Trauma-Informed Mindfulness-Based Somatic Therapy: Nurturing Healing Through Mind and Body

If you're on a journey of healing from trauma—whether it's the lingering echoes of PTSD or the shadows of developmental and childhood experiences—you've found a space where your journey is valued and understood. I'm James Reling (he/him), and I specialize in trauma-informed mindfulness-based somatic therapy, a transformative approach that blends mindfulness, body-centered techniques, and creativity to guide you toward healing.

Your Path to Healing:

I help people Oregonians explore their inner strengths, cultivate mindfulness, enhance relationships, navigate transitions, and recover from the impact of invalidation and trauma. Your journey is uniquely yours, and my mission is to truly understand who you are, and what has shaped your path and empower you to envision where you'd like to go.

A Mindful and Body-Centered Approach:

Drawing from mindfulness practices and a body-centered framework (Hakomi and Somatic Experiencing), I invite you to embark on a journey of curiosity and self-discovery. Mindfulness is the art of noticing your present experience without judgment, while the body-centered approach helps you tune into the messages your body holds—messages that can be challenging to put into words. Through practices like pausing to notice your experience in the moment, movement, and our therapeutic conversations, we'll uncover the untold stories that your body is trying to share.

Creativity and Healing:

With a background deeply rooted in the music industry, I've had the privilege of experiencing it from various angles – from working at an independent record label to touring as a musician. Creativity has always been at the core of my journey. I began identifying as a 'writer' back in 3rd grade and spent my teens and 20s going to shows and self-publishing zines. Even when I returned to school in my mid-30s, it was a side-goal opportunity to further develop my writing skills. Little did I know that my experiences improvising musically with experimental collaborators would beautifully align with the improvisational nature of therapy.

I share all this to emphasize that whether you're a musician, artist, architect, poet, stand-up comic, social media personality, or another type of producer, I have a special affinity for working with creative individuals seeking a unique approach to their healing journey.

A Safe Space for All:

I firmly believe in creating an inclusive environment that respects and embraces every identity. My passion for disability rights, neurodiversity, and equality extends to LGBTQAI+, Black, Indigenous, People of Color, sex workers, and the loner weirdoes on the fringes of culture. I welcome clients of all backgrounds, abilities, sizes, and lifestyles.

I have been non-religious (agnostic) my entire life, and have some training and experience working with people who have left cults and other types of high-demand groups, so I enjoy working with people who have experienced religious trauma.

My expertise in working with neurodivergent adults ensures a space where your unique experiences are not only understood but celebrated. You are welcome to fidget, stim, and unmask in our sessions. If you go non-verbal, we can type through the chat feature. If you have other accommodation needs, please let me know and hopefully, we can find creative ways to make it work.

Guiding You Towards Wholeness:

 Trauma can leave us feeling fragmented and disconnected. Through my specialized training in mindfulness-based body-centered psychotherapy and ongoing training in Somatic Experiencing, I have honed the skills to guide you toward wholeness. Whether you're adjusting to chronic illness, recovering from burnout, or looking for ways to navigate life's transitions, I am here to support you.

Explore, Heal, Thrive:

As we journey together, you'll uncover your inner wisdom to help you heal your past, navigate your present, and envision your future with renewed clarity and purpose. While I am unable to prescribe or manage medication, my focus is on fostering holistic well-being—such as the interaction of your nervous system and your physical and social environment with your psychological and emotional experiences.

A Collaborative Journey:

 I am not here to impose my goals on you, but to empower you on your own path of healing. If you're ready to explore trauma-informed mindfulness-based somatic therapy, I invite you to connect. Together, we'll embark on a transformative journey—one that embraces your uniqueness, celebrates your strengths, and leads you toward a place of healing and thriving.

I am currently accepting new short-term therapy clients to work on specific traumas.