I am a Somatic Therapy Practitioner and Somatic Yoga Therapist with over five years of formal training in somatic-based approaches.

For the past three years, I have worked specifically with children and adolescents in grades 3–12, both in group and one-on-one settings. My experience includes direct service within two school systems:

• Birmingham City Schools

• Fairfield City Schools

In these settings, I supported students with emotional regulation, trauma-responsive care, nervous-system awareness, and relational support—working closely with children navigating stress, transitions, and big emotions in real-world environments.

Safety is foundational to this work.

Emotional and physical safety are supported through:

• Choice-based participation — children are never forced to engage

• Permission-based interaction — children always have agency

• Clear relational boundaries

• Developmentally appropriate pacing

Children are invited to call me by my first name, Jamella, which helps reduce hierarchy and supports emotional safety and trust.

This work is explicitly consent-based.

• I do not use physical touch as a default

• If touch is ever considered supportive, I:

  1. Obtain parent consent first.

  2. Ask the child directly for permission.

  3. Respect a “no” immediately, without question.

Consent is ongoing and can be withdrawn at any time.

Parents are not required to remain present for all sessions.

However:

• During the first 2–3 sessions, a parent is asked to be available to:

  • Support rapport-building

  • Help the child feel safe and oriented

• Some sessions may intentionally include parent participation, depending on the child’s needs

After initial sessions, we determine together what level of parent involvement best supports the child.

Confidentiality is respected and clearly explained to both parents and children.

• What a child shares is kept confidential unless there is concern for harm to self or others

• I share with parents:

  • Observations related to regulation.

  • Patterns that impact the child’s well-being.

  • Skills and supports parents can use at home.

• If a child asks for something to remain private, it is honored unless safety is at risk.

omatic therapy is often an excellent fit for children who:

• Are resistant to talk therapy

• Feel withdrawn, shut down, or overwhelmed.

• Have difficulty naming emotions.

• Experience anxiety, anger, or emotional overload.

• Experience behavior issues at school or home.

Because this approach is movement-based and body-centered, children do not have to “talk it out” to benefit.
This is especially supportive for children and teens who struggle to verbalize their inner experience.

I work with children and adolescents in 3rd through 12th grade. Sessions are developmentally responsive and adapted to the child’s age, nervous system capacity, and individual needs.

Sessions are movement-based, body-centered, and relational, rather than talk-heavy.

The first session is always an assessment session.
During this visit, I observe your child in their natural home environment to understand:

• How they move, play, and settle

• How they respond to their surroundings

• Their regulation patterns and stress responses

• How transitions and interactions unfold in real time

This observation allows me to meet your child where they actually live and function—not just where they might “perform” in an office setting.

From there, I develop a clear, individualized plan for supporting your child’s nervous system, emotional integration, and regulation skills.

We move from the body outward, not the other way around.

Initially, sessions focus on:

• Helping the child notice and name sensations in the body.

• Building safety and awareness before working directly with emotions.

As the child develops capacity, we gradually introduce:

• Emotional awareness and expression.

• Regulation strategies they can access independently.

• Relational tools that support connection at home and school.

This pacing is intentional and trauma-responsive.

Not primarily.

While some conversation and reflection are included, sessions are largely experiential and movement-based. This may include:

• Gentle movement

• Play-based activities

• Sound and rhythm

• Breath awareness

• Grounding and sensory exploration

Children often regulate and integrate more effectively through movement and experience rather than extended verbal processing.

Parent involvement is an important part of this work, though it looks different for each child.

• Some sessions may include the parent directl

• Other sessions may focus primarily on the chil

• Parents are regularly offered guidance, tools, and education to support regulation outside of session

This work often includes helping parents understand:

• What their child needs before school, after school, and during transition

• How to support regulation at home without increasing pressur

• How to create greater predictability and emotional safety for their chil

Parent participation evolves naturally as we move through the process.

The goal is to help children build internal regulation skills that carry into:

• School settings

• Peer relationships

• Academic demands

• Transitions throughout the day

By supporting regulation at home first, children are better equipped to navigate the demands of their external environments.

In-home somatic therapy begins with observation, attunement, and pacing. This is not a quick-fix model. The nervous system changes through consistency, safety, and repetition over time.

Families are encouraged to approach this work with curiosity, patience, and openness. Progress may look subtle at first—often showing up as improved regulation, emotional awareness, or relational ease before external behaviors shift.

Consistency matters. For this reason, services are offered in structured packages that support meaningful integration over time.

Somatic therapy is a body-centered, trauma-responsive approach that supports nervous system regulation, emotional awareness, and relational well-being. This work is not a replacement for medical care, psychiatric treatment, or crisis services.

I do not diagnose medical or psychological conditions, nor do I prescribe medication. Somatic therapy may be used as a complementary support alongside other therapeutic, educational, or medical services.

If your child is experiencing active self-harm behaviors, suicidal ideation, or requires immediate psychiatric intervention, appropriate emergency or clinical services should be contacted.

My role is to support your child’s capacity for regulation, resilience, and connection in a way that is developmentally appropriate, respectful, and grounded in safety.