Carrying Tension
You notice your shoulders, jaw or stomach tightening throughout the day, sometimes without knowing what triggered it.
SOMATIC COACHING
Your Body Is Part of Your Story.
Have you ever noticed your shoulders tightening during a difficult conversation?
A knot in your stomach when you need to make a decision?
Or the way your breathing changes when you’re worried about disappointing someone?
Our experiences involve more than thoughts. Emotions, memories, expectations and relationships can all be accompanied by physical sensations and reactions.
Sometimes we understand a situation perfectly well, yet our body responds before we have had time to think.
Somatic coaching invites us to pay attention to these experiences.
In our work together, I help you explore the relationship between your thoughts, emotions and bodily sensations, so you can develop greater awareness of your reactions and discover different ways of responding.
Book a Complimentary CallHow I WorkIndividual online coaching | English • French • Greek
UNDERSTANDING THE APPROACH
What Is Somatic Coaching?
Somatic coaching brings awareness of the body into the coaching process.
Alongside exploring your thoughts, beliefs, emotions and experiences, we pay attention to what you notice physically.
You might become aware of tension in your jaw, a change in breathing, warmth in your chest, a sense of heaviness or an impulse to move.
These sensations can offer information about how you are experiencing a situation.
For example, you may tell yourself that you are comfortable with a decision, while noticing that your body feels tense whenever you think about it.
That tension does not automatically tell us what the right decision is. It gives us something worth exploring.
Somatic coaching encourages curiosity about these signals without treating them as unquestionable truths.
By developing your capacity to notice bodily sensations, you may begin to recognise patterns in how you respond to stress, relationships, decisions and everyday challenges.
Your body offers information about your experience. Learning to notice it can deepen your understanding of yourself.
DOES THIS FEEL FAMILIAR?
When Your Body Reacts Before You Find the Words.
You may recognise some of these experiences.
Finding It Hard to Relax
Even when you have finished your responsibilities, your body still feels restless or on alert.
Losing Your Words Under Pressure
During a difficult conversation, your thoughts become confused, your breathing changes or you struggle to express yourself.
Ignoring Your Own Needs
You keep going despite fatigue, discomfort or the feeling that you need a break.
Feeling Overwhelmed by Emotions
Certain situations bring intense physical and emotional reactions that can be difficult to understand in the moment.
Feeling Disconnected From Yourself
You are so accustomed to analysing, planning or taking care of others that you rarely stop to notice how you feel.
These experiences can have many explanations, including ordinary stress and physical health factors. Exploring body awareness can help you become more attentive to your own responses and needs.
UNDERSTANDING OUR RESPONSES
What Happens in the Body When We Experience Stress?
When we perceive stress or threat, our nervous system helps prepare us to respond.
Our heart rate may increase. Our muscles may tense. Our breathing may become faster or shallower. We may feel restless, become unusually quiet or have difficulty concentrating.
These responses are part of ordinary human physiology.
Our previous experiences, present circumstances, health and many other factors can influence how we respond.
Sometimes the reaction feels stronger than we expected.
Somatic coaching offers an opportunity to observe what happens in your body during challenging moments, without immediately trying to change or judge the experience.
Over time, you may become better able to recognise early signs of tension, notice what helps you feel more settled and choose how to respond.
We can explore simple body-awareness, movement, grounding and breathing practices when they are appropriate for you.
Noticing a response creates an opportunity to understand it and consider what you need.
WORKING TOGETHER
Bringing Awareness Into the Present Moment.
Our sessions begin with what is happening in your life and what you would like to explore.
You might tell me about a difficult conversation, a recurring situation at work, a relationship concern or a decision you are struggling to make.
As we talk, I may invite you to notice what happens in your body.
Perhaps you become aware of tension in your shoulders, a change in your breathing or a sensation in your stomach.
We might pause for a moment and explore what you notice, how you experience it and whether it connects with the thoughts or emotions you are describing.
At other times, we may use simple movement, grounding or mindfulness practices.
There is no requirement to close your eyes, remain still or participate in any exercise that feels uncomfortable.
We work at a pace that suits you, and you can choose to continue, adapt or stop an exercise at any time.
We also explore how these observations might help you in everyday situations, from recognising when you need a break to expressing a boundary or responding differently during a difficult conversation.
How It WorksSOMATIC AWARENESS IN EVERYDAY LIFE
Sometimes a Small Pause Changes What We Notice.
Imagine someone asks you to take on another responsibility.
Your immediate response is to say yes.
But as you consider the request, you notice tension in your chest and a sense of pressure.
Instead of dismissing these sensations, you take a moment to become curious.
Are you worried about disappointing someone? Are you already exhausted? Do you actually have the time and energy to take on more?
The sensations do not make the decision for you.
They invite you to pay attention to something you might otherwise overlook.
With practice, you may become more able to recognise what is happening before automatically responding.
Perhaps you still choose to say yes. Perhaps you ask for time to think. Perhaps you decide to set a boundary.
The important part is having greater awareness and more room to choose.
A pause can create space between an automatic reaction and a conscious choice.
POSSIBILITIES FOR GROWTH
Learning to Recognise What You Need.
Through somatic coaching, you may develop greater awareness of how stress, emotions and relationships affect your physical experience.
You may begin to recognise when you are becoming tense or overwhelmed, and explore what helps you feel more settled.
You might become more attentive to your needs for rest, movement, space or support.
You may also discover how physical awareness can complement reflection and help you respond more deliberately in challenging situations.
Some people find these practices useful when exploring boundaries, confidence, communication or recurring relationship patterns.
The focus of our work depends on your individual goals and preferences.
Greater awareness can support greater choice in how you respond to yourself and the world around you.
YOUR EXPERIENCE MATTERS
Your Body. Your Boundaries. Your Choices.
Somatic coaching involves paying attention to bodily sensations, but you always decide how you participate.
You can decline any exercise, keep your eyes open, change your position, ask for a pause or choose to return to conversation.
You do not need to force yourself to notice sensations that feel overwhelming or uncomfortable.
We can adapt our work to your preferences and circumstances.
My approach is trauma-informed, which means I pay particular attention to choice, collaboration, respect and the importance of your individual experience.
Somatic coaching is a personal development approach. It does not involve diagnosing or treating medical or psychological conditions.
If physical symptoms are persistent, unexplained or concerning, medical assessment may be appropriate.
Coaching does not replace medical, psychological or psychiatric care when such care is needed.
GET TO KNOW ME
The Person Behind the Approach.
I’m Evdoxia Stoupi, an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC), Trauma-Informed Coach and Somatic & Mindfulness Facilitator.
My work combines coaching, body awareness, mindfulness and other complementary approaches, informed by my professional training and experience.
I’m interested in how our thoughts, emotions, experiences and physical responses interact, and how developing greater awareness can help us make more conscious choices.
More About MeLET’S START WITH A CONVERSATION
What Is Your Body Telling You About Your Experience?
Perhaps you have noticed that stress affects your body, that certain situations trigger familiar reactions, or that you spend so much time thinking and doing that you rarely pause to notice how you feel.
We can begin by talking about what brings you here.
During our complimentary introductory call, you can tell me about your situation, ask questions and explore whether my approach feels right for you.
Book a Complimentary CallContact MeComplimentary introductory call | Online | English • French • Greek
Coaching and crisis support
Inner Safety Healing does not provide emergency mental health or crisis services. If you are in immediate danger or experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact your local emergency services or an appropriate crisis support provider. Coaching is not a substitute for medical or psychological treatment.