Private Session —
Somatic Experiencing®
In-Person | Outdoor | Herd-Based Sessions
60 minutes | Initial Session $225
Packages available at reduced rates
Somatic Experiencing® is a gentle, physiology-based approach to restoring nervous system regulation.
When we experience overwhelm — through trauma, shock, chronic stress, or brain injury — the body automatically organizes to survive. Muscles tighten, breathing shifts, and the system mobilizes or shuts down. These responses are intelligent and protective.
If a survival response is too intense or too rapid, it may not fully resolve. The body can remain organized around defense long after the threat has passed, presenting as persistent tension, fatigue, hypervigilance, shutdown, pain, or difficulty recovering from stress.
At Congruence, in-person sessions unfold through SE™ Touch — a hands-on expression of Somatic Experiencing. Attuned, intentional contact supports areas where protective activation may remain incomplete. Rather than overriding symptoms, we follow how the autonomic nervous system is organizing in the present moment and support the safe completion of interrupted responses in small, manageable increments.
As coherence returns, breathing deepens, muscle tone reorganizes, and the system regains greater capacity for regulation and resilience.
This work is especially supportive for those navigating trauma, chronic stress, persistent pain, or the lingering effects of brain injury.
Sessions are held outdoors on the land at Congruence. Work may unfold in quiet proximity to the herd or separately, depending on your comfort and the needs of the session. The horses remain at liberty; when present, their steady regulation becomes part of the wider environment in which the work takes place.
Or reach out by email to learn more and sense whether this is the right fit.
What to expect
Sessions are held outdoors on the land at Congruence. You will lie fully clothed on a treatment table within the living environment of the herd.
The horses remain at liberty and move freely through their space. At times they may graze nearby. At other moments, a horse may approach, stand quietly beside the table, or rest a muzzle gently against you. These interactions are never directed or required; they arise naturally within the relational field of the herd.
Touch is gentle, attuned, and intentional. Sessions unfold slowly and are guided by your system’s pace. We remain in dialogue throughout — tracking sensations, shifts, and changes together. Your experience in the moment informs the direction of the work.
You remain aware and engaged throughout. There is no pressure to relive or recount past experiences. The focus is on supporting regulation in real time.
The aim is not dramatic release, but supporting the nervous system in reorganizing toward greater coherence and ease.
What is Somatic Experiencing®?
Somatic Experiencing® (SE) is a body-based approach to resolving trauma and chronic stress, developed by Dr. Peter Levine. It is based on the understanding that trauma is not the event itself, but what happens in the nervous system when an overwhelming experience cannot be fully processed.
When a threat is too intense or too sudden, the body’s natural fight, flight, or freeze response may remain incomplete. Instead of returning to baseline, the nervous system can stay organized around protection. Over time, this may show up as tension, anxiety, shutdown, pain, or difficulty recovering from stress.
SE works by gently supporting the completion of these interrupted survival responses. Rather than focusing on the story of what happened, the work tracks sensations, breath, and nervous system shifts in the present moment. This allows regulation and flexibility to gradually return.
FAQs
-
Yes. Virtual Somatic Experiencing® sessions are available for those who are unable to travel to Congruence. These sessions follow the same SE principles through guided present-moment tracking and awareness, but do not include physical contact.
60 minutes | $150 | Packages available with reduced pricing. -
No. While Peggy has lived experience with TBI and welcomes those on that path, SE Touch sessions are open to anyone seeking nervous system support, trauma healing, or quiet reconnection.
-
Somatic Experiencing is most effective when sessions occur with some consistency. While each person’s nervous system is different, many clients begin with weekly or biweekly sessions to establish stability and build capacity.
-
In-person sessions are offered on a sliding scale of $90–$125. A limited number of reduced rate spaces are available each month—please inquire if needed.
Although we are NOT a non profit, each session directly supports the care and well-being of the sanctuary.
-
I am a fully certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP), having completed the multi-year professional training through Somatic Experiencing International. This training includes foundational, intermediate, and advanced levels, as well as personal sessions, case consultation, and supervision.
Somatic Experiencing® was developed by Dr. Peter Levine and is a recognized body-based approach to trauma resolution. My work is also informed by ongoing study in nervous system regulation and my lived experience recovering from brain injury.
-
Sessions take place outdoors on the land at Congruence. Depending on the session and your preference, we may work in proximity to the herd or in a quieter area of the property.
The horses remain at liberty and are never required to participate. If they are nearby, they may move about naturally. Their presence is not directed or managed; it simply becomes part of the environment.
If you prefer not to work near the horses, that is always an option.
-
Comfortable clothes. You’ll remain fully clothed, lying on a massage table, with optional light touch or no touch at all.
-
No. Just arrive as you are. You may wish to avoid heavy meals or stimulants beforehand.
-
Responses vary from person to person. Many clients report feeling more settled, clear, or internally organized. Others notice subtle shifts such as easier breathing, decreased tension, or improved sleep.
Because this work engages the nervous system, you may also feel tired or reflective afterward. Occasionally, sensations or emotions continue to reorganize for a day or two as the system integrates.
The goal is not dramatic release, but increased regulation and flexibility over time.
-
Anxiety and chronic stress often indicate that the nervous system has remained in a prolonged state of activation. SE Touch supports regulation by working directly with these patterns in the body.
By helping the system safely complete unresolved survival responses, regulation and resilience can gradually increase. Many clients experience reduced reactivity and improved recovery from stress over time.
SE Touch is not a substitute for medical or psychological care
-
Talk therapy engages the mind through conversation and reflection. Somatic Experiencing® works through the body.
Rather than focusing on the story of what happened, SE tracks how the nervous system is responding in the present moment. Because trauma and chronic stress are stored in physiological survival patterns, regulation often requires working directly with the body’s responses — not just the narrative.
This work can stand alone or complement ongoing therapy.
-
No. Somatic Experiencing® is grounded in nervous system physiology and trauma resolution.
While some people may experience sessions as deeply meaningful, the work itself is not based on spiritual belief. It focuses on supporting regulation through the body.
-
If you feel called to explore this work, I invite you to schedule a complimentary 15-minute phone consultation or reach out by email to learn more or book a session.
-
Yes. Somatic Experiencing® Touch can complement other forms of care, including talk therapy, physical therapy, medical treatment, or other body-based practices.
Because SE works directly with nervous system regulation, many clients find it enhances the effectiveness of other modalities by increasing capacity and reducing reactivity.
-
Yes, in many cases Somatic Experiencing® Touch can offer gentle support during hospice or end-of-life care.
At this stage of life, the nervous system may be navigating pain, fear, disorientation, or exhaustion. SE Touch does not attempt to change the course of illness. Instead, it offers quiet, supportive contact that may help the body settle and experience moments of ease.
Because the work is slow and titrated, it can be adapted to fragile systems. The focus is not on processing trauma, but on supporting regulation, comfort, and presence in the time that remains.
This work is always coordinated with existing medical care and respects the individual’s condition and capacity.
Have another question? Reach out to info@congruencetucson.com