If you’ve ever left a therapy session thinking, “I understand why I feel this way, but why hasn’t anything changed?” — you’re not alone.

While traditional talk therapy helps you understand your thoughts and patterns, insight alone often isn’t enough. That’s because trauma, anxiety, and depression become stored in the body — not just the mind.

That’s where somatic therapy comes in.

As a psychologist in Coquitlam, I integrate both mind-based and body-based approaches to support whole-person healing. Let’s explore how somatic therapy differs from talk therapy — and why combining the two is so powerful.

What Is Talk Therapy?

Talk therapy, also called psychotherapy, focuses on exploring your thoughts, emotions, and behaviours through conversation.

One of the most well-known types of psychotherapy is Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT), which helps you identify and shift unhelpful thinking patterns such as:

• “I’m not good enough.”
• “Why can’t I do better?”
• “Nothing ever works out for me.”

These approaches are especially effective for learning coping tools, building insight, and developing healthier ways of thinking and communicating.

However, for many people — especially those living with trauma, chronic anxiety, or long-term stress — these experiences don’t just affect the mind; they leave a lasting imprint on the body.

Over time, the nervous system adapts to stay on alert, muscles hold tension, and the body learns patterns of protection that can be hard to release.

That’s why working only at the level of thoughts and emotions is just one piece of the healing puzzle. To truly find relief, we must help the body release what it’s been carrying and remember how to rest, soften, and feel safe again.

What Is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy focuses on the connection between the mind and body. The word “somatic” means “of the body” — and this approach recognizes that our nervous system often holds onto stress, fear, or trauma long after the event has passed.

Even when the mind says, “It’s over,” the body might still stay on high alert.

In Somatic Experiencing (SE) and Self-Regulation Therapy (SRT) — two body-based methods I use in my Coquitlam practice — we work directly with the body’s autonomic nervous system, the “engine” behind our natural fight, flight, freeze, or shutdown responses.

These approaches help:

• Release stored trauma patterns
• Reduce overreactivity to daily stressors
• Build awareness of physical sensations, creating a steadier sense of calm and “okayness”

During sessions, clients often notice small shifts in their body: a deeper breath, muscles relaxing, a loosening in the chest, or a wave of relaxation. These are signs that the nervous system is starting to regulate and return to a natural state of safety and ease.

Somatic vs. Talk Therapy: The Key Difference

While talk therapy focuses on your thoughts, somatic therapy focuses on your body’s responses. Both are powerful, but they work in different ways:

Together, they create a complete path to healing, where your mind understands and your body feels calm, grounded, and connected.

Why Body-Based Therapy Can Feel So Transformative

Many clients come to therapy knowing why they feel the way they do, yet struggle to change how they respond or feel.

That’s because insight alone doesn’t change the nervous system. Somatic work helps the body experience safety — not just think about it.

As your body learns to regulate, you may notice:

• Less reactivity in stressful situations
• Better sleep and deeper rest
• Improved emotional resilience
• A renewed sense of connection to yourself and others

It’s not about trying harder to “be calm.” It’s about helping your body remember how to be calm.

When to Consider Somatic Therapy for Anxiety, Trauma, or Burnout

Somatic approaches can be especially supportive if you’re navigating:

• Anxiety or chronic stress
• Unresolved trauma
• Burnout or emotional numbness
• Relationship stress or disconnection

These patterns often live as much in the body as in the mind — which is why combining somatic and talk therapy often creates deeper, longer-lasting change.

A Mind-Body Approach to Healing in Coquitlam

In my Coquitlam counselling practice, I integrate Somatic Experiencing (SE), Self-Regulation Therapy (SRT), and Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) for a balanced, personalized approach.

This combination helps you understand what’s happening and feel real change — both mentally and physically.

Healing isn’t about forcing change or pushing through. It’s about helping your mind and body work together again, creating space for steady, meaningful growth.

Ready to Explore Somatic Therapy in Coquitlam?

If you’ve tried talk therapy before and still feel stuck, body-based therapy might be the next step.

Let’s work together to bring your mind and body into harmony so you can move through life with more ease and resilience.

👉 Book a free 15-minute consultation to learn more about somatic therapy in Coquitlam or virtual sessions across BC.

