What is Psychosexual Somatics® Therapy?

Psychosexual Somatics® Therapy is a knowledge-based method for resolving sex and intimacy issues drawing resources from psychotherapy, neuroscience, trauma therapy, osteopathy, myofascial release, energy psychology and clinical sexology. 

It was founded by Mike Lousada, following decades of personal research, trainings and experience with clients. The modality evolved each year as Mike learned to disseminate his teachings to students. His focus was on bringing the best of the evolving neuroscience and psychotherapy fields into relationship with bodywork techniques designed to support somatic release and integration of trauma.

I was trained in cohort No. 3 (I believe) by Husband and Wife Team (at that time) Mike Lousada and Louise Mazanti, alongside their specialist team of faculty. Our training included body-working, which was subsequently cut from the base training programme and offered initially as an add-on module and eventually (I believe) not at all, as Mike refined his teaching methods and looked to develop something that was affordable to teach and integratable for the average practitioner in their practise. Our original teachings also included input from Michael Mokrus (Somatic Experiencing), Rex Brangwyn (Osteopathy, traumatology and PTSD) and Uta Demontis (Clinical Sexologist).

The work is designed to be short-term; usually between 4-6 2hr sessions is expected to resolve most sex and intimacy issues.  Using a combination of psychotherapeutic and bodywork techniques, practitioners facilitate the release of restrictive and uncomfortable memories in a mindful and gentle manner and within a safe and boundaried space.

I work only selectively now with bodywork and only with female clients for the bodywork element generally due to the erotic counter-transference. Bodywork sessions always follow a series of set-up sessions on zoom or that do not include hand-on trauma release work.

Although everyone has different needs and each person has their own individual outcome from the work, the results of Psychosexual Somatics® Therapy can broadly be categorised as follows:

• Physiological – resolving: pelvic pain, arousal issues, orgasmic or ejaculatory issues, erectile problems, post-partum or post-operative trauma. Results involve decreased PTSD or trauma-related symptoms, ability to allow enhanced pleasure, sexual satisfaction and orgasmic potential.
• Intra-personal – enhanced sense of; self, self-confidence, enhanced libido, body confidence, creativity, personal empowerment. The process involves resolving sexual, physical or emotional abuse issues
• Inter-personal – the process involves the ability to allow intimacy, to have nourishing relationships, and greater communication skills.
• Social – the process engages with clearer boundaries, increased productivity in the workplace, loss of shame around sexual identity and appropriate sexual self-expression.

It is intended to support you to journey from a mental understanding of your circumstance into the deep intelligence and aliveness of your body; developing body awareness, emotional resilience and ultimately the release of traumatic tension.

PST supports you to expediate your systems capacity for Neuroplasticity: the reorganising of Synaptic connections.

Psychosexual Somatics® therapy (PST) integrates trauma through joining the dots in fragmented cognitive, emotional and somatic (body) experiences, allowing the past to be fully integrated and stored away in the bodies memory systems. By updating your body that it's safe to come back into connection, it can turn down the dial on trying to control the outside world, tap into unrealised feelings and intuitions and begin to exert more power and influence in the world in healthy ways. 

By having new experiences of safe and healthy connection, whilst in your power and in your body in the therapy space, you can learn the skills to stay in contact with yourself and your sexuality and then bring those gifts out of the therapy room and into your daily life. A lot of this work can be done without any physical contact with the therapist, although supportive touch, holding and physical vibration may be introduced at later stages of treatment, where that is appropriate.

Change at the Somatic Level takes time to integrate.

Sessions are around 2 to 4 weeks apart to allow time for integration of the therapy experience. Experiencing oneself in relation to one's sexuality in new ways is a profound experience for most people and learning to continually live without the impact of shame, fear and performance anxiety takes a little getting used to. The length of treatment varies dramatically from one person to another and can be tailored to suit your needs. Many sexual issues can be resolved in 5- 6 sessions. Some people take longer or will need additional support from adjacent fields and practitioners. For others a few sessions is enough to open a doorway into an understanding of what wants doing that might preceed a fully committed decision to do the work at a later stage.

