Somatic Trauma Therapy Consultations in Melbourne to Heal from the Inside Out
What if therapy didn’t leave you feeling exposed, drained or triggered, but instead helped you feel energised, clear, confident and even excited about your life? This is the possibility of my integrative somatic therapy approach. It is not about endlessly talking through every trauma, but about reconnecting with the intelligence of your body and letting it guide the healing process. Through the integration of lifestyle medicine, nutritional care and sound and energy medicine, we support your nervous system, physiology and emotional landscape in a way that feels safe, empowering and transformative. When you rebuild a trusting and supportive partnership with your body — your most loyal and honest ally — you begin to experience what true health, vitality and freedom can feel like. This is where real change happens. This is where you remember who you are and create a life that finally feels like your own.
Developmental trauma- abuse (physical, mental, sexual, Neglect, Shame
Medical injuries/ surgeries, Miscarriages & Birth Trauma
Anxiety, Depression, Bipolar, Chronic Disease and Pain
Accidents, PTSD, Domestic Violence,Death, Loss & Grief, Anger
My somatic trauma therapy process
As dealing with personal issues, and especially trauma, can very raw, sensitive and charged with difficulty, I aim to create personalised recommendations following your initial assessment which will establish your current physical and mental health baseline and tolerance for change. Your first session seeks to understand your current mental, physical and social situation to inform nutrition, lifestyle, health and therapeutic needs.
I generally recommend resourcing and balancing the body first as inflammation, nutrient deficiencies and hormonal imbalances can throw off you ability to think, act and regulate your moods. This means that regulating your nervous system and hormones, balancing your biochemistry, reducing inflammation and/or pain by addressing your eating, sleeping, movement and interaction patterns will likely be part of our sessions and sometimes are priorities.
Working with your whole self will increase your energy and speed up your healing. It also makes a big difference to how you process trauma as you need a lot of energy to do that. Feeling strong, confident and able to regulate your body before we commence this process will help you move through past difficulties with ease.
Healing trauma is not just about talking. It is about building a relationship with your body, learning how to regulate your internal world and gently releasing stored survival responses. My approach integrates a blend of Brainspotting, Somatic Experiencing, Sensorimotor Therapy, Polyvagal Theory, ACT, CBT, Sound Therapy and Compassionate Inquiry woven together with the BME Lifestyle framework. Every session is shaped by where you are, what your body is communicating and what you need to move forward with strength, clarity and self-trust.
what my clients feel
It’s been about a couple of months seeing Anca very nice lady. I went to see Anca for anxiety depression, OCD and my sleeping.
She changed my diet and in the 2 months I’m feeling really good and am off my anti depressant tablets, sleeping has improved enormously and energy levels are fantastic.
Ben Seferler
Working with Anca has been an enlightening and exulting experience. She has a very positive and personable personality and is a highly educated, informative and gifted practitioner. She has helped me to deepen my understanding of who I am as well as release some pretty heavy grief that i was carrying. She gets 5 stars from me and comes highly recommended for people who would like to go to the next level with personal healing and soul evolution.
Ellen Dunne
Working with Anca over the last 18mo has been transformative. I will admit I was sceptical at first, my body wasn't making it easy for Anca. Then I found that the sessions seemed to untangle emotional knots I didn't even realise were affecting me. The adjustments in my energy field translated into shifts in my mental and emotional state, I am feeling lighter, mentally clearer and calmer. I highly recommend Anca for anyone who is looking for a reset, growth and healing.
Teresa Conte
Trauma Is Not What Happened It Is What Stays Stored
Trauma is often misunderstood as the event itself — the accident, the loss, the abuse, the shock — but true trauma lies in what the body could not process or release in the aftermath. It is what remains stored in your nervous system, tissues and subconscious when your system was overwhelmed, unsupported or unable to return to safety. This stored survival energy creates a state of ongoing internal tension and disconnection, even long after the event has passed. You may feel on edge for no clear reason, emotionally numb, exhausted, dissociated or stuck in repetitive patterns that seem out of your control.
These unresolved imprints affect every system of the body. They can interfere with digestion, sleep, hormone balance, immune function and the ability to think clearly or feel safe in relationships. Because trauma is stored in the body, not just in the mind, traditional talk therapy is often not enough. Lasting healing requires an approach that includes nervous system regulation, body awareness and emotional integration.
