What is Somatic Experiencing®?

If you’ve ever felt stuck in stress, anxiety, or trauma and talking alone hasn’t helped, Somatic Experiencing® (SE) offers another way forward. SE is a body-centered approach to healing trauma, stress, and overwhelm. Instead of focusing only on analyzing thoughts or past events, SE works directly with your nervous system. By gently noticing physical sensations and body responses, SE helps release the survival energy that can get stuck during traumatic or overwhelming experiences. This process can restore balance, resilience, and a greater sense of safety.

Some clients notice meaningful shifts in just a few sessions, especially when focusing on a specific trauma, stress pattern, or life transition. Others choose to integrate SE into longer-term therapy. The focus is always on supporting your nervous system’s natural ability to regulate and heal from traumatic events.

Why Somatic Approaches Help Neurodivergent People

For many Autistic and ADHD adults, traditional therapy can feel overly focused on talking, analyzing, or fitting into neurotypical frameworks. Somatic approaches welcome different ways of processing and communicating. In SE sessions, you are encouraged to fidget, stim, use the chat if you go nonverbal, or bring in sensory tools. We pay attention not just to your thoughts, but also to your body, energy, and environment. This allows for:

• Support for sensory overwhelm and tools for regulation
• Gentle ways to explore masking, burnout, and shutdown
• Respect for nonverbal or alternative communication styles
• A focus on nervous system safety rather than performance or compliance

SE honors how your body naturally processes experience, whether through movement, stillness, silence, or sound. It can be a powerful way to reconnect with your body’s wisdom and find steadier ground. If you are curious, we can explore together whether this approach feels right for you.

My Approach

Every session is shaped around you and what feels most supportive. I’m James Reling (he/him), a Licensed Professional Counselor and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. My practice blends SE with a neurodiversity-affirming approach. With a background in music, writing, and improvisation, I bring curiosity and openness to each session. We may pause to notice sensations, explore imagery or movement, or try grounding practices that help your body find steadiness. The work is collaborative. I follow your natural pace and support you in discovering your body’s own wisdom for healing.

Who I Work With

I work with adults navigating challenges such as: 

• PTSD and developmental trauma
• Chronic stress, burnout, or illness
• Identity questions related to neurodivergence, sexuality, or gender
• Creative blocks or the impact of invalidation in creative careers
• Religious trauma or leaving high-demand groups

I feel especially honored to support people on the margins of culture: musicians, artists, neurodivergent folks, LGBTQIA+ community members, people with unusual passions or hobbies, and those who have felt like outsiders. These perspectives often bring deep creativity, resilience, and insight into our work together.

What to Expect in a Session

A typical SE session looks different from traditional talk therapy. You can expect: 

• A slower pace, with time to notice what is happening in your body
• Invitations to pause, breathe, or move during the session
• Freedom to stim, fidget, doodle, or use sensory tools
• A focus on small, manageable shifts instead of re-living trauma
• Collaboration. I will offer gentle guidance and resources, but the direction comes from you

Rates & Availability

My fee is $200 for a 50-minute SE session. For some clients, short-term work (3–6 sessions) is an option for specific trauma or life transitions. Sessions are available through secure video or in person on Tuesdays in SE Portland. I do not bill insurance directly, but I can provide a superbill you may submit for possible out-of-network reimbursement.

Next Step

If you are ready to explore Somatic Experiencing sessions, schedule a free 20-minute consultation by clicking here. We will discuss your goals, answer your questions, and see if this approach is a good fit. You do not need to prepare anything; just bring yourself and your questions. This first meeting is a chance to get a feel for how we might work together.