Meet Dr. Elizabeth Perry | Somatic Trauma Therapist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Elizabeth Perry and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Elizabeth, as a parent, what do you feel is the most meaningful thing you’ve done for them?
I’m the ultimate boy mom. Our house is loud, wild, fun, and cuddly, believe it or not.

The most important thing I’ve done as a parent is recognize that my children are my greatest teachers. Kids live so fully in the present moment. They remind us again and again how to do the same. As adults, we can get stuck in our heads. We sometimes unintentionally pass along old wounds or unrealistic expectations to our kids and to others. But when we slow down and really listen to our kids, we often discover they are right. We were the ones holding on to old belief systems too tight.

That willingness to learn from my kids has made me more flexible, open, and alive. Our nervous systems are designed to be pliable and resilient, not rigid. Getting stuck in rigidity keeps us spinning in the trauma vortex.

As a somatic trauma therapist, I help people gently titrate out of that spin. I guide them back into the healing vortex of regulation, safety, and joy. The goal isn’t to never feel the hard stuff. That kind of hypervigilance is protective and comes online for a very important reason. The goal is not to completely avoid the triggers or the trauma vortex. It is to learn how to become curious and return to regulation where we can rest and digest again.

Learning from our children is one of the most relational and beautiful ways to move through the world. I truly believe our planet would be softer and brighter if we all listened more deeply. This includes listening to our own inner child, connections with nature, and others.

I love my boys so much. They are my sons and my suns. It’s that same big, warm love that I bring into every session with my clients. Helping people heal feels like the most natural thing in the world. And that is the love that I share with my clients.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My work revolves around helping people widen their window of tolerance. When our nervous systems become more regulated, we have more capacity for dealing with the hard things in life.

I work similarly to a regular psychotherapist, but I include the body. I find it shocking and disturbing that many therapists do not include the body. As a somatic therapist, the body is always part of the equation. For example, thoughts may lead to feeling sensations in the body. Noticing the sensations in the body might lead to an emotion that needs to be felt. This type of work is a combination of bottom-up and top-down processing. As sweet and therapeutic as supportive listening is, we can’t think our way out of trauma. In order to heal trauma, we need to move it out of our bodies.

I also work with couples on the brink of divorce to help them turn their marriage around. I have found that most couples who struggle to communicate are just repeating patterns of trauma from their past. When you put the right tools into each person’s pocket, conflict turns into an opportunity to connect. When marriage is done right, we get to heal our childhood wounds in coupleship. It is such a pleasure and an honor to facilitate this empowered way of being in relationships with each other.

I also work with extraordinarily complex family dynamics. For example, I work with families who have children with autism, developmental delays, medical fragility, learning disabilities, and so much more. In addition to my somatic tools, I use the DIR Floortime model when working with children to meet them where they are.

For those in need, I offer a sliding scale. I believe it sets me apart because I am giving so much back.
I have never advertised. People come to me through referrals. I am listed on the traumahealing.org website for someone wanting to find a practitioner in Santa Monica. My niche is so specialized that people who are seeking my services are looking for what I have to offer. It makes it delightful for me because people that are looking for me have usually hit a wall with their regular therapist and are looking for exactly what I have to offer.

It was pretty easy for me to find my way into this position. I started out as a dancer turned yogi turned somatic practitioner turned therapist. It has been an organic unfolding. Every phase has become a bit more academic than the last, but there has always been a deep honoring of the body.

One of the main lessons I have learned is that I have the capability to make a difference. I am surprised over and over again when my clients share with me that their life has changed for the better since they began seeing me. I am in disbelief over and over again on one hand, but on the other hand, I know I am living my life’s purpose and doing exactly what I am meant to be doing.

I want the world to know that healing is always possible. You don’t have to keep picking up the bag with the snake in it. It’s okay for you to soften your inner critic and love yourself. If it feels overwhelming to feel your body, just start with one little part such as a finger. Somatic symptoms are oftentimes healing phases or simply expressions to listen to. There is nothing to be afraid of. Give yourself a chance and start discovering the almighty you. You’ve got this.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend was visiting, I would show them the absolute best time exploring Santa Monica. We’d make it a fun week of movement and relaxation in nature.

We would walk everywhere. I love walking all over my neighborhood and through downtown Santa Monica. Of course we’d head straight to the beach. We’d roller skate and bicycle along the beach path, feeling the ocean breeze in our hair, and watch the waves. My favorite thing is hiking, so we’d do a bunch of beautiful hikes nearby. We’d definitely hit the Santa Monica Stairs for an amazing workout. One day we might head up into the canyons for a longer trail with ocean vistas.

Evenings would be relaxed and special. We’d have dinner on my roof deck, soaking in the sunset. We’d wander along Main Street, go to a yoga class at Shefayoga, and grab fresh seafood or tacos at some of my favorite local spots such as Rabano or Manchego.

It would be a week full of laughter, sunshine, and exercise. I love calling this place home.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I’ll shout out to the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute. The years of training there have led to incredible abundance and capacity in my professional and personal life. It is such a pleasure to be involved with such a wonderful organization. These days I enjoy working for them as a volunteer assistant, supporting trainees in their learning and dedication to trauma healing.

Website: https://marriagedoctors.org

Instagram: elizabethperryphd