Top Somatic Therapy San Francisco Specialists for Mind-Body Healing 

Is anxiety and stress controlling your life, making you feel overwhelmed, stuck, and disconnected from your body and those you love? Imagine breaking free from this heavy burden and rediscovering balance, peace, and clarity. You're not alone—many people in San Francisco feel the same. While traditional talk therapy offers some relief, it often doesn’t address the full mind-body connection that leads to lasting transformation. This is where somatic therapy can make a profound difference.

As a somatic therapist and licensed professional clinical counselor, I specialize in helping individuals and families heal from challenges like anxiety, trauma, and life transitions. My approach integrates proven somatic therapy techniques, including dance therapy, to foster emotional growth and a deeper connection between mind and body.

Through proven somatic modalities such as dance therapy, you can reconnect with your body, resolve trauma, and begin your healing journey. As a somatic therapist, I guide you through this holistic healing process, combining somatic psychology and body-oriented therapy techniques to help you feel safe, release emotional distress, and regain a sense of balance and control. 

Lisa Manca – Top-Rated Somatic Therapist in San Francisco

Your Body is the Path to Healing Your Whole Self 

With over 15 years of experience as a licensed somatic therapist and board-certified dance therapist, I specialize in helping individuals overwhelmed by anxiety, stress, and trauma. I combine advanced techniques from somatic therapy and dance therapy to help you go beyond talk therapy and experience deep healing through your body.

Having trained at Drexel University, I provide a compassionate, safe space for emotional and physical healing, allowing you to reconnect with your authentic self. My clients often describe our sessions as “life-changing,” leaving them feeling lighter, more empowered, and truly heard. My clients who use somatic therapy, say working with me is like having a weight lifted off of them. They feel seen, heard, and empowered as I provide the space for them to explore their emotions and at the same time hold them accountable for continuing their progress outside the therapy session.

What is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy is a body-centered form of therapy that focuses on the mind-body connection to promote holistic healing. Unlike traditional talk therapy, somatic therapy incorporates physical components such as breathwork, movement, and mindfulness to support emotional and physical well-being. One of the modalities I use is dance therapy, which taps into the psychotherapeutic use of movement to help you feel more connected to your emotions and body.

This approach helps release stored stress, tension, and trauma that may be causing physical symptoms or emotional distress. By focusing on the body’s natural responses, somatic therapy enables you to tune into your physical sensations, fostering deep healing. It is particularly effective for individuals dealing with chronic stress, trauma, and emotional release issues by addressing both mental and physical health. If you are ready to stop dreading every free moment and feel at peace with yourself, your emotions, who you TRULY are and all the potential you possess, please email lisa@lisamanca.com for a free 15-minute phone consultation for somatic therapy in San Francisco.

Top Benefits of Somatic Therapy for Mind-Body Healing 

• Full Mind-Body Integration: Unlike conventional therapy, somatic therapy focuses on the interconnectedness of your body and mind. By exploring how your body stores emotions, we can uncover and release tension that may be holding you back from achieving personal growth. 

• Changing Movement Patterns: Somatic therapy, in particular dance therapy, helps diagnose and change movement patterns and helps you to change how you feel and change your life!

• Holistic Healing for Chronic Stress & Trauma: Somatic therapy doesn’t just treat surface symptoms—it targets the underlying nervous system imbalances. Techniques like Grounding, Pendulation, and Titration help your body reset from the “freeze” state of trauma, allowing for a full emotional and physical release. 

• Long-Lasting Emotional Release: Somatic therapy promotes deep emotional healing by guiding you through physical sensations that connect to traumatic memories. As we work together, your body learns how to release this stored trauma, giving you the tools to feel calm, centered, and in control. 

• Tailored, Compassionate Approach: Every person’s healing journey is different, and I tailor my therapy techniques to meet your individual needs. My private practice offers a safe and supportive setting, ensuring you feel both comfortable and seen during each session.

  Somatic Psychology 

Somatic Psychology is a branch of psychology that emphasizes the profound interconnectedness of the body and mind. This approach recognizes that physical symptoms can often be manifestations of underlying emotional distress, and that the body plays a crucial role in our emotional and psychological experiences. By using somatic techniques such as breathwork, movement, and mindfulness, Somatic Psychology helps you develop a greater awareness of your body and its role in your emotional and psychological well-being. 

