About
River Somatics employs more than just talking; we gently navigate the channels of your body and help you access these held patterns with compassion and care through mindful movement, breath and focused awareness… By tuning into the subtle whispers of your body, we can begin to gently release what no longer serves you, allowing your natural energy to flow freely once more.
Tovah Choudhury
2024
Mission
Just like a river carving its path through the landscape, our bodies hold the currents of our experiences. Somatic therapy honors this inherent wisdom, recognizing the profound connection between our physical sensations, emotions, and the stories our bodies hold.
When life's waters become blocked by traumatic events, chronic stress, or unresolved emotions, these experiences can become lodged within us, creating tension, emotional overwhelm, and a sense of being disconnected from our own flow.
Results
Our process fosters a deeper understanding of how your past has shaped your present, empowering you to navigate your life with greater awareness and intention, like a river finding its clearest course.
What Is Somatic Therapy?
It's helpful to understand the roots of this approach. The word "Somatic" itself flows from the ancient Greek "Soma," simply meaning "Body."
Historically, the primary current in healing has been talk therapy – undeniably useful and often necessary. Yet, this "top-down" approach primarily engages the mind. By working with our logical brain, challenging thoughts, and using mindfulness, the focus tends to be on intellectualizing our feelings. However, just as a river's course isn't solely determined by maps, our emotional landscape isn't always changed by logic alone. Intellect, while valuable, doesn't always resolve the deeper emotional currents within us.
Our bodies, like the riverbanks holding the water, also hold memories and create patterns of behavior, often outside our conscious awareness. By holding onto past hurts or betrayals, our bodily systems act as filters, coloring how we experience the world. Much like a river sensing an obstruction long before we see it, our bodies react to situations and alert us to potential threats even before our minds fully grasp the issue.
Our somatic approach focuses on the vital connection between mind and body, seeking to integrate these two powerful forces. Think of it as harmonizing the flow of the river with the surrounding land.
You might have heard the term "somatization" – the physical manifestation of emotional stress or trauma. Scientifically, when we encounter stress or trauma, our nervous system responds to ensure our survival. However, if we remain in this heightened state for too long, our system can become dysregulated, leading to these physical symptoms – like a river overflowing its banks during a storm.
Somatic therapy offers a way to gently guide us back into the wisdom of our bodies to alchemize and process these physical expressions of our experiences.
This journey of re-connection can take many forms, as unique as each bend in a river. We may utilize meditation to still the waters within, mindful movement to encourage flow, breathwork to regulate the currents, energy sequencing to harmonize the energetic landscape, and grounding practices to anchor us firmly to the earth.
The path of somatic exploration will look different for each individual, depending on the origins of their symptoms and the current resilience of their nervous system – much like each river has its own unique course and characteristics.
“ My journey into the currents of somatic healing has been a deeply personal one, flowing over two decades through exploration, education, and dedicated practice. ”
Tovah Choudhury
Founder
About Tovah
As a mother of three and a devoted lover of animals and the environment, I've always felt a profound connection to the interconnectedness of life. This fascination sparked a lifelong exploration into holistic health. My own journey took a significant turn in 2007. Feeling let down by traditional medicine and bewildered by my young body seemingly turning against me, I felt a growing inner call to explore wellness practices that truly nurtured the whole person. This led me to navigate changes in my diet, embrace movement, cultivate stillness through meditation, and explore the wisdom held within various holistic practices. Rooted in ancient understanding, these practices taught me how breath, movement, and quietude can harmonize the mind and body.
The profound power of somatic therapy soon deepened my practice, becoming a significant tributary in my healing journey. As a practitioner of Somatic Intuitive Healing®, I guide individuals in attuning to their body’s innate wisdom and cultivating a safe, grounded relationship with their physical selves. Through somatic movement, gentle table work, and intuitive guidance, I support clients in releasing stored tension, processing the waters of past experiences, and expanding their body awareness. This work continually reminds me that the body holds an incredible capacity for healing, resilience, and restoration, offering a gentle and natural path back to balance and wholeness – like a river finding its equilibrium after a storm.
Whether you join me for a private Somatic Intuitive Healing® session or participate in a group offering, my deepest intention is to provide a safe and welcoming environment for you to embark on your own unique journey of healing and self-discovery. Here, we honor the power of holistic practices and the inherent beauty of each individual's path.