NeuroAffective Touch
Relational somatic bodywork to help you feel more comfortable in your body and relationships
Your relationship with your body? It’s…complicated.
First of all, you have no idea how the fuck to identify what you’re feeling. Half the time you feel like a talking head floating in space, with nothing underneath.
I mean – feelings? You didn’t talk about those in your family growing up.
And body scans? What are those?
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You do know some things though:
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You know when you feel uncomfortable, anxious, or in pain, because that shit screams at you, and makes you feel like you’re trapped in a room with no way out.
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You know that you can’t relax. You feel tense all the time - especially in social situations and at work - and you often abandon yourself in the process of trying to be likeable.
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You know that, for as long as you can remember, hugs have always made you cringe. You feel disconnected from your partner, and they’re not happy about it.
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You know that when your kid is having a meltdown, you also have one of your own. Nobody told you having a kid would drudge up all of your own childhood shit.
And you know that this is no way to live. You crave a different reality…but you’re not sure how to get there.
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You’ve tried talk therapy - that didn’t work. You’ve tried meditation apps - but you couldn’t stop thinking the entire time. You’ve tried getting massages - but your muscles keep feeling hard as a rock.
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It's time to try something new.
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NeuroAffective Touch is a somatic bodywork modality that utilizes light-pressure touch and structured dialogue to re-open the lines of communication between your mind and your body.
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And it can help you:
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Feel more comfortable in your body - even when big emotions like anxiety or sadness show up.
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Finally unclench your jaw…and shoulders…and hips…and just enjoy socializing, making new friends, and dating.
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Be intimate with your partner without feeling like you’re holding your breath the whole time.
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Be more emotionally available and grounded for your kiddo.
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NeuroAffective Touch is specifically designed to address trauma that’s happened in your childhood and other relationships. Because all those times you felt emotionally abandoned (or even punished for having needs) your body learned that suppressing your emotions, override your needs, and brace for whatever painful moment of rejection was coming next.
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What do sessions look like?​
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Traditionally, NeuroAffective Touch sessions take place on a massage table - but that massage table has a bunch of comfy memory foam on it and you’re fully clothed. On the table, I get you set up with cushions, blankets, and heated pillows so that your body feels super supported. That’s the first goal - for your body to feel comfortable and supported.
From there, if you’re comfortable, I’ll use touch to help you connect to different parts of your body and teach you how to attune to what sensations and emotions you’re feeling. This is the foundation of coming into relationship with your body and the different parts of you that are protecting old pain. We may also find that there are emotions, sensations, or movements that have been “stuck” in your body and are ready to move through a process of completion.
All of this will help you actually start experiencing life and your relationships in an entirely new way – from a place of trust, freedom, security, and pleasure.
It’s important to know that you don’t have to be fully on board to be touched to benefit from this work. You can get a lot of a session where we are just talking about your relationship to touch or where I’m guiding you through self-directed touch. This means we can even work virtually, if you don’t live near my office.
I offer free demo sessions to other providers (psychotherapists, physical therapists, massage therapists) who may be interested on referring to me or collaborating on client care. Just email me: raina@roottorisesomatics.com
The Details​
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There are two ways to work with me:
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We meet on an ongoing basis (usually weekly, though every-other-week can be considered depending on your needs and finances) until your goals are met or you feel complete. We generally will meet for 60 minutes, but occasionally folks prefer 75 or 90-minute sessions.
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We work together in a therapy intensive. That usually involves an initial one-hour session, followed by additional sessions that are 2-4 hours in length (we can work out the exact number of those sessions together).
NeuroAffective Touch can be used for individuals, or for couples, polycules, and families.
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My rate is $220/hour. I do not accept insurance but can provide you with a fancy receipt called a superbill that will have everything you need on it to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement, if they cover out-of-network treatment.
CLICK HERE TO SEE WHAT QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR INSURANCE COMPANY.
