Somatic Therapy in Sydney: Body-based healing for anxiety & trauma

in Frenchs Forest & online

WITH PSYCHOLOGIST ISABEL ALFONSO

Transform how trauma is held in your body

Release body tension

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Book free 15-min call

Medicare Rebates

What is somatic therapy?

Somatic therapy is a broad term that refers to therapeutic approaches that pay attention to physical sensations and bodily experience. These methods recognise that our emotional lives are often experienced and held in the body.

Traditional talk therapies engage only the mind, not the body, but in somatic therapy, the body is the starting point to achieve healing.

There are several modalities of somatic therapy. The approach I offer is called Focusing.

Focusing: an evidence based somatic therapy

Focusing comes from the pioneering work of philosopher and psychotherapist Eugene Gendlin at the University of Chicago, where he collaborated with Carl Rogers. Gendlin studied why some clients improved in therapy while others did not.

He found that successful clients were regularly checking inside themselves for a whole bodily felt senseof their situation. Gendlin then developed a 6-step process he called Focusing to teach this skill to others.

Here is a free resource you can download with Gendlin’s 6 steps to Focusing.

Free resource with Eugene Gendlin's 6 steps to Focusing by Isabel Alfonso
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What is Focusing?

Focusing is the process of checking deep within yourself for a bodily felt sense of an issue and allowing the felt sense to unfold and guide you towards the next best step.

These sensations are often subtle and meaningful. By turning toward them with curiosity and care, it is possible to gain insight and shift how you relate to stuck or painful experiences.

What happens in a Focusing session?

In a session, you will be guided to explore what you’re noticing in your body, at your own pace. I will verbally help you tune into sensations and inner experiences, which might include noticing emotions, images, words, or bodily sensations that arise. There is no physical touching.

You will be encouraged to stay with whatever shows up, not to fix it, but to simply listen and be present, allowing meaning or natural shifts to emerge over time.

This approach could help if you:

  • Feel stressed, tense, or easily overwhelmed

  • Carry trauma or difficult past experiences in your body

  • Notice chronic muscle tension or “stuck” sensations

  • Want deeper body–mind integration

  • Talk therapy hasn’t changed how you feel in your body

A taste of Focusing

Here is a guided exercise for you to have a taste of Focusing:

Guided Focusing exercise
Isabel Alfonso

Still unsure?

I offer a free 15-minute call so you can ask questions and get a sense of how I work.

Book a free 15-minute call

To read my blog post on why many people are turning to somatic therapies click here.

You can also read about my approach to anxiety and trauma.

About me - Isabel Alfonso

Isabel Alfonso smiling, wearing a striped sweater with orange, brown, green, and yellow lines, standing in front of a green background.

Registered Psychologist | Certified Focusing Oriented Therapist & Trainer

AHPRA registration number PSY0002146686

Member of the International Focusing Institute

Logo of the Australian Psychological Society with the text "Member Australian Psychological Society MAPS" and a stylized tree emblem.

I aim to create a safe space for you where you feel truly heard and where you can learn to listen deeply to yourself so that you can:

  • come to terms with your past

  • reduce its effect on the present

  • find the best way forward.

Contact Isabel

Learn more about Isabel

Why choose me as your Psychologist?

    • Quality over quantity: I don’t overload my schedule with as many clients as possible. Instead, I ensure that I have the mental space and energy to be fully present and engaged in each session.

    • Session preparation: I don’t just turn up unprepared. I take time to reflect on what might be most helpful for you, so that you get the most out of each session.

    • Feedback-Informed Treatment (FIT): I track your progress with brief questionnaires to tailor therapy based on your feedback.

    • I integrate cognitive and behavioral strategies (working with the mind) alongside somatic approaches (working with the body).

    • This two-pronged approach helps with coping in the short term while also fostering deeper, more lasting change—a change that can be felt in the body, in how the body is holding the issue.

    • Trained in both traditional (CBT, ACT) and innovative approaches (Focusing-Oriented Therapy). This allows me to adapt therapy to your needs and preferences.

    • As a Focusing-Oriented Therapist, I have four years of additional training in this somatic approach.

    • I use scientifically supported approaches to ensure therapy is effective and tailored to your unique needs.

  • Item deRegistered and regulated: In Australia, psychology is a regulated profession, meaning psychologists must meet strict educational, ethical, and professional standards. I am registered with the Psychology Board of Australia (PsyBA) and adhere to the guidelines set by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) to ensure safe and effective practice.

    • Confidential and ethical: As a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS), I follow its Code of Ethics, ensuring that your personal information is kept confidential and that I provide care with integrity and professionalism.scription

Fees

$210 per standard 50 minute session

MEDICARE REBATES with GP referral: $98.95 per session for up to 10 sessions per calendar year.

REBATES FROM SOME PRIVATE HEALTH FUNDS

Contact Isabel

For any questions, to make an appointment or book a free 15-minute call:

email isabel@selfconnectpsychology.au

ring 0400 86 85 84

or fill in the form

After you submit:

• I’ll reply within 2 business days
• All information is confidential