Somatic Therapy in Petaluma and Online
When we learn to tune into our body experience, it becomes a profound vehicle for change…
These days most people want solutions. Of course, we want to get out of suffering! The issue with this, is that our issues are not just with our thinking and therefore we can’t just think our way out of them! Rather most of our emotional patterns are deeply embodied processes.. If you are here, you have probably tried to positive-think your way out of distress. It may work sometimes, but very often it doesn’t. Our emotions do not play by the same rules as our logical mind— they have their own logic. And it is by tuning into our bodies and beginning to understand that logic that we can experience change. Therapy helps us to contact wisdom of our bodies, and learn to embrace our bodily experience as an ally.
Embodied Therapy
Issues like anxiety, depression and trauma all have bodily expressions. Also when we experience conflict in our relationships, our bodies are intimately involved. This is not some woo-woo theory, rather it comes from decades of research in the study of child development, trauma and the clinical practice of psychotherapy. We simply have more language to describe the neurological correlation of our experience now than in the past.
In therapy the focus is on our experience. Language helps us to make sense of what is happening inside of us, but it is not enough just to have more concepts. We heal and grow by contacting our experience, being curious and seeing what it is bringing forth for us. When we can do that with greater and greater skill, our symptoms become more manageable.
About Me
Hi, I’m Dr. Scott Menasco. I’ve been doing transformative work since I had a revelation in college that my life felt empty. This led me down a path of discovery (incl. volunteering as a wildlife Ranger in South Africa photo included). I began studying psychologies of the “East” and “West,” and in my early 20s I enrolled in school to become a psychotherapist.
Somatic oriented work has been an interest of mine since the beginning of my career. I have participated in many body-mind oriented practices and trainings.
Somatic Therapy Can Help Individuals
Reduce chronic patterns of anxiety and/or depression
Heal from exposure to traumatic circumstances
Learn to express themselves clearly and confidently in relationships
Manage difficult emotions such as anger, fear, jealousy
Heal from perfectionism; develop healthy self-esteem
Navigate life transitions and loss
Bring healing to younger parts, or the ‘inner child’
Explore meaning, purpose; existential/spiritual growth
Getting Started Is Easy
Reach out to schedule a free consultation. Meet with Dr. Menasco to explore what you hope to get from therapy and ask any questions you have about working with him.
FAQ
How do I know I am ready for therapy?
You are likely ready for therapy if you are noticing that something about how you are operating in your relationships, or inside yourself feels unsustainable. Perhaps there is anxiety, or depressive type symptoms. Perhaps you are irritated all the time. You are ready for therapy if you are willing to put in effort on a weekly basis, show up to meetings, apply ideas and practices outside of meetings.
Can ChatGPT be my therapist?
ChatGPT can give you concepts, but it can not give you therapy. Therapy isn’t just about the therapist giving the client ‘tools.’ It is a much deeper, relational process that unfolds over time. Time and time again I see clients flooded with ‘tools’ struggle to implement them. It is an exercise of relational self-discovery between two embodied humans.
How Long Does Therapy Take?
Whether you are actively in therapy or not self-discovery is a lifelong endeavor. I am not saying you need to be in therapy forever. Rather, that the process of healing that you embark on doesn’t just stop one day. If we come to therapy and expect ourselves to be completely changed in three months, or a year, or whatever, we are likely to be disappointed. Is it possible? Sure. Probable? No. Most of the times the patterns we are working on have developed over decades. It’s best to have a healthy respect for this.
All that said, in most cases I expect to see concrete progress after a few months. Often it happens sooner. Sometimes it takes longer. I evaluate this with my clients as we go.