3 of the Best Somatic Therapists in NJ
If you’ve been feeling anxious, burned out, or like no amount of talk therapy is helping you truly feel better, you’re not alone. Many people come to me after trying other approaches that never quite addressed the root of their distress, especially the ways trauma lives in the body.
As a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and trauma-focused somatic therapist, I specialize in helping people restore their nervous systems and strengthen their mind-body connection. By blending somatic therapy with EMDR, Brainspotting, and Internal Family Systems, I help clients who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or disconnected from themselves and their relationships become unstuck from the fight-or-flight response cycle.
My practice serves professionals, healthcare workers, and individuals dealing with grief, complex PTSD, and more. I’m also a Certified Perinatal Mental Health Provider, so working with women and moms is also something I’m passionate about.
If you're seeking profound and lasting healing that addresses both the emotional and physical effects of trauma, I'd love to connect with you.
I understand that finding a therapeutic match is deeply personal, so I've curated this list of highly skilled somatic therapists throughout New Jersey in case my practice isn't the right fit for your specific needs. Each of these practitioners brings unique expertise in somatic therapy to help you find the healing you deserve.
3 Highly Recommended NJ Somatic Therapists
Sara Kossove
Sara’s unique approach integrates Somatic Experiencing with elements of her yoga teacher training, emphasizing body awareness and nervous system regulation for deep healing. She offers individual sessions, group workshops, and retreats, moving beyond traditional talk therapy to help clients discover their inner strength and resilience. If group healing is more your style, Sara’s practice may be helpful.
Credentials: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
Clientele: Adults
Location: New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut
Virtual therapy: Yes
Stacey Klein
Stacey Klein is a somatic, relational, and holistic psychotherapist specializing in children's mental health, including learning disorders. She emphasizes creating a safe and directive environment for children and their families to explore their feelings, so if you need a somatic therapist for your little one, her services could be a good fit.
Credentials: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
Clientele: Children, teens, adults, couples, families
Location: New Jersey, New York, and California
Virtual therapy: Yes
Citlali Herrera
Citlali specializes in psycho-spiritual somatic therapy for millennials and zillennials, integrating ancient wisdom like shamanic principles and yogic practices with modern modalities such as KAP and hypnotherapy. If you’re particularly interested in the mind-body-spirit connection and practices like Reiki and dreamwork, her practice could be a good fit.
Credentials: Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
Clientele: Adults
Location: New Jersey and New York
Virtual therapy: Yes
FAQs about somatic therapy
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Somatic therapy is a body-based approach that recognizes how trauma and emotional experiences are stored in the nervous system and physical body. Unlike traditional talk therapy that primarily engages the mind, somatic therapy incorporates body awareness, breathing techniques, movement, and nervous system regulation to help process and release trauma. This approach acknowledges that healing happens through the whole person—mind, body, and spirit—making it particularly effective for individuals who feel stuck despite having insight into their problems.
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You might benefit from somatic therapy if you experience physical symptoms like chronic tension, unexplained pain, or feeling disconnected from your body. It's also helpful if you find yourself stuck in patterns despite understanding them intellectually, experience anxiety or panic attacks, have trouble regulating emotions, or feel like traditional talk therapy hasn't provided the deep healing you're seeking. Many people notice they hold stress in their bodies or feel like their emotions are "stuck" physically.
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Somatic therapy is particularly effective for trauma (both "Big T" and "little t"), anxiety, depression, attachment wounds, grief and loss, medical trauma, birth trauma, and complex PTSD. It also helps with chronic stress, self-esteem issues, relationship difficulties, and feeling emotionally overwhelmed or disconnected. Because it works with the nervous system, it's excellent for helping people who feel stuck in fight, flight, or freeze responses, or who struggle with emotional regulation and feeling safe in their bodies.
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Somatic therapy typically involves learning to notice body sensations, breath patterns, and nervous system responses while processing difficult experiences or emotions. Sessions might include guided awareness exercises, gentle movement, breathing techniques, or working with body postures and tension. The pace is often slower than traditional therapy, honoring your body's natural healing timeline. You'll develop skills to regulate your nervous system and create a sense of safety in your body while processing trauma or emotional wounds at a deeper level.
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While talk therapy primarily engages cognitive and emotional processing through conversation, somatic therapy involves the body as an active participant in the healing process. Traditional therapy might help you understand why you feel a certain way, while somatic therapy helps you feel and process those emotions through your body's wisdom. Somatic approaches recognize that trauma and emotional wounds are stored in the nervous system and can't always be healed through insight alone. Many practitioners, like myself, blend both approaches for comprehensive healing.