain or dysfunction
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Insomnia or chronic fatigue
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Recovery from surgery or injury
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A deeper mind-body-spirit connection
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These Sessions May Be Supportive If You’re Looking to:
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Begin or re-establish a home practice in yoga, movement, or meditation
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Complement other therapies or healing modalities
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Cultivate present-moment awareness
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Develop tools for nervous system regulation and stress management
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Deepen your ability to listen and respond to your body’s cues
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Re-learn how to rest, recharge, and relax
SOMATIC THERAPY SESSIONS
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Therapy is a powerful pathway toward self-awareness and healing. Through compassionate exploration of your experiences, identity, narratives, thoughts, and emotions, you can better understand where you’ve come from, how it has shaped you, and how you wish to move forward.
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What is Somatic Therapy?
The word somatic comes from the Greek soma, meaning “the living body.” Somatic psychotherapy is a holistic, body-based approach that recognises the deep interconnection between the mind and body.
Rather than relying solely on talk therapy, somatic work invites the body to participate in the healing process. Our sessions may include embodiment practices, Yoga Therapy, somatic releasing techniques, and nervous system-informed approaches. These help attune you to your body’s innate wisdom—offering new ways of experiencing safety, worthiness, and belonging.
Each session is tailored to your unique needs. Together, we will reflect regularly on your journey and gently adjust our approach to best support your growth.
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Our Work Together
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Our sessions are a blend of psychotherapy, somatics, nervous system regulation, and yogic wisdom. Grounded in a trauma-informed, attachment-sensitive lens, we will:
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Learn and practise tools to calm and regulate your nervous system
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Build capacity to stay present with physical sensations and emotions
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Address and gently heal attachment wounds and relational trauma
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Strengthen a sense of trust, connection, and safety within relationships
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Reclaim emotional and physical boundaries with clarity and confidence
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Cultivate a felt sense of ease, presence, and aliveness in your body
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Why Somatic Therapy?
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​When we experience trauma or disruptions in attachment, it can deeply impact our sense of safety, connection, and self-trust. These imprints often live beneath conscious awareness—held not in words, but in the body.
While talk therapy is helpful, it may not fully reach the places where this pain resides. The body speaks through sensation, not language.
A somatic approach honours your story while offering more than just conversation. It brings attention to the body’s messages and teaches practical, embodied tools for regulation and resilience. From here, healing becomes a felt experience—not just a cognitive one.
8 Week Yoga Therapy Course
Trauma & PTSD Recovery Program
TUESDAY at Newcastle
14 OCT - 2 DEC, 2025
Private Consultations
Zoom and Face-to-Face (in Cooks Hill) options available
160 Australian dollars- 130 Australian dollars
“Lucinda's yoga for trauma course was fantastic. Her generosity and unique brand of compassionate realism in an era of toxic positivity was so refreshing, and really created a safe space for me to do the work. I found the exercises enormously beneficial and noticed tangible changes in my stress responses after only a few weeks. I feel lucky Newcastle has a teacher and therapist like this in our midst."