Somatic trauma therapy helps access and release what your body has been carrying. It works gently with your system, without reactivating the overwhelm, allowing you to reconnect with yourself in a way that feels safe and empowering. At BME Lifestyle, I combine somatic therapy with lifestyle medicine, sound therapy and nutritional support to help your body process what it could not before — so you can move forward with clarity, strength and deep inner calm
How Trauma Lives in the Body and Nervous System
Trauma is not just something that happened in the past, it is something the body remembers and holds onto when it was not able to fully process or release the experience. When an event or environment feels overwhelming, unsafe or inescapable, the nervous system moves into a survival state of fight, flight, freeze or collapse. If that survival energy is not released, it becomes stored in the body as tension, disconnection, pain or emotional overwhelm. Over time, this can show up in a wide range of symptoms, including anxiety, hypervigilance, difficulty sleeping, digestive issues, chronic fatigue, hormonal imbalances or a feeling of being stuck or numb. Many people feel disconnected from their body, emotionally reactive or shut down without understanding why, often because the nervous system has not returned to a state of safety.
These trauma patterns can influence posture, breathing, muscle tone, voice, facial expression and even immune function. They can also affect how we relate to ourselves, to others and to the world. You may notice that certain situations, sounds, smells or sensations trigger a strong reaction that feels out of proportion to the moment. This is not a flaw, it is your body remembering and trying to protect you from something it once experienced as dangerous.
Somatic trauma therapy helps bring awareness to how trauma is being held in your body. It supports you in building safety, regulation and capacity so your system can begin to release what it no longer needs to hold. As you reconnect with your body in a safe and supported way, you start to feel more grounded, present and empowered to move through life with greater ease and resilience.
Restore a safe connection to your body
Fear is simply lack of understanding, when you learn how to body works and what trauma really is you can regain trust and wellbeing feeling at home in your body.
Regain focus and purpose
Trauma makes you feel small and biased, taking away clarity, focus and purpose. Balancing your body by giving it what it truly needs its the first step towards healing.
Become confident and empowered
Learn how your body, mind, and emotions work to achieve mastery of your body and mind feeling peak everyday
Never struggle again
Being your SELF fully connected to your body, you'll intuitively navigate life and health, effortlessly being able to know what to chose and when such that your needs and creative pursuits are always addressed.
FAQ- Trauma therapy melbourne
What is trauma and how do I know if I have it?
Trauma is not just what happened to you, but how your body and nervous system responded to overwhelming or unsafe experiences. You may have trauma even if you cannot recall a specific event. Signs include anxiety, emotional numbness, chronic tension, fatigue, digestive issues, difficulty trusting others, or feeling stuck in the past. Trauma can result from childhood neglect, relational wounds, loss, abuse, or even subtle long-term stress that your system could not process at the time
How is somatic trauma therapy different from talk therapy?
Somatic trauma therapy works with the body, not just the mind. It helps you feel into your body safely, regulate your nervous system, and release stored stress or trauma patterns without needing to relive or analyse the past in detail. This body-first approach often leads to deeper, more lasting shifts because trauma is held in the body, not only in memory.
Do I need a diagnosis or past trauma to benefit from this therapy?
No formal diagnosis is needed. Many people come without identifying a specific trauma but feel stuck, disconnected, anxious or emotionally overwhelmed. If you find it hard to relax, trust, focus or feel at home in your body, this work may be exactly what your system needs.
What can I expect in a trauma therapy session?
Each session is personalised and paced to support your nervous system. We begin with simple grounding and awareness practices, and gradually work with body sensation, breath, sound, nutrition and emotional release in ways that feel safe. You are always in control, and there is no pressure to talk about anything before you are ready.
What techniques do you use in your trauma work?
I integrate a range of approaches including Somatic Experiencing, Sensorimotor Therapy, Brainspotting, Polyvagal Theory, sound healing, and the BME Lifestyle method. Depending on your needs, we may also explore nutrition, sleep, movement and detoxification to support healing from the inside out.
How many sessions will I need?
Healing trauma is not a one-size-fits-all process. Some people feel major shifts within a few sessions, while others benefit from longer-term support. We move at your pace, with your capacity, and adapt the process as your system becomes more resourced and resilient.
Do you offer trauma therapy online or only in Melbourne?
I offer both in-person sessions in Melbourne and online trauma therapy for clients across Australia and internationally. The work can be just as powerful over video when supported with presence, safety and guidance.
Can I claim trauma therapy through private health?
Some services may be eligible depending on your health fund and the specific therapy provided. I can guide you through what may be claimable and provide appropriate receipts for submission.
Ready to Start Your Healing Journey?
You do not need to carry your past in your body forever. Support is here, personalised, gentle and grounded in your unique experience.