somatic
\ sō-ˈma-tik \
Relating to the body, especially as distinct from the mind.
“This is our duty. This is true activism, embodied. To make the very intentional, courageous and curious descent into our own mysterious depths. Seeking this depth, this truth - compels you to fully live. And you and I feeling utterly alive matters to this world”
Approach
Breath.
Everything begins here. The access point to the body is through the breath. Without an awareness of the quality of one’s breath there is little to no chance of self regulation and embodiment. Just this small shift in focused awareness can, alone, be life changing and where many clients begin, for the first time, to touch places in both their body and psyche that lead to the biggest breakthroughs.
Body.
Shape, size, color, sound, temperature and sensation. This is the language of the body. When we close our eyes and turn our attention inward, the body speaks. Coupled with the breath, navigating the landscape of the body begins the conversation between conscious awareness and physical being. This meeting of awareness with physicality is the greatest source of wisdom you will ever access, given any circumstance or time in your life.
Mystery.
We work with resonance. We make no judgements, apply no right or wrong, no black or white. We immerse ourselves in the gray. When we can for a moment, give our beautiful but conditioned mind a rest, making language and logic secondary, the mysteries and wild longings of the soul begin to reveal themselves. Client and coach making this very intentional and conscious journey together holds untold value in creating a kind of slip stream in healing and evolution…for both.
“My objective is to move the client toward a deeper relationship with their whole being, reclaiming a felt sense of their own sovereignty and the ability to tolerate an ever expanding range of feeling states. It is in this place, an individual is able to access the most authentic expression of who they came here to be.”
About
Libby, an Australian expat, living in Nashville, TN, is a trauma informed somatic coach, drawing from a deep well of both professional and personal experience with trauma and its effects on an individual’s biological system.
Her own healing journey began over twenty three years ago. Having experienced many treatment modalities, all of which provided some relief, it was not until she worked with a somatic therapist that she began to experience the kind of deep transformation she never imagined possible. Most notably - anxiety, fear, depression and “mystery illnesses” which baffled most doctors, began to resolve themselves and heal.
This deeply personal experience ignited a passion to help others who were also desperate for relief. What Libby did not expect to discover, however, is that through working with the body’s own unique language, it not only effectively addresses the ravages of trauma, but ultimately, beckons the individual into a much more intimate, dynamic and life affirming relationship with the higher aspects of self.
This deepening of the relationship to one’s own being creates a much larger and more satisfying experience of the world. It is this contact with the greater mystery of life and the embodiment of that living, breathing, ever unfolding mystery, that Libby partners with her clients to create.
It is Libby’s experience and belief that a person cannot take another where they have not been themselves. In the spirit of embodying authentic leadership, Libby remains passionately committed to her own healing and evolution. When she is not coaching, Libby can be found on set, writing, producing and directing as an independent film maker.
Libby was the Director of Operations and Program Development for a Tennessee based mental health/ addiction treatment center and moved into private practice in 2016. She is a Certified Health Coach, Certified Professional Coach and an Accredited Member of The International Coach federation. She has received further training from the Experiential Healing Center in Memphis, TN (SomEx Levels 1&11) and formal training in Internal Family Systems and trauma informed care within a clinical setting.
“When you choose to make the relationship with your own being
the most important relationship you will ever have, you can begin to know who you truly are. You can confidently breathe into the deepest corners of your own meatiness, your literal cell tissue and even your energetic body.
For each other, for our children, even for our ancestors. For this living, breathing planet. This is our duty. This is true activism, embodied. To make the very intentional, courageous and curious decent into our own mysterious depths. Seeking this truth, this depth - compels you to fully live. And you and I feeling utterly alive matters to this world.”
What clients Are Saying
“Working with Libby has been a journey both in my personal and professional life. She shares freely from her experience. Her passion for her own journey allows her to share and guide from a place of having lived it, and not from a place of merely having studied it.
In my personal life, we've worked through divorce, personal trauma and parenting challenges. As an executive leader in a large organization, i've had many occasions to work through professional challenges with Libby as my coach. Her professional experience adds a dynamic I’ve not found in other coaching/counseling relationships. If you're looking for a coach to challenge you along your professional and personal journey to balance, I highly recommend a commitment to working with Libby. She will be as committed as you are. I have no doubt! ”
— Mike. H
“I always look forward to my weekly sessions with Libby. Libby has helped me make lasting change. By changing my relationship with myself first, it has changed my relationship with everything else, including food and exercise.
Every week I learn something new about myself that challenges long held limiting beliefs. Iv’e learned that my “all or nothing” thinking leads me back to bad habits. Iv’e learned the meaning of true “self care” and implement practices in my daily routine that have helped me physically, emotionally, and spiritually. I now have the tools for lasting change and the ability to live a whole-hearted life. I can’t say enough about what working with Libby has done for me”
— Carla. P
“I came to Libby at a time when I had already done a lot of trauma work but was not able to fully embody the healing. My mind and body still felt trapped in the past. I have only been working with Libby for six months but the way I operate in the world has vastly improved. I truly don’t think I could have found this level of freedom without the somatic work we do together.
I work in an industry which is very tumultuous, with a lot of constant moving parts. Libby helped me develop a practice of maintaining my peace even in the most challenging of times. My trauma and nervous system really had me in a bad spot so I didn’t make it easy for her! But the thing is, she really challenged me and encouraged me to keep doing the work. Also, Libby has a great sense of humor and shares parts of her own journey that help me to feel like we are a team working together rather than the typical therapist/ client relationship I had been used to. She has helped me in every aspect of my life and I feel blessed to work with her.”
— Django. S
“Wow. Your inner critic is loud!” She figured that out in session two. It’s been over a year now since I heard those words.
My inner critic raced through my brain like a runner trying to get to the finish line in a race she had not prepared for. I was afraid to sit still in my body. Libby sat with me, in the stillness, in the fear. Iv’e always lived in the space of all or nothing. Working with Libby has shifted me into the space of enough! She helped bring me to the path of freedom that my soul knew existed but my body could not find”
— Lisa. E
“My thirteen-year old daughter has been suffering with acute complex trauma symptoms for over five years. She has seen a number of different therapists in both Australia and The UK, utilizing a number of different modalities, including EMDR and trauma focused CBT. Whilst each has shown benefits, the results she has experienced with Libby using a somatic approach have been transformational.
Libby was quick to build a strong rapport and trust with my daughter and to our surprise, within only several sessions, my daughter went from sitting in her room, not wanting to socialize, to again being more active and engaged in the activities she loves. Symptoms of severe hypervigilance and anxiety seem to be less and less present.
Libby has also helped educate our family on the nature of trauma, how it manifests in the body and how it can be treated at its core. This has helped us understand the best way to support our daughter and to identify early signs and symptoms so we can support her in a more empathic and effective way. It’s such a relief and joy to finally see our daughter smile and laugh again.”
— Rosheen. M
The time Libby and I have spent together has allowed me to expand my perception of the world and my place in it. Whether it has been my professional life or my private life and primary relationships, she has skillfully and empathically helped me to navigate challenges I would have previously run from or sabotaged. Her presence alone and the safe space she holds is worth so much before any of the real “work” even begins.
— Renae. G
Get in touch.
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