Somatic Coaching Session Explained: What to Expect & How It Helps
If you’re curious about Somatic Coaching and wondering what a session with me looks like, here’s a simple, friendly overview to help you feel more at ease.
Curious if this is right for you? Read A guide to somatic coaching and its benefits here.
How We Start
Sessions usually last around an hour. If we haven’t already chosen a specific topic to focus on, we’ll begin with a relaxed chat to see what’s present for you. From there, we’ll do a short “drop-in” — think of it as a 5-minute guided meditation. It’s a chance to quiet the mind, release surface-level stress, and start connecting more deeply with your body.
This gentle pause helps us shift from thinking-mode into feeling-mode — which is where somatic work really begins.
Setting the Focus
Next, we’ll talk about what’s coming up for you right now — whether that’s a personal challenge, a goal, or something you’d like clarity on. This part is similar to traditional coaching: we explore what’s going on, how you're feeling, and what you'd like to shift.
Rather than offering advice, I’ll ask thoughtful questions to help you get clear on your own truth. It’s all about creating space for your own insights to emerge.
The Somatic Experience
Here’s where the magic really happens! We’ll spend most of the session tuning into your body — using simple breathing, gentle movement, and awareness practices as we explore any areas of tension or emotion that show up as we bring attention to your chosen topic.
By staying present with what your body is holding, you’ll often notice things begin to soften and shift. With your mind quieter and your body more open, it becomes easier to hear your intuition — your “gut feeling” — rather than just thinking your way through something.
This process can lead to powerful releases, fresh insights, and a clearer sense of what’s next.
Learn more about Somatic Coaching and its transformative power here.
Wrapping Up
To close, we’ll take a few minutes to reflect on what came up, what you’re taking away, and any next steps that feel supportive. Whether it’s a new perspective, a decision, or simply feeling more grounded — you’ll leave the session with something meaningful to carry forward.
Benefits
Utilise your intuition as well as the mind
Develop deeper emotional intelligence
Clear emotional blocks, tensions and traumas stored in the body
Regulate the nervous system
Increase calmness, clarity and joy in every day life
Next Steps
I hope these will be useful tools in your toolkit, and empower you to self-coach through your everyday stresses. If you’d like to explore 1:1 Body-first, Somatic Embodiment coaching, please do reach out to schedule a chat or session here- I’d love to support!
About Me
I’m Christina Shakelian, a Somatic Coach certified by the School of Embodied Arts and member of the Association of Coaching and Institute of Complementary Therapies.
I combined body-focused, somatic coaching with over 10 years of corporate coaching experience at Apple. When we combine body- first, embodied methods with structured coaching sessions, we can release stored emotions, tensions and traumas from the body and reach a deep inner knowing by connecting to the body’s wisdom, reaching our goals with more ease and pleasure.