Monica Siegel,
LMFT
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There’s something powerful about having a space just for you—a space where you don’t have to show up any certain way. My passion lies in creating that kind of space: one where you can slow down, feel the ground beneath you, and reconnect with the breath moving through your body. Think of it as your emotional living room: shoes off, no pressure, just room to breathe and be.
As a marriage and family therapist, I work with individuals, couples, teens, and young adults. I take a systemic and integrative approach, always considering how your relationships, environment, and culture shape your experience. Through the lens of Somatic Experiencing, my work is grounded in helping people reconnect with their bodies. Together we explore how physical sensations and embodied experiences influence emotions, behaviors, and relationships. I believe healing begins when we start listening to the body’s wisdom and develop a deeper, more compassionate relationship with ourselves through this lens. Together, we’ll explore what it means to cultivate environments— both internal and external— that foster healing and growth.
Whether you're navigating personal or relationship challenges, seeking healing, or simply hoping to feel more connected to yourself, you don’t have to do it alone.
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Anxiety
Couples
Relationship stressors
Self esteem & Body image
Teens
Trauma
Young adults
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Experiential Therapy
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Narrative Therapy
Solution-Focused
Somatic Experiencing (SE) trainee
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To begin, please click Get Started and complete the form through our secure portal. Be sure to include your insurance provider, a brief note of your reasons for seeking therapy, and availability for scheduling.
If you are a current client, please click on Client Portal and send me a message through the portal.
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What is Somatic Experiencing (SE)?
Somatic Experiencing is a body-centered approach to healing trauma. It focuses on your nervous system and its natural ability to recover from stress and overwhelming experiences. Trauma doesn’t just live in our minds, it gets stored in the body. SE helps your body release stuck energy and re-establish a sense of safety, calm, and resilience.
Unlike some therapies that rely mainly on talking or revisiting memories in detail, SE emphasizes tuning in to your body’s sensations. This makes sessions gentler, allowing you to process trauma at your own pace.
Who can benefit from SE?
SE can be helpful for both single-event trauma and complex or long term trauma. This includes experiences such as:
Car accidents, falls, surgeries
Physical, sexual assault
Ongoing emotional, physical, or sexual abuse or neglect
SE also supports healing from common trauma-related symptoms, including:
Tension, hypervigilance, or exaggerated startle responses
Sleep disturbances or insomnia
Numbness, dissociation, or emotional overwhelm
Many people find that SE helps them feel more grounded, resilient, and engaged in daily life.
What happens in a typical session?
Every SE session is guided by what your body needs at the moment. Sessions typically involve less talking than traditional therapy, focusing instead on noticing and working with your body’s sensations.
During a session, you may:
Track physical sensations in your body
Notice both internal sensations and your present surroundings
Practice feeling grounded and calm using gentle movement, imagery, or soothing phrases
Once your body learns to access safety and regulation, we can slowly explore and release any energy, emotions, or impulses that were unable to complete at the time of the traumatic event. This helps your nervous system “reset,” supporting a greater sense of ease, confidence, and connection. This also supports in building experience and tools for self-regulation.
Why try this approach?
When we experience something overwhelming, our bodies automatically go into protection mode, preparing to fight, flee, freeze, or fawn. Sometimes these responses get “stuck,” leading to lingering tension, anxiety, numbness, and often boundary difficulties.
SE allows you to revisit these experiences at a pace that feels safe, guided by your body’s responses rather than memories alone. By focusing on the body and nervous system, SE helps you process trauma without becoming flooded or retraumatized.
For many clients, SE provides a slower, gentler path to healing, honoring your body’s natural pace and building lasting resilience from the inside out.
My training
I am currently training in a 3‑year program through Somatic Experiencing® International (SEI). I have completed Intermediate 1, including four training modules, personal sessions, and ongoing consultation sessions over the past year and a half. As I continue toward full certification as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP), I apply the principles and practices of SE in my work, helping clients safely process trauma and build resilience. My training ensures that sessions are guided by the body’s natural responses, with safety, pacing, and nervous-system regulation at the forefront.