Naomi Sturtridge
Counsellor
RTCc, BHSc, RYT-200
Naomi is a somatic focused counsellor living, working and playing in Vernon, BC. She discovered somatic therapy through her own healing journey and it completely revolutionized her perspectives about life and healing. In addition to somatic therapy Naomi has done personal study of a variety of holistic healing modalities such as energy healing, herbal medicine, quantum science and indigenous healing practices for over ten years. She is a formally trained counsellor with a Bachelor of Health Sciences Degree in Addictions Counselling. Naomi is also a certified yoga teacher and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner in training. Her previous work history involves employment in mental health and addictions services and early childhood care and development. She has been a student of yoga for 16 years and has studied a variety of spiritual traditions and practices. Naomi combines all that she has learned and experienced to offer a warm, empathetic and intuitive therapeutic presence.
Services:
Naomi provides individual adult counselling sessions for a variety of issues. The foundation of the work she does is grounded in somatic therapy techniques. Somatic stems from the Greek word “Soma”, meaning body. Somatic therapy is strongly rooted in neuroscience and working with the body and nervous system to restore a sense of wholeness and well-being following stress or trauma. As people go through life the body keeps a record of their experiences. Pleasant or painful the body stores these experiences in the nervous system. The energy of scary, uncomfortable experiences can get trapped in the body if not given the chance to discharge and release. This trapped energy can increase stress, create the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and cause illness in the body.
Naomi works with mind-body attunement practices to enhance conscious connection to the body. Throughout time, the belief in many indigenous and earth based cultures has been that the mind, body, emotions and spirit are all connected. The pioneering work of trauma therapists such as Peter Levine, and Bessel Vanderfolk have shown that including working with the felt sense of the body can improve therapeutic outcomes. In addition to talk therapy, Naomi may use techniques such as breathing exercises, guided imagery and meditation, sensory awareness and self regulation practices. Through connection to the body, bodily sensations are tracked. It is through the tracking of these body sensations that the energy of trauma and stress is able to be released from the body and nervous system.
Humans heal in relationship. Naomi’s role as the counsellor is to create a safe space and to guide the people she is working with through the counselling process. Through co-regulation and attunement, she creates a safe, warm and intuitive presence to walk with clients through their struggles. One of her goals is to provide clients with useful tools that they can take with them in to their daily life. Tools that will help them cope and empower them to experience a greater sense of well being and peace in their lives.
Education:
Naomi is a trained counsellor with a Bachelor’s of Health Sciences Degree, with a major in Addictions Counselling. Through this education she was trained in a variety of counselling techniques such as Narrative Therapy, Person Centred, Jungian, Gestault and Transpersonal counselling orientations.
She is also a certified yoga teacher (ERYT-200). She has been trained in traditional Hatha yoga postures and alignment, yoga philosophy, Pranayama (breathing exercises), guided imagery, and meditation techniques.
Naomi is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner in training. Somatic Experiencing is a form of therapy that works with the body and the nervous system to relieve the symptoms of trauma and chronic stress. In clinical practice for 45 years, Somatic Experiencing is based on the life’s work of Peter Levine, a trauma therapist who realized that it was possible to relieve the symptoms of trauma through helping clients to connect to their bodies. The basis of Somatic Experiencing is to work with the felt sense of the body to release bound energy from traumatic experiences and chronic stress from the nervous system. It also incorporates the use of self regulation techniques designed to help individuals increase their capacity to become more resilient to life’s challenges.
If you have any questions, or if you would like to book a free 20 minute consultation, please contact Naomi by email at naomi@tidalelements.ca.
To find out more about somatic therapy, or for more on trauma healing, click the following links:
Somatic Therapy / Trauma Healing
Naomi respectfully acknowledges that she is living and working on the traditional and unceded territory of the Syilx Okanagan People.
Naomi provides in person individual counselling sessions. She is a Registered Therapeutic Counsellor Candidate through the Association of Cooperative Counselling Therapists of Canada. While Naomi is a Candidate, sessions may not qualify for extended health benefits coverage so are offered on a sliding scale basis. Individuals are encouraged to check with their extended health provider to see if their plan covers the RTCc designation.
Rates:
20 Minute Consultation – Free
60 Minute Session – $70.00 to $90.00
Please contact Naomi for a free 20 minute consultation to discuss the available fee options.
Naomi accepts the following methods of payment:
Cash, Debit, Credit Card, and E-transfer