Chronic anxiety
When the worry has a physical signature. Tight chest, gut tension, shallow breath, sleep that will not deepen.
Services · Somatic therapy
Therapy that listens to the body.
Online somatic-informed psychotherapy for adults across Ontario. The body is a real part of the work, not a side note.
About somatic therapy at Anchor & Bloom.
Somatic therapy at Anchor & Bloom is online psychotherapy that pays attention to the body alongside thoughts and feelings. The work is offered by Daniella Simas Medeiros, RP (Qualifying), under the registered clinical supervision of Katelyn Matias, RP.
You do not need a trauma history to benefit. Many clients arrive with anxiety, burnout, chronic tension, or a vague sense that talk therapy alone is not reaching the part of them that needs attention.
What this is and is not
Plain definition.
Somatic-informed therapy is talk therapy that includes attention to the body. It pulls from polyvagal-informed nervous-system work, breath and grounding practices, and slow tracking of sensation. The body is treated as a place where stress and emotion live and as a source of information about what helps.
It is not yoga, bodywork, or massage. There is no physical contact. Movement is invited, never required. You stay clothed and on your camera. You can do this work from your couch.
What it helps with
Where body-aware therapy fits well.
Trauma residue
For trauma symptoms that show up in the body more than in the story. We move slowly and stay within what feels manageable.
Burnout and overwhelm
When the system is depleted. Recovery work focuses on bringing the nervous system back online before pushing anything else.
ADHD nervous system
For the dysregulation, sensory overwhelm, and rest-resistance that often travel with ADHD in adults.
Healthcare repair
For clients who have been disconnected from their body after medical trauma or healthcare harm.
Grief
Grief lives in the body. Body-aware sessions can help when talking through it is not enough.
How sessions work
A typical course.
- First session. A conversation about what is happening, what has and has not helped, and how you relate to your body now. Nothing is asked of the body in the first session.
- Following sessions. Mostly talking, with periodic invitations to notice what is happening internally. We slow down when something is alive. We move on when nothing is.
- Modalities used. Somatic therapy, attachment theory, EFT, mindfulness, psychodynamic work, CBT, and solution-focused approaches.
- Frequency. Weekly is common for the first 8 to 12 weeks. Biweekly is common after.
- Format. Online video sessions through Jane, a PHIPA-compliant Canadian platform.
- Length. 50 to 60 minutes.
Who offers this
The clinician you would work with.
Daniella Simas Medeiros, RP (Qualifying)
Registered Psychotherapist (Qualifying) · Yorkville University MA Counselling Psychology
Daniella blends somatic therapy with attachment theory, mindfulness, and psychodynamic work. She is honest about what she has and has not trained in: somatic-informed therapy as part of her counselling psychology coursework, not yet a Somatic Experiencing or Sensorimotor Psychotherapy certification. Her clinical supervisor is Katelyn Matias, RP (CRPO #10340).
About DaniellaCommon questions about somatic therapy.
What is somatic therapy?
Somatic therapy is a body-aware approach to psychotherapy. Sessions include attention to what is happening in your body alongside your thoughts and feelings. The body is treated as a real part of how stress, trauma, and emotion are held.
Will I have to do exercises or moves on camera?
No required movement. Sessions are conversation-led, with occasional invitations to notice what is happening in the body. You can decline anything. The work is slow, consented, and never performative.
How is this different from regular talk therapy?
Talk therapy works mostly with thoughts and stories. Somatic-informed therapy also pays attention to what the body is doing while we talk. Patterns like breath holding, jaw tension, a heavy chest, or numbness often carry information the mind has not put into words yet.
Is this trauma therapy?
Somatic therapy is often used with trauma, but it is also useful for chronic anxiety, burnout, grief, and any pattern that has a physical signature. We do not require trauma history to do this work.
Does somatic therapy work online?
Yes. Most somatic-informed work fits a virtual session. You are at home, in your body, with permission to take up space. We work with what is available on camera and through self-report.
Are you trained in Somatic Experiencing or Sensorimotor Psychotherapy?
Both Katelyn and Daniella practice somatic-informed therapy. Daniella has training in somatic therapy as part of her counselling psychology coursework. Neither clinician currently holds Somatic Experiencing or Sensorimotor Psychotherapy certifications; we are clear about what we do and do not have.
How much do sessions cost?
Individual sessions are $180. Most extended health benefit plans through Canadian employers cover Registered Psychotherapist services. Psychotherapy is exempt from GST/HST as of June 2024.
For plan-by-plan coverage details, direct billing notes, and how to submit a claim, see Fees & Insurance.
Further reading
Trusted clinical resources.
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health publishes accessible information on trauma and its physical and psychological effects.
For an introduction to polyvagal theory and nervous system regulation, the work of Dr. Stephen Porges and Deb Dana is widely cited in the somatic therapy field.
For information on the regulation of psychotherapists in Ontario, see the College of Registered Psychotherapists of Ontario.
Related services
What often pairs with somatic work.
Start with a free conversation.
A 15-minute consultation to ask questions and decide if the fit feels right.