Crystal Woodward- Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, Yoga Teacher & Instinctive Meditation Guide
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Crystal is honored to offer Somatic Experiencing to the Lake Tahoe community and is passionate about sharing this deeply transformative healing modality. With over a decade of experience exploring the body's innate wisdom and capacity for resilience, she integrates a body-oriented, multidisciplinary approach to healing.
Blending modern, trauma-informed yogic movement, ancient healing traditions, soothing self-care practices, Instinctive Meditation, and Somatic Experiencing, Crystal creates a safe and supportive environment for growth and transformation. Her extensive training allows her to guide clients through the healing process—helping them recover from trauma, physical and emotional pain, and rediscover a sense of joy and vitality.
As a certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner with over a thousand hours of study and teaching in yoga and meditation, Crystal deeply understands the power of nervous system regulation. When she discovered Somatic Experiencing, it felt like a natural homecoming—aligning seamlessly with her belief in whole-body integration. Her background in yoga and meditation has prepared her to hold space for others as they navigate their personal healing journeys.
Through Somatic Experiencing, Crystal supports clients experiencing stress, anxiety, grief and loss, chronic pain, and trauma—including complex trauma. She also works with individuals seeking general mind-body support, nervous system regulation, self-care tools, and embodiment practices to cultivate greater ease and resilience.
Somatic Experiencing can be a profound and transformative process, helping to renegotiate stored trauma in the body. Yet, it can also be a joyful and exploratory journey into deeper self-awareness. Crystal is dedicated to guiding clients toward a more balanced, embodied, and fulfilling life.
Somatic Experiencing (SE): A Gentle Path to Healing
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The Roots of Somatic Experiencing
Somatic Experiencing® (SE) has been helping individuals heal from trauma for over 45 years. Developed by Dr. Peter Levine, SE is a naturalistic, body-based approach to resolving trauma and restoring balance to the nervous system.
Through his research, Dr. Levine observed that wild animals, despite regularly facing life-threatening situations, rarely experience trauma the way humans do. He discovered that animals instinctively discharge survival energy—through shaking, trembling, or spontaneous movement—allowing them to return to a regulated state. Humans, however, often suppress these natural responses due to societal conditioning or overwhelming circumstances, which can leave trauma trapped in the nervous system.
SE is founded on the principle that trauma is not solely in the event itself, but in how the body processes and holds onto the experience. By completing interrupted survival responses, individuals can reclaim a sense of ease, safety, and resilience.
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Understanding Trauma
"Traumatic events are extraordinary not because they occur rarely, but rather because they overwhelm the ordinary human adaptations to life." — Judith Herman, MD
Trauma occurs when an individual experiences an overwhelming event that exceeds their ability to cope. It can result from situations such as:
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Accidents or injuries
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Medical procedures
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Emotional, physical, or sexual abuse
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Neglect or abandonment
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Chronic stress, fear, or isolation
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Birth trauma
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Natural disasters or war
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Grief and loss
During trauma, the body's survival instincts—orienting, fight, flight, freeze, and fawn—are activated. However, if these responses are not able to complete, the nervous system can remain stuck in a dysregulated state, leading to symptoms such as anxiety, hypervigilance, numbness, chronic pain, or fatigue. SE helps individuals gently restore a natural rhythm between activation and rest, supporting the body’s innate ability to heal.
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Symptoms Somatic Experiencing Can Support
SE has been shown to help with:
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Anxiety and panic disorders
Depression
Chronic pain and fatigue
Insomnia and sleep disturbances
Emotional regulation challenges
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What to Expect in a Somatic Experiencing Session
Sessions are designed to be gentle, supportive, and client-led, ensuring a sense of safety and control throughout the process. Clients may choose to sit, lie down, or even work on a yoga mat—whatever feels most comfortable.
Rather than revisiting traumatic memories in detail, SE focuses on the body's present-moment experience and the subtle sensations that arise. Through guided awareness, you will learn to notice and track bodily sensations such as warmth, tingling, expansion, or tension. These sensations provide important cues about stored energy in the nervous system and guide the healing process.
If working with bodily sensations feels overwhelming, we begin by resourcing—helping you find areas of ease, comfort, and safety in your experience. Over time, at a pace that feels right for you, we gently explore and release stored survival energy, leading to a greater sense of calm, resilience, and well-being.
Key Elements of an SE Session
Sensory Awareness: Learning the Language of Your Nervous System
Understanding the body's felt sense is central to Somatic Experiencing. At first, this may feel unfamiliar, but over time, you will develop the ability to recognize and interpret sensations as part of your body's natural healing process.
During sessions, I provide a sensation word list to help you describe what you’re feeling—whether it’s warmth, constriction, lightness, or something else. This practice strengthens your ability to self-regulate and listen to your body’s needs.
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Resourcing & Orienting: Cultivating Safety in the Present Moment
Before working with trauma activation, we establish resources—things that bring a sense of ease, grounding, or comfort. A resource can be:
✔ The feeling of your feet on the floor
✔ A soothing memory or visualization
✔ Gentle movement, breathwork, or a yoga pose
✔ Connection with a pet or nature
Orienting is another powerful tool, using the senses to bring awareness to the present moment. This might involve looking around the room, listening to sounds, or noticing colors and textures. These simple yet effective techniques help regulate the nervous system and promote a sense of stability.
Titration: Healing in Small, Manageable Steps
Rather than confronting trauma all at once, SE uses titration—working with only small amounts of activation at a time. This prevents overwhelm and ensures the process is gentle and sustainable. As we explore stored energy, we look for subtle impulses in the body—such as micro-movements, emotions, or shifts in breath—that indicate natural completion of survival responses
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Pendulation: Restoring Flow and Balance
Healing follows a rhythmic process called pendulation, the gentle movement between activation and rest. By touching into small amounts of activation, then returning to a state of calm, the nervous system gradually relearns how to regulate itself. Over time, this creates a more resilient and adaptive response to stress and life’s challenges.
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Integration & Closing: Honoring the Healing Process
Each session ends with a period of integration—allowing time for your body to settle and absorb the work that’s been done. This might include:
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A guided meditation or yoga nidra
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Gentle movement or breathwork
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Journaling or quiet reflection
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Discussing self-care tools for home practice
This transition ensures that when you leave the session, you feel grounded and supported in your healing journey.
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How Somatic Experiencing Differs from Traditional Talk Therapy
Unlike traditional talk therapy, which primarily engages the mind, SE works directly with the body’s innate healing intelligence. The goal is not to relive or retell traumatic events in detail, but rather to release the stored energy in the nervous system that keeps trauma patterns in place.
By cultivating present-moment awareness and sensory tracking, SE allows you to guide your own healing process—empowering you to reconnect with your body’s wisdom and restore a sense of wholeness.
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Healing is not about reliving the past; it’s about reclaiming your present.
If you are ready to explore Somatic Experiencing and reconnect with your body’s natural capacity for healing, I invite you to reach out and begin your journey.