This work can be somewhat demanding, asking clients to be open to the possibility of major shifts in relationship structures, old habits and limiting beliefs about oneself. It's important to step in aware that you're entering a vortex of change and to resourced for the journey ahead in the various ways we can do that for ourselves.

Sessions including bodywork are limited to a maximum of 10 per client, in order to prevent psychological dependency and to support the development of personal agency and sexual sovereignty. In person sessions are recommended at 2 hours each and sessions conducted online will be limited to 60 minutes aside from the 90 minute initial assessment.

You'll leave more open, powerful and self-aware. 

What you chose to do with your new connection to your body is up to you and the opportunities are endless. What's important ultimately is the recognition of your unique and critical contribution to the world we live in and that you feel empowered and supported to bring yourself and your sexual essence out into the world and into your relationships, at your own pace.

Psychosexual Somatics® Therapy works at a deep level with material that has been suppressed into the unconscious and stored in the body. Integration of this material can be life-changing and significant for the body-mind to process. Suitability should be considered on an individual basis. It best suits people who are committed to a deep change and who are resourced for that process. Find out if it's for you here.

Is is for me?

This therapy is for you if you're experienced with personal development and emotional processing and take responsibility for yourself and your life. In-person bodywork is for you if you’re female bodied.

Psychosexual Somatics ® Therapy (PST) is particularly suitable for people who are looking to understand themselves at a deeper level, increase in consciousness and resolve sex and intimacy issues.

It's great if you're in a reasonable state of health, functioning sufficiently to hold down employment or study and to maintain at least a couple of close relationships.

It's great if life is generally working and you're open to improvement in relational areas, perhaps finding aspects of your intimate life a little overwhelming or absent and experiencing a desire for a more fulfilling and enjoyable sex life.

And if I’m male-bodied?

I work with female-bodied persons in person for PST, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity. This is in order that I can hold a therapeutic space where I feel safe myself to do this sort of intimate work and can be fully relaxes, so as not to repeat traumas of energetic rejection or abandonment. If you are male-bodied, especially with a sense of gender fluidity, and seeking support, please feel free to enquire. Referrals can be made to other suitable PST practitioners if there is not a fit with me for your personal circumstances and therapeutic needs.

We may also be able to work online, and it could possible to transition an online relationship to an in-person relationship if sufficient trust is established over time through another modality like working with IFS.

As Psychosexual Somatics ® is relational it’s also critical that both client and therapist feel safe and comfortable to work together, with neither too strong a positive or negative attraction between them. We will sense for this during the sexual history assessment. Any confusion in boundaries would be indicative of a reason to stop therapy in order to prevent harm and is protective and not rejecting of the individual.

If you're experiencing active addictions, medicating for depression, pregnant or with a psychiatric diagnosis, PST is not right for you at this time.

Psychosexual Somatics ® is not suitable for people who are experiencing high levels of numbing from their body or feelings, with a poor sense of self, with current addictive behaviours, psychiatric diagnoses (including anorexia), highly medicated or with long-term depression, pregnant, with high blood pressure, heart disease, infectious disease, in an unsafe living environment or homeless, who have just had recent surgery or who are not resourced and supported outside the therapeutic space to deal with the changes they will undergo. If you fall into this category please be aware that other modalities will be more gentle and supportive for your system at this time.

If you are pregnant, congratulations! We can happily proceed with therapy at a time when your body is not carrying the additional requirements of growing a child.

The recommended minimum age for this therapy is 25 years old. There is no maximum age.

What if I'm coming for IFS Therapy?

That’s great. IFS sessions are open to everyone and can work for those people who are less resourced, newer to therapy, or pregnant. They will not include physical touch of any kind, although I may integrate some of the PST techniques that also facilitate better Self-to-Parts Connection. Similarly I will integrate IFS techniques into PST sessions. I will always bring the best of my education to support each individual into the most healing environments within my competency.