Somatic Movement Therapy

Somatic Dance Movement Therapy (SDMT) is a holistic approach to healing that combines psychotherapy, dance, and physical therapy to address well-being. 

It focuses on the mind-body connection, using a five part session and movement analysis as a tool for self-expression, exploration, and transformation.

SDMT can be applied to a wide range of issues, including:

Mental health: Anxiety, depression, stress management, trauma recovery.

Physical health: Chronic pain, injury rehabilitation, improving body image.

Emotional well-being: Self-esteem, grief, loss, relationship issues.

Developmental challenges: Autism spectrum disorder, learning disabilities, sensory processing difficulties.

Neurological conditions: Parkinson's disease, stroke, multiple sclerosis.

Key aspects of Somatic Dance Movement Therapy include:

• Body awareness
• Mind-body connection
• Self-expression
• Growth & Healing

By exploring movement in a safe and supportive environment, individuals can gain insights into themselves, develop new coping mechanisms, and enhance overall well-being.

Specific Techniques and Applications of Somatic Dance Movement Therapy (SDMT):

• Improvisation: Spontaneous movement without preconceived plans, allowing for authentic self-expression.
• Imagery: Using mental images to guide movement and evoke emotional responses.
• Mirroring: Copying another person's movements to foster empathy and connection.
• Contact Improvisation: Exploring physical touch and weight-sharing to develop trust and body awareness.
• Laban Movement Analysis: Analyzing movement patterns to gain insights into personality and emotional states.
• Developmental Movement Patterns: Re-experiencing early movement stages to address developmental challenges.
• Somatic Experiencing: Focusing on the body's response to trauma and facilitating release of stored tension.

Jess travels between Melbourne to Brisbane once per quarter. She is currently being supervised remotely as a student practioner and will need your consent to discuss the session in private with a supervisor.

In person sessions are available while in Brisbane and follow up sessions are available online.

@somaticexperiencestudio

In private sessions or through group therapy, Jess incorporates somatic dance movement, psycho-social therapy, bio-energetics, touch and sense therapy, sound healing, spiritual guidance and holistic health mentorship. She specialises in adaptive Bodywork practices and Dance Movement Therapy for women's health, chronic pain, trauma, change behaviour, psychosocial/mental health therapies - neuro-affirmation, silent disability, queer and transgender communities.

Jess is an active member of the queer community and identifies as Genderfluid (she/they). She practices polyamory as a relationship structure and uses relationship anarchy (RA) to navigate new and old connections. Over the years she has built solid communication skills and ethical practices, using radical self care strategies to embody authentic living as a way of life. 

Jess is a self starter and has built successful businesses she maintains today. She has experienced mental illnesses, been a victim of abuse, overcame years of silent disability and life threatening diseases. She offers a wealth of lived experience and knowledge around body awareness practices. Jess is a lover of nature and finds earthing and solitude a grounding practice. She will often be seen in far off destinations camping solo around Australia.

Jess’s childhood was enveloped by an immediate family that shared love through the joys of music, dance and theatre. Receiving formal training at the Western Australian Academy in Performance Art in primary school years, she continued during adolescence to attend various institutes and schools to gain training in music, vocal, dance and theatre aspects of performance art.

They have come full circle with post graduate studies in Somatics and Dance Movement Therapy which is expected to complete in 2025.

Jess is currently leading Somatics Dance Movement Therapy and Psychotherapy sessions under remote supervision.