Frequently Asked Questions

Answers to common questions about somatic therapy, NARM® and relational coaching with Erika Tourell — what to expect, session format, and who it's for.

  • Somatic therapy works with the body as well as the mind, recognising that trauma and stress are held in the nervous system, not just remembered as thoughts. Rather than only talking about what happened, we gently track sensation, breath, and body responses to help the system complete and release what it's been holding. It's a slower, more embodied way of healing that many people find reaches what talk alone can't.

  • NARM® (NeuroAffective Relational Model) is an approach to working with complex trauma that focuses on what's organised in the present — how early attachment patterns and survival strategies still shape your life now. Unlike methods that focus mainly on processing the past, NARM® works with connection, agency, and the felt sense of self. Erika integrates NARM® with a range of somatic practices, so the work is both relational and deeply embodied.

  • Individual sessions offer space to explore your own history, patterns, and nervous system at your own pace. Couples and intimacy coaching works with the relational field between two people — how each person's attachment history shows up in the dynamic, and how reactivity can be understood and met together. Both draw on the same belief: that pain and reactivity make sense in context, and heal best within an attuned relational container.

  • Somatic Therapy and Coaching sessions are available online and Ceremonial Bodywork is available in person in London and Totnes.

    Online work is fully effective for somatic and relational therapy — the body and the relational field are present wherever we meet.

  • Erika works with individuals and couples navigating complex trauma, attachment wounds, and intimacy struggles — including people who've tried therapy before and felt something was still missing. The work suits those who are curious about the body's role in healing and willing to go at a gentle, sustainable pace.

  • There's no fixed timeline — complex trauma develops over years, and healing unfolds at its own pace.

    Many people notice meaningful shifts in how they relate to themselves and others within the first few months, while deeper patterns continue to soften over time.

    The work is paced to your nervous system, never rushed.

  • Yes — many people come to Erika after talk therapy that helped them understand their patterns but didn't shift them. Because this work is embodied and relational, it can reach the places insight alone couldn't, gently working with the nervous system where change actually happens. A first conversation is a good way to see whether it feels like the right fit.

  • Get in touch via the contact page to arrange an initial conversation.

    It's a chance to share what you're looking for and ask any questions, with no obligation to proceed.

  • Please see Fees page