Steve Bonnelucq-Lane

I work with people who want to feel more comfortable in their own skin. They may be feeling overwhelmed, numb or disconnected and are experiencing symptoms of PTSD. I also work with people who are at various stages of recovery from addiction. My approach combines somatic (body based) and psychological approaches to cultivate a deeper physical presence with more awareness of the relationship between body and mind. How stress is held varies with each individual and context. During periods of high stress, it’s common to feel physically and emotionally overwhelmed. Learning to negotiate, accept and eventually welcome a wider range of sensations, feelings and emotions offers more choice in how to interact with the world around us. Meeting ourselves in this way opens the door to resilience and healing so that life can be experienced more fully. My approach involves cultivating awareness of how life experiences have been internalised through the body and how this relates to our psychology and behaviour. I often use touch in therapy sessions when appropriate by negotiating sustained and gentle contact through the client’s clothing. I offer a way of being held that creates a sense of stability to help process feelings that can be difficult to cope with alone during periods of high stress. My approach lends itself to people who would like to have clearer boundaries. How we hold our feelings changes our biology, so this helps us to regulate sleep, digestion, and muscular tension, as well improving psychological and emotional wellbeing. On a deeper level, working in this way helps to develop patience, compassion and resilience through the body.

Since 2003, I have practiced in private clinics across Sussex including 12 years in a residential hospital within the NHS. I have trained extensively in body oriented approaches including Somatic Trauma Therapy, and Craniosacral Therapy which I taught internationally for over a decade. My training includes working with addiction and psychosexual issues.