When talk therapy alone isn’t enough.
Somatic, body-based psychotherapy for deeper healing that gets to the root.
Somatic Psychotherapy Individual therapy in Denver and online across Colorado
Talking about something and actually healing from it aren’t always the same thing.
You might already know that. Maybe you’ve done therapy before. Maybe you understand, on some level, why you do the things you do — but you still do them. Still shrink in certain rooms. Still carry a tension in your chest that never quite goes away. Still feel like your body didn’t get the memo that things are different now.
That’s not a failure of insight. That’s just how trauma and stress operate. They live in the body, not the mind.
This is where somatic psychotherapy comes in.
Get better, faster with Somatic Psychotherapy: schedule a free 20 minute consultation today!
What somatic therapy actually is…
Somatic means body. Somatic psychotherapy works with the idea that your nervous system holds onto experiences, especially overwhelming ones, long after your thinking mind has tried to process them. That low-grade hum of anxiety, the way you brace without knowing why, the exhaustion that doesn’t go away with rest — these aren’t character flaws. They’re your body doing exactly what it learned to do to keep you safe.
The work is about helping your nervous system learn that things are different now. And we don’t convince it through talking about it, but by working directly with sensation, breath, movement, and attention — slowly, carefully, at a pace your system can actually integrate.
This isn’t about getting out of your head. It’s about bringing your head and body back into the same conversation.
How I work
I’m Ali Bullano, a licensed clinical social worker and somatic psychotherapist based in Denver’s Highlands neighborhood. I’ve spent the last decade working at the intersection of body-based healing and mental health — first through yoga, then through clinical training, and now weaving both together in my therapy practice.
I draw on four primary approaches: Somatic therapy, IFS/parts work, EMDR, and therapeutic yoga.
Somatic Therapy
Somatic therapy works directly with what’s happening in the body during session — noticing tension, tracking sensation, following the body’s lead rather than overriding it. It’s slower and more relational than it might sound.
IFS/Parts Work
IFS (Internal Family Systems), sometimes called parts work, helps you get curious about the different parts of yourself that show up — the one that shuts down, the one that pushes too hard, the one that’s been carrying something for a long time. It’s a gentle, non-pathologizing way to work with inner conflict.
EMDR
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) helps the brain reprocess memories that got stuck — the ones that still feel present tense even when they’re years old. It’s structured, evidence-based, and often moves things that talk therapy alone hasn’t.
Therapeutic Yoga
Therapeutic yoga brings breath, movement, and body awareness directly into the therapy room. This isn’t a yoga class, it’s more subtle than that. It might look like a few minutes of breathwork to settle the nervous system, a simple movement to complete something the body started, or using posture and breath as a way into what’s happening emotionally. For people who spend a lot of time in their heads, it can be a way back into their body.
What a session looks like
Sessions are either 50 minutes or 90 minutes depending on our goals (EMDR usually calls for longer sessions).
We talk, that’s still part of it. But we might also slow down and notice what happens in your body when something triggering comes up. I might ask what you’re feeling physically, where you feel it, what it’s like to slow down and just be with it for a moment instead of pushing past it.
It’s not dramatic. It’s often quiet. And it tends to get at things that have been hard to reach.
Early on, we spend time understanding your history, what you’re carrying, and what you’re hoping for. From there, we build gradually, at a pace your nervous system can work with.
If you’ve never done this kind of work before, that’s okay. You don’t need to come in knowing the language or having it figured out.
I see clients in person at my office in Denver’s Highlands neighborhood and via telehealth anywhere in Colorado. Most clients come weekly or biweekly, especially at the start of our work together.
This might be a good fit if:
- You’ve done talk therapy and felt like something was still missing
- You live with anxiety, chronic stress, or a body that feels like it’s always bracing
- You’re a mother, therapist, healer, or caregiver who’s carrying a lot and hitting your own edges
- You’re rebuilding after a relationship that took a lot from you
- You’re curious about somatic work and don’t know where to start
FAQ
Do you take insurance?
I’m an out-of-network provider. I can provide a superbill for you to submit to your insurance for possible reimbursement. It’s worth calling your insurance to ask about out-of-network mental health benefits — many people are surprised by what’s covered.
How long does therapy take?
It depends on what you’re working on and what you’re hoping for. Some people come for a focused period of a few months. Others work with me longer term. We talk about this together as we go.
What if I've never done somatic work before?
Most of my clients haven’t. We start slow and I explain what we’re doing and why. You’re never asked to do something that doesn’t feel right to you.
Do you offer a consultation?
Yes, a free 20-minute consultation is a good place to see if this feels like a fit. No pressure, just a conversation.