You finally have had some time to rest.

You currently have no big deadlines or plans.

Yet somehow, you still feel completely drained.

Even after sleeping in and having some down time, your body feels heavy, your mind foggy, and your motivation is nowhere to be found.

If that sounds familiar, you’re not lazy or unmotivated.

You may be experiencing emotional exhaustion, a deep fatigue that comes from your nervous system working too hard for too long.

In my Coquitlam therapy practice, I often see clients facing this same kind of burnout.

Understanding why your body and mind feel depleted, incorporating small daily practices, and knowing when to reach out for support are key steps toward feeling truly rested and balanced again.

What Is Emotional Exhaustion?

Emotional exhaustion is more than ordinary tiredness. It develops when you’ve been under ongoing stress or emotional strain without enough time or support to recharge.

This can happen during long periods of caregiving, uncertainty, grief, or burnout—when your inner resources are stretched too thin for too long.

Unlike regular tiredness, emotional exhaustion doesn’t just fade after a few good nights of sleep. You might rest, take breaks, or even go on vacation and still feel just as drained.

That’s because the nervous system hasn’t had a real opportunity to come back into balance. Your autonomic nervous system is remaining active.

When it stays in this chronic state of alertness (fight-or-flight mode), the body continues using energy even when you’re at rest.

Common Symptoms of Emotional Exhaustion

Emotional exhaustion can affect you physically, mentally, and emotionally.
You might notice:

• Tense shoulders, shallow breathing, or a tight jaw

• Waking up tired no matter how much sleep you get

• Feeling numb, disconnected from joy or motivation

• Difficulty concentrating or making decisions

• Irritability and dysregulated emotions

These are your body’s signals that it’s been in “survival mode” for too long and needs support to find true rest and balance again.

Small Steps Toward Genuine Rest

Before deep recovery can happen, your nervous system needs small, consistent signals that it’s safe to slow down.

A few simple practices can help:

• Take short, mindful pauses throughout the day instead of pushing through fatigue

• Tune into your body more often—if your breathing is shallow, remind yourself to take deep belly breaths

• Do more activities that restore your energy and reduce or pause what you don’t have capacity for right now

• Connect with supportive people; safe relationships can help the nervous system relax

These are small, mindful steps toward restoring balance again.

How Therapy Can Help You Recover Your Energy

Sometimes, even after you’ve rested, practiced mindfulness, or made lifestyle changes, the fatigue lingers.

When that happens, it’s not because you’re doing something wrong — it’s because your system needs deeper support to reset.

That’s when therapy can help. In my Coquitlam practice, I often recommend an integrative approach that helps both the mind and body relearn how to feel calm, safe, and balanced.

• Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) works with unhelpful thought patterns like “I am being lazy and should’ve accomplished more today,” helping you create space for rest without guilt.

• Somatic Experiencing (SE) and Self-Regulation Therapy (SRT) work directly with the body’s stress responses to release stored tension and restore a sense of ease.

These approaches help you rebuild your resilience and reconnect with a more peaceful, energized way of being.

Finding Balance Again: Therapy for Emotional Exhaustion in Coquitlam

Feeling emotionally exhausted for a long period of time doesn’t mean you’re broken—it means your system needs care.

Therapy offers a space to slow down, listen to what your body is asking for, and restore energy from the inside out.

If you’re ready to feel more rested, focused, and alive again, I’d be more than happy to help.

Book a free 15-minute consultation to learn more about therapy for emotional exhaustion in Coquitlam and begin your path back to balance.

Let me know if this sounds familiar:

You feel like you’re doing all the right things to make changes in your life, whether it’s healing from trauma or grief, growing a business, or trying to stop falling into the same relationship patterns that no longer serve you.

Yet somehow, it still feels like you can’t move forward. You feel like you’re repeating the same cycles or unable to make decisions you know would help. It’s like there’s an invisible wall preventing you from breaking through to the other side.

Feeling stuck in life is more common than most people realize. It can happen during times of transition, trauma, burnout, or simply when life just feels out of alignment with how you are living it. You might not even know why you feel this way.

Therapy offers a space to explore what’s happening beneath the surface.