The principle behind Somatic Psychology is that the body possesses a natural wisdom that can guide us toward healing and recovery. By employing gentle, non-invasive techniques, this approach helps you tune into your physical sensations and understand their connection to your emotional experiences. This holistic approach is particularly effective for individuals seeking a comprehensive method of healing, as it acknowledges and addresses the interconnectedness of the body and mind. Through Somatic Psychology, you can achieve a deeper understanding of yourself, fostering personal growth and emotional resilience. 

Why Choose Somatic Therapy with Lisa? 

My practice is centered on helping you heal through a mind-body approach that incorporates somatic psychology and body-based techniques, such as dance therapy. Unlike traditional therapy, which focuses on talking through issues, somatic therapy helps you connect with and release the physical manifestations of emotional pain.

• Holistic Healing: My somatic therapy practice in San Francisco provides a safe and supportive setting to explore your healing process holistically—mind, body, and spirit. 

• Resolve Trauma: I use specialized techniques from somatic trauma therapy and movement-based therapy to help you heal both physically and emotionally.

• Personal Growth: Many of my clients experience a renewed sense of freedom, confidence, and clarity after engaging in somatic psychotherapy. Through our work together, you’ll feel lighter and more in touch with your true self. 

  
  Conditions Treated with Somatic Therapy techniques 

• Anxiety and chronic stress 

• Depression and feeling stuck 

• Trauma and unresolved trauma 

• Physical symptoms related to emotional pain 

• Relationship issues and life transitions 

• Grief, loss, and emotional distress 

  
  How Somatic Therapy Works 

In our sessions, we’ll focus on your body’s natural responses and physical sensations to uncover the emotions and trauma hidden beneath the surface. You may experience emotions like tightness in your chest, knots in your stomach, or other physical symptoms related to emotional pain. By working through these body-oriented cues, we begin to release pent-up emotions, reducing anxiety and enhancing your emotional and physical health. 

This process allows you to fully experience and release your emotions in a safe and supportive setting, rather than avoiding them. Through mindfulness and somatic awareness, you’ll gain tools to calm your nervous system and feel more in control of your emotional responses. 

Why Somatic Therapy Works Where Talk Therapy Doesn't

Many clients come to me after hitting a wall with traditional talk therapy. They find that while talk therapy helps to a point, it doesn't address the deep emotional and physical connections that somatic therapy does. Through my somatic approach, you’ll not only talk through your challenges—you’ll feel them and learn to release them, allowing you to experience personal growth and healing on a profound level. 

With weekly somatic therapy sessions, I offer a collaborative space where you can be open and transparent about what you want to change in your life. It’s more than just talking—it's about learning how to feel and how to let go of what no longer serves you. 

Ready to Live Lighter? 

Imagine waking up without the constant weight of anxiety and stress. Picture yourself feeling at peace, in control, and deeply connected to your body and emotions. With somatic therapy, this kind of transformation is possible. I’m here to help you on that journey. 

Take the first step toward healing today—reach out for your free 15-minute consultation and start feeling lighter, calmer, and more in control of your life.

Specialties 

Anxiety therapy in San Francisco 

Dance therapy as a movement-based healing modality

Trauma therapy for life transitions, chronic stress, and emotional release 

Dynamic Attachment Repatterning (certification in progress)

About Lisa Manca, MA, LPCC, BC-DMT 

With a master of arts in dance therapy from Drexel University, I’ve spent years helping clients heal through somatic therapy and dance therapy. Whether you’re dealing with anxiety, trauma, or feeling disconnected from yourself, I’m here to guide you on your journey toward healing, peace, and authenticity.

Contact Information 

Lisa Manca, MA, LPCC, BC-DMT 

Somatic Therapist in San Francisco 

Email: lisa@lisamanca.com

Phone: (415) 212-8780

Location: San Francisco, CA 

Begin Your Healing Journey Today 

Your body holds the key to healing. Let’s explore it together. Reach out today to begin your journey toward a more peaceful, empowered, and authentic life with somatic therapy.