Diana Houghton 12/31/25 Diana Houghton 12/31/25

Feeling Erased: Reclaiming Presence After Trauma

Trauma can create a profound and haunting sense of being erased, as if one's inner reality has been rendered invisible.

Diana Houghton 12/5/25 Diana Houghton 12/5/25

What the Pufferfish Teaches Us About Neurodivergent Protections

Like the pufferfish that inflates to create safety, the neurodivergent nervous system uses protective behaviors like withdrawal or irritability as a response to overload.

Diana Houghton 12/3/25 Diana Houghton 12/3/25

The Somatic Wisdom of Dark Comedy

A dark sense of humor is more than a coping mechanism, it is a somatic tool for regulation.

Diana Houghton 11/18/25 Diana Houghton 11/18/25

A Somatic Look at Eating Disorders and the Nervous System

When an individual's fundamental sense of autonomy feels chronically threatened, the nervous system can deploy powerful survival strategies.

Diana Houghton 11/17/25 Diana Houghton 11/17/25

Decoding Suicidal Ideation in Trauma Survivors

The emergence of suicidal thoughts following trauma is often not a desire to die, but a desperate, somatic plea for the overwhelming pain to stop.

Diana Houghton 10/29/25 Diana Houghton 10/29/25

Parental Rupture and Repair: An Object Relations Guide to Somatic Attunement with Children

Attunement is less about perfect connection and more about the courageous practice of returning to it after a rupture.

Diana Houghton 10/24/25 Diana Houghton 10/24/25

Neurodivergence, Communication Trauma, CPTSD and Embodied Healing

For many neurodivergent individuals, the very act of communication can become a source of profound and repeated trauma.

Diana Houghton 10/10/25 Diana Houghton 10/10/25

Addiction, Regulation, and a Somatic Path to Harm Reduction

Addiction is not a moral failure but the body's ingenious, if ultimately costly, attempt to find regulation and survive overwhelming circumstances.

Diana Houghton 10/9/25 Diana Houghton 10/9/25

When the Healing Hurts: Recognizing and Addressing Therapeutic Harm

The therapeutic relationship, intended as a sanctuary for healing, can sometimes become a source of retraumatization when a therapist's unexamined biases, reactions, or rigid methodologies cause harm.

Diana Houghton 10/6/25 Diana Houghton 10/6/25

Creative Rebellion: Reimagining Survival Strategies as Wholeness

What if your so-called disordered thinking is not a sign of being broken, but a profound somatic signal from a body that has creatively adapted to survive?

Diana Houghton 10/3/25 Diana Houghton 10/3/25

Healthy Regulation or A Rut? Neurodivergent Routines and Rituals

For many neurodivergent individuals, ritual and regularity are not preferences but essential tools for nervous system regulation.

Diana Houghton 9/15/25 Diana Houghton 9/15/25

Using Bilateral Stimulation to Build Resilience

This blog post explores a powerful somatic technique combining bilateral stimulation, positive messaging, and mental rehearsal to proactively prepare for stressful events. Learn how to build resilience and anchor a state of calm confidence before you need it most.

Diana Houghton 9/14/25 Diana Houghton 9/14/25

Tummy Talk: Conversing With The Enteric Nervous System

Our gut feelings are not problems to be solved but messages to be understood. Learning the language of the enteric nervous system allows us to heal trauma by listening to the wisdom of the body.

Diana Houghton 9/2/25 Diana Houghton 9/2/25

Why Neurodivergent People May Thrive in Somatic Therapy

Traditional talk therapies like CBT often operate from the top down, focusing on changing thoughts to influence emotions and body states. In contrast, somatic psychotherapy works from the bottom up, helping clients regulate their nervous system to create new cognitive and emotional experiences.