somatic therapy for trauma in portland, me
gentle, steady, ease-ful therapy for trauma that goes beyond talk therapy
seeking therapy for trauma in portland, me?
you may be feeling…
Exhausted in a way sleep doesn't fix
Disconnected — from your body, your feelings, your life
Constantly braced, waiting for something to go wrong
Emotions that feel too big or completely out of reach
Rage fits that break out of nowhere
Unyielding yearning for meaningful relationships, and intense fear of them
A quiet but persistent feeling that something is wrong with you — despite many ongoing efforts to feel “normal”
You've been living in survival mode. You don't have to stay there.
what is trauma?
Trauma is too much or too little of something for too long. Sometimes "too long" is 15 minutes, sometimes it is 15 years. Sometimes it is too much violence, other times it is not enough care. Sometimes it is an isolated event, like a car accident, and sometimes it is a thousand paper cuts.
It can look like being sent into a panic attack or a rage fit at a seemingly innocuous trigger — the scent of a baked good, the color green, or corduroy.
It can look like never feeling quite safe, even when things are fine. Like relationships that follow the same painful patterns. Like knowing something is wrong but not being able to name it.
PTSD can follow one traumatic event — or a sequence of them. CPTSD develops when trauma is ongoing, layered, and inescapable. The kind that gets into your bones.
Complex trauma is less about what happened and more about what it did to your sense of self, your body, and your ability to trust the world. Somatic therapy with bekah is particularly focused on complex trauma — and on repairing the relationship with yourself, your body, and the world.
“Safety is not the absence of danger, but the presence of connection.”
Peter Levine
a whole-system approach to trauma
what begins to shift
Trauma recovery isn't about dismantling your life. It's about rebuilding your relationship with yourself. In therapy, many clients begin to notice:
Less hypervigilance — more capacity to feel safe in the present
Emotions that feel workable rather than overwhelming or out of reach
Relationships that feel less charged, more chosen
A body that feels like yours again
Reduced shame and self-blame
Patterns that once felt automatic beginning to loosen
A quieter inner critic
Rather than forcing insight or re-processing everything at once, we work at the pace of your nervous system — building safety first, so that real change has somewhere to land.
Trauma isn't just psychological. Chronic activation affects cortisol rhythms, sleep quality, digestion, hormonal balance, and the nervous system's ability to regulate itself. When your system has been in survival mode for long enough, it stops fighting and starts shutting down.
In this work, we consider:
Trauma history and its imprint on the nervous system
Sleep patterns and somatic symptoms
Relational dynamics and attachment patterns
Overfunctioning, people-pleasing, and self-abandonment
Cycles of hyperactivation and collapse
When appropriate, I collaborate with medical providers to rule out or address physiological contributors. But often, meaningful shifts begin simply by changing how your nervous system relates to safety.
therapy with bekah might be for you if:
You're exhausted in a way that doesn't make sense on paper
You suspect your past is shaping your present in ways you can't quite see
Your relationships, reactions, or patterns feel stuck on repeat
You're ready to stop managing symptoms and get to what's underneath
You want to feel at home in your body and your life again
If you're looking for a structured protocol or a quick path to symptom relief, this may not be the right fit. The work here is slower, deeper, and designed to last.
frequently asked questions about trauma therapy in portland, me
What is the difference between PTSD and complex PTSD (cPTSD)?
PTSD typically develops after a single traumatic event or a defined sequence of events. Complex PTSD develops from prolonged, repeated trauma — often interpersonal in nature, such as childhood neglect, emotional abuse, or chronic relational harm. cPTSD tends to affect sense of self, emotional regulation, and the ability to trust others in ways that go beyond classic PTSD symptoms.
How do I know if I have complex trauma?
You may not have a diagnosis — and you don't need one to benefit from trauma therapy. If you feel chronically unsafe, struggle with shame or self-worth, find relationships painful or confusing, or feel disconnected from your body and emotions, these can all be signs of complex trauma. A trauma-informed therapist can help you understand what you're experiencing.
What is somatic therapy and why is it used for trauma?
Somatic therapy works with the body as well as the mind. Because trauma is stored in the nervous system — not just in memory — talk therapy alone often isn't enough to reach it. Somatic approaches help you notice and work with physical sensations, patterns of tension, and nervous system responses, allowing healing to happen at the level where trauma actually lives.
How long does trauma therapy take?
Trauma therapy — especially for complex PTSD — is not a short-term process. Meaningful shifts can begin relatively early, but deep, lasting change takes time. The pace is guided by your nervous system, not a protocol. Most clients working on complex trauma engage in therapy for at least a year, though this varies widely depending on history, goals, and life circumstances.
Do I have to talk about what happened to heal from trauma?
No. In somatic and mindfulness-based trauma therapy, the focus is less on retelling the story and more on what's happening in your body and nervous system in the present. Many clients find this approach less retraumatizing and more effective precisely because it doesn't require reliving events in detail.
Do you offer trauma therapy in Portland, ME?
Yes. Bekah is a licensed counselor and offers somatic and mindfulness-based trauma therapy in Portland, Maine, with a particular focus on complex PTSD and cPTSD. In-person and telehealth sessions are available for residents throughout Maine. If you're ready to take the next step, you're welcome to schedule a free consultation.
Here’s how to start therapy for trauma in portland, me:
📱step one:
book a free consult
Book a free consultation call using this link, or click any of the "Book Now" buttons throughout the site. I'll gather a few details from you, and we'll schedule a time to connect — get to know each other, answer any questions you have, and see if somatic therapy with bekah is the right fit for you.
Ready to recover from trauma?
You don't have to keep bracing for what comes next. Somatic therapy offers a steady, grounded path toward restoring safety, connection, and trust in yourself — without having to relive everything to heal it. Schedule a free consultation for trauma therapy in Portland, ME.
🧘♂️step three:
practice = progress
Every time we meet, we’ll practice together — whether that’s mindfulness or a somatic skill, and we’ll gently approach whatever feeling and story you’re holding. We build a relationship, and you build a relationship with yourself. Practice happens in session, and at home.
📆 step two:
schedule the first session
If we decide we're a good fit, we'll schedule your first session right then and there. I'll send you an invite to the client portal, you'll fill out a few minutes' worth of forms, and that's it — you're in.