Why We Get Stuck: A Mind–Body Perspective

When life feels uncertain or overwhelming, your nervous system and subconscious mind work hard to keep you safe. Most people are familiar with the fight-or-flight response, but there’s another, lesser-known state called freeze.

Freeze is when the system shuts things down to protect you. We now understand that the familiar ‘one step forward, two steps back’ phrase—sometimes described as self-sabotage—is often the mind’s best attempt to escape pain and suffering.

You may be really craving a change, but deep down you are also fearing it at the same time.

Some common examples of when you may feel stuck:

• When you know it’s time to move on from your current career but leaving it feels impossible.

• You sense that you and your partner have grown apart, but the thought of being alone feels too scary.

• You want to make a big change, such as starting a new project or moving to a new city, but you keep second-guessing yourself before taking the first step.

Whatever your reason for feeling stuck, your mind and nervous system will always prefer the familiar over the unknown. Even when the familiar feels uncomfortable, change can feel even more unsettling—at least temporarily.

When viewed through this lens, being stuck doesn’t mean you are failing. It’s a message from your body and mind asking for safety before moving forward.

When “Nothing’s Wrong” but You Still Feel Stuck — The Spiritual Layer

Sometimes life looks good on the outside, but something inside feels disconnected. You might feel restless, uninspired, or emotionally numb.

It’s common to think, “Why do I feel this way — shouldn’t I be happy?”

This kind of stuckness often means it’s time to go deeper, beyond the subconscious and nervous system, and explore the spiritual layer of your experience.

When we move through the mind and body work, what often arises next is the question of meaning:

• Am I living in alignment with my purpose and values?

• Have I been making choices that reflect who I truly am?

When our daily lives drift away from what we value most, we can begin to feel emotionally flat, restless, or uninspired. You might notice you’re going through the motions, achieving your goals but feeling disconnected from yourself in the process.

Reconnecting with your deeper purpose isn’t about chasing constant happiness or doing more — it’s about remembering who you are at your core and allowing that awareness to guide your choices.

The Hidden Role of Self-Sabotage

Self-sabotage often shows up as procrastination, self-doubt, or hesitation right when things start going well. While it’s easy to mistake this for resistance or lack of discipline, it’s often your mind and body’s way of staying safe.

These protective patterns developed when past experiences taught your system that change can lead to pain, rejection, or failure. The mind remembers that pain and steps in to prevent more of it — even when you’re succeeding.

Therapy helps you bring awareness to these patterns, calm the body’s defenses, and reconnect with the part of you that’s ready to grow.

How Therapy Helps You Move Forward

Effective therapy doesn’t just change how you think, it helps your entire system experience safety with change.

As a psychologist in Coquitlam, I recommend working on the mind, body, and spirit through the following integrative therapies. Each approach supports healing from a different angle, helping you reconnect with clarity and direction:

Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy (CBT) works with the mind to uncover limiting beliefs and habitual thought patterns that reinforce fear or avoidance. For example, recognizing how a thought like “If I fail, my family will be disappointed in me” can hold you back from taking even the smallest steps forward.

Somatic Experiencing (SE) and Self-Regulation Therapy (SRT) work with the body to release stored stress and trauma, regulate the nervous system, and restore a felt sense of calm so that moving forward feels safe and sustainable.

Spiritual Intelligence Coaching (SQ21) invites you to explore meaning, purpose, and alignment from a grounded, compassionate place. Unlike many spiritual approaches that can feel abstract, SQ21 offers a structured framework of 21 measurable skills that help you deepen self-awareness, reconnect with your Higher Self, and make choices that reflect wisdom, clarity, and peace in daily life.

Together, these approaches help you understand why you’ve been stuck, reconnect with your inner resilience, and take aligned, grounded steps toward the life you want to live.

Ready to Get “Un-Stuck”? Consider Therapy with Me in Coquitlam

Feeling stuck isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s a signal that something inside you is ready to shift but needs a little support to feel safe doing it.

Therapy can help uncover the protective patterns that once kept you safe but now hold you back, guiding your mind, body, and spirit toward a sense of safety and readiness for change.

If you’re ready to move forward, therapy offers a compassionate space to reconnect with yourself, restore clarity, and take the next step on your path.

Book a free 15-minute consultation to learn more about therapy for self-sabotage and feeling stuck in Coquitlam.