Somatic therapy in Ontario, online
Therapy that treats sensation as information, so the body is included in the work rather than left waiting outside it.
- Online across Ontario
- Secure video
- Free 15-minute call first
- CRPO#17275
- Verified on
This may be the right fit if
- You understand your history perfectly well, but knowing it hasn’t changed how you feel
- Your body reacts before you have decided anything: the chest, the stomach, the jaw
- You go blank, flat, or far away when a conversation gets close to something
- Rest doesn’t seem to land. You’re tired and wired at the same time
- You can describe something painful that happened to you without feeling much of it
None of this is a diagnosis, and you don’t need to identify with all of it. If one line rings true, that’s enough to start a conversation.
Not sure this is the right approach for you?
If something above rings true, that’s enough to start a conversation. Working out which approach makes sense is something we can figure out together. You don’t have to settle that before getting in touch.
Book a free 15-minute callFifteen minutes, free, with nothing to prepare and no obligation to book sessions.
Distress isn’t only a thought. It can show up as a held breath, a braced shoulder, a stomach that drops before you’ve registered what is happening. These responses may have once helped you adapt or protect yourself, but the body doesn’t always update at the same pace as your circumstances.
That’s why insight doesn’t always translate into feeling different. You can know you are safe and still be unable to feel it.
What happens in a session?
Sessions may be slower than you expect. We talk, and I also ask what you’re noticing: where the tension sits, what happens to your breath when you mention a particular person or experience, or whether a sensation changes when we stay with it for a moment longer.
You don’t have to be good at this. Many people begin with, I have no idea what I feel.
Nothing is forced. We work in small, manageable steps, staying within what you can tolerate and returning to steadier ground when needed. That movement between approaching something difficult and coming back to a sense of stability is an important part of the work.
Over time, you can begin to recognize your responses earlier and have more choice in how you respond to them.
Will this work over video?
For many people, yes. You are in your own space, on your own sofa, with your own door. There is no drive home while you’re still processing a difficult session and no waiting room to compose yourself in.
Being somewhere familiar can make it easier to notice what is happening in your body and to settle afterward. We can also adapt the work to what helps you feel grounded and present during a session.
What training sits behind it?
My somatic work is grounded in Integral Somatic Psychology, an approach that pays attention to how emotions are experienced in the body rather than only talked about or named.
It sits alongside EMDR when there are specific distressing memories to work with, CBT for patterns that may shift when you change what you do and how you respond, and mindfulness-based approaches that can help you carry the work into everyday life.
“You can know you are safe and still be unable to feel it. That gap isn’t always something explanation can close.”
Anjana Iyer, Registered Psychotherapist
What will the work look like?
Building the ground first
Before approaching anything difficult, we develop ways of settling and orienting yourself. Having something steady to return to matters before we ask you to move toward what feels difficult.
Learning to read your own signals
Many people notice they’re overwhelmed only once they already are. We work toward recognizing the earlier signals: the subtle changes in breath, tension, emotion, or attention that can appear before things become too much.
Working at the edge, in small doses
We approach difficult material a little at a time, paying attention to your capacity as we go. The goal isn’t to push through. It’s to stay engaged without becoming overwhelmed.
Making space for responses
Sometimes the body continues to respond to something even after the situation has changed. We make space to notice those responses, understand them, and work with them rather than automatically pushing them away.
Testing it in your actual life
The measure isn’t only how a session felt. It’s whether something begins to change outside the room: how you handle the difficult phone call, the family visit, the boundary, or the moment when you notice yourself becoming overwhelmed.
This is a general shape rather than a schedule. People move back and forth through these phases, and spending more time building stability at the beginning is completely normal.
Questions people ask before they book
What is a somatic therapist?
A therapist who works with your body as well as the conversation, paying attention to sensation, breath, movement, and nervous-system responses as part of the therapeutic work. In practice, that can mean slowing down, noticing what is happening right now, and using your body’s responses as another source of information, rather than relying entirely on words and analysis.
Does somatic therapy involve touch?
Not in my practice. Everything is online, so there is no physical contact at any point. Somatic work here means paying attention to your own sensations and responses, which you describe in your own words. Nothing is done to your body.
Can somatic therapy be done online?
Yes. Somatic work can be adapted effectively to online therapy, and many people appreciate being in their own familiar space. You can notice your breathing, posture, tension, movement, and other physical sensations from wherever you are. We work with what you notice and what you are comfortable sharing.
What if I can’t feel anything in my body?
That’s a perfectly valid place to start. Some people feel disconnected from their bodies, numb, or unsure what they’re supposed to notice. You don’t need to arrive with a clear sense of what’s happening inside you. We begin with whatever is available and build awareness gradually, without forcing it.
Is somatic therapy evidence-based?
The research base for body-oriented approaches varies considerably depending on the specific approach, and it is not as established across the field as the evidence base for approaches such as CBT or EMDR. I want to be transparent about that. My use of somatic work is grounded specifically in my training in Integral Somatic Psychology and is integrated with other established approaches when they are appropriate for what you’re experiencing. If a different approach, such as EMDR or CBT, seems more appropriate for a particular concern, we can work with that instead.
Other approaches that may be part of the work
These are some of the approaches that may sit alongside somatic therapy. Any of them can become more central depending on what you’re experiencing and what we are working toward.
Recommended by other therapists
Registered psychotherapists are not permitted to publish client testimonials in Ontario, and I would not want to. These are endorsements from other registered therapists, left publicly on my Psychology Today profile.
Anjana brings something rare to her work: a trauma-informed, somatic approach grounded in EMDR and genuine attunement. She holds clients through the kind of healing that goes beyond the surface. A colleague I refer to with confidence.
Blanca Alagon
Registered Psychotherapist
Anjana is a thoughtful, compassionate, and highly skilled psychotherapist. She brings warmth, professionalism, and genuine care to her work, creating a supportive space where clients can feel understood and empowered to make meaningful change.
Max Tkachenko
Registered Psychotherapist, MEd, C-EFIT
Anjana is a compassionate therapist who supports adults with anxiety, trauma, relationship challenges, life transitions, and burnout. She brings a calm, steady presence and offers a culturally aware space where clients can reflect and move toward healing.
Kamakshi Marwah
Registered Psychotherapist, MA, MSc
Can you see me where I live?
Yes, if you’re in Ontario. Sessions are held online, so you can work with me from wherever you are in the province, including Durham Region, York Region, Halton, Barrie, Guelph, Kingston, Kitchener, London, Sudbury and Thunder Bay.
All you need is a private space where you can talk freely and an hour that belongs to you.
What happens next?
A free 15-minute call.
No preparation, no obligation, and nothing to book during the call. It’s a chance to tell me a little about what’s bringing you in, ask questions, and hear how I work.
If you’d rather look at the practical details first, you can read about fees, insurance, and the other concerns I work with.