Somatic therapy · Ottawa & online
Somatic Therapy in Ottawa
When your body won’t power down.
You can know, logically, that you’re safe and still feel your heart racing, your jaw clenched, or your shoulders up around your ears. That’s not a character flaw. It can happen when your stress response stays active after the immediate danger has passed. Somatic therapy brings attention to those present-day reactions, alongside thoughts and emotions.
A slower way to notice tension, activation, and settling.
Somatic therapy with Masood Suliman, RP
I provide somatic therapy for adults as part of my trauma-focused psychotherapy practice in Hintonburg. My work is informed by ongoing training in Somatic Experiencing, along with mindfulness-based and other trauma-informed approaches.
- Your therapist: Masood Suliman, Registered Psychotherapist (CRPO #11921). Read about my training and approach.
- Format: 50-minute sessions in person at 9 Melrose Ave in Ottawa or by secure video for clients in Ontario and Quebec.
- Fee: $200 per individual session. The first 15-minute consultation is free, and no referral is needed.
Who somatic therapy is for
You might recognize yourself here:
- You’re exhausted but wired. Sleep doesn’t fix it.
- Your body reacts before you do. A slammed door or a certain tone of voice, and you’re flooded.
- You’ve done talk therapy. You understand your patterns. They keep happening anyway.
- Stress shows up physically: tension, stomach trouble, headaches, or a chest that never quite loosens.
- Feeling calm can feel unfamiliar, like you’re waiting for the other shoe.
Reactions like these can show up with chronic stress or trauma. Somatic therapy is one way to work with them.
What is somatic therapy?
Somatic therapy is a body-centred approach to psychotherapy. Along with thoughts and emotions, it pays attention to what is happening physically in the present moment: tension, restlessness, numbness, shallow breathing, or the urge to move away.
In a session, we might slow down enough to notice when a stress response rises, what makes it feel more manageable, and what helps you reorient to the room. The aim is not to force a release or make your body respond in a particular way. It is to build awareness and more choice around reactions that can otherwise feel automatic.
Somatic Experiencing (SE), developed by Peter Levine, is one body-oriented model used in this kind of work. Other somatic approaches may use different concepts or exercises.
How does somatic therapy work?
Somatic therapy can often begin without a detailed retelling of traumatic events. We may talk about enough context to understand what you are experiencing, but you decide what you share and can pause at any point.
Sessions focus on present-moment sensations and responses. In Somatic Experiencing, the terms titration and pendulation describe working in manageable amounts and moving attention between activation and something steadier. In practice, that means we track the pace together instead of pushing through distress.
For some people, somatic therapy is the main approach. For others, body awareness and grounding sit alongside EMDR, parts work (IFS), or ordinary conversation. We decide together what fits, and the plan can change.
What happens in a session?
No two sessions are identical, but the shape is consistent:
- 1
We start where you are
We talk about what is present today, in your week and in your body.
- 2
We notice without forcing
I may ask where you notice a response or what changes as you stay with it. You do not have to perform or produce a particular sensation.
- 3
We keep the pace manageable
We may approach something activating in small amounts, then pause or shift attention. Before the session ends, we make time to reorient and talk about what you need after the appointment.
Sessions are 50 minutes. You stay fully clothed and in control throughout. Somatic therapy here is awareness-based psychotherapy that includes attention to the body. It is not massage or bodywork.
Somatic therapy in Ottawa and online
In-person sessions take place at 9 Melrose Ave in Hintonburg, near Wellington Village and a short walk from Tunney’s Pasture. I also offer secure virtual somatic therapy to adults in Ontario and Quebec.
For online sessions, we plan for privacy, interruptions, and what you can do if you need a pause. Some people prefer being at home; others find it easier to focus in the office. Either format can be adjusted as we learn what works for you.
Fees and practical details
- Free 15-minute consultation: a conversation about what you want help with, how I work, and whether booking a full session makes sense.
- Individual session (50 minutes): $200.
- Insurance: you pay per session and receive a receipt with my CRPO registration number (#11921). Many extended health plans cover services from a Registered Psychotherapist, but coverage varies. Check your plan before booking. I do not bill insurance directly.
- Location and format: in person at 9 Melrose Ave in Hintonburg, Ottawa, or by secure video across Ontario and Quebec. No referral is needed.
Questions people ask before starting
Do I have to talk about my trauma?
Not necessarily. Somatic therapy can often begin with what you notice now rather than a detailed account of what happened. I may ask for enough context to understand what we are working with, but you decide what you say out loud and can pause at any point.
How is somatic therapy different from regular talk therapy?
Talk therapy may focus mainly on thoughts, emotions, relationships, and meaning. Somatic therapy deliberately includes physical sensations and stress responses. The two are not opposites. We can use conversation and body awareness in the same session.
Is somatic therapy evidence-based?
Research on Somatic Experiencing is still developing. A 2021 scoping review found preliminary evidence that it may help with some PTSD-related symptoms, while also noting limits in the size and quality of the evidence base. I treat somatic work as one possible part of therapy, not as a guaranteed treatment.
Is it safe if I have complex trauma?
Pacing, consent, and avoiding unnecessary overwhelm are central to how I work, but no therapy is right for everyone. We begin by discussing your current symptoms, supports, goals, and concerns before deciding whether somatic therapy fits. My guide to complex PTSD treatment in Ottawa explains how somatic work can fit into a broader trauma treatment plan.
Can somatic therapy help with anxiety?
It may help some people notice anxiety-related activation earlier and practise ways of settling it. Whether it fits depends on what is driving the anxiety, how it affects you, and what you want from therapy. You can also read about my broader approach to anxiety therapy in Ottawa.
How long does it take?
There is no reliable fixed timeline. The pace depends on what brings you in, your goals, how you respond to the work, and what else is happening in your life. We set goals and review the work together so you know what we are doing and can change course if it is not helping.
One small ripple is enough to start.
A free 15-minute call. No forms, no pressure to tell your story before you’re ready.
Book a free 15-minute call