About Me
Andria Lea | Somatic Practitioner & Somatic Coach in NYC
Andria Lea is a New York native and somatic practitioner and somatic coach with over 13 years of experience in somatic work and Somatic Therapy in NYC. Her training includes certification through the Somatic Therapy Center, specialized training in sensorimotor art practices, and certification in somatic coaching
Her body-centered approach brings together body awareness, nervous system regulation, grounding, movement, touch, creative somatic practices, and somatic coaching, with sessions available in Manhattan, New Jersey and virtually.
MY STORY
How Somatic Therapy Practices and Support Changed My Life
Some years ago, chronic pain was what led me to somatic practices. And though the pain was physical, I had no idea how much personal growth would come from that experience.
At the time, I was dealing with pelvic floor dysfunction and ended up in physical therapy. I was pretty skeptical that it would help. But during that experience, I learned some important—and sometimes difficult—things that completely changed the way I understood my body and myself.
One of the biggest was body awareness.
I started realizing how little awareness I had of what my body was doing throughout the day. I had developed holding patterns and carried so much tension that walking through life clenched had basically become my normal.
Hello, dysfunction!
There were days when I would take a few steps backward in my progress. Naturally, I would freak out—or at least feel completely defeated.
But something else was happening that I hadn't expected.
Talking during my sessions sometimes felt as valuable to me as the physical work.
I cried during plenty of sessions. I growled through gritted teeth. I talked about what was happening in my life. Being heard and having room to express what I was experiencing became an important part of the process for me.
Eventually, I started noticing a pattern: some of my difficult physical days seemed to happen alongside stressful or emotional experiences in my life.
That was the beginning of my fascination with the mind-body connection.
Through this work, I also began exploring my own anxiety, and eventually entered the world of CPTSD and complex trauma. Suddenly, I had new ways of understanding parts of my own history, relationships, emotions, patterns, and the ways I experienced things in my body.
I became fascinated by the connections between our bodies, emotions, thoughts, relationships, and experiences—and by ideas like body awareness, emotional regulation, nervous system regulation, and grounding.
Eventually, that curiosity led me deeper into my own understanding of myself in ways I could not have imagined.
From Client to Somatic Practitioner
I came to Somatic Therapy first as a client—a skeptical and hopeful one.
For me, the experience became about much more than my original physical discomfort. It changed my relationship with my body and with myself. I explored emotions, old patterns, beliefs, physical sensations, and some old sh*% I had been carrying around for years.
Some beliefs I had assumed were simply me started to look different when I became curious about where they came from and how I experienced them in my body.
I became fascinated by somatic work, grounding, body awareness, nervous system regulation, and the relationship between our physical and emotional experiences.
So logically—or maybe not—I left my long-term career.
I spent three years training in somatic work and eventually built Somatic Therapy NYC. More than 13 years later, I'm still fascinated by many of the same questions that originally brought me to this work.
My approach today draws from somatic practices, body awareness, grounding, movement, touch, nervous system regulation practices, Parts Dialogue, creative exploration, and present-moment awareness.
What started with physical pain ultimately changed the direction of my life.
When we fully inhabit ourselves, confidence, clarity, self-care and even grace can be easily found.
My Specialties & Areas of Interest
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The experiences we have growing up can influence the patterns, beliefs, relationships, and expectations we carry into adulthood.
Through inner-child exploration, Parts Dialogue, body awareness, and somatic practices, we can become curious about earlier experiences and the ways they may connect with what you're noticing in your life today.
This might include exploring family dynamics, relationships, boundaries, familiar emotional patterns, or beliefs about yourself that developed earlier in life.
The exploration is led by what feels relevant and meaningful to you.
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Relationships can bring up familiar patterns in how we communicate, set boundaries, care for others, ask for what we need, and relate to ourselves.
Somatic work gives us another way to become curious about these patterns by including what you notice in your body alongside your thoughts and emotions.
We might explore boundaries, needs, communication, recurring relationship patterns, or what happens for you when connection feels difficult.
The focus is on developing a deeper understanding of your own experience and what feels important to you in your relationships.
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Anxious feelings can show up in many different ways. Sometimes they're thoughts; other times we notice tension, restlessness, overwhelm, difficulty settling, or simply a sense of being on edge.
Somatic practices invite us to become curious about what you're noticing through body awareness, grounding, movement, and present-moment exploration.
Together, we can explore what these experiences feel like for you and which practices feel useful when you'd like to reconnect with yourself and the present moment.
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Stress is part of life, but it can be useful to understand how you personally experience it.
We can explore what stress feels like in your body, what tends to leave you feeling overwhelmed, how you recognize when you're reaching your limits, and what helps you feel more grounded.
Somatic practices may include body awareness, grounding, movement, breath awareness, or simply slowing down enough to notice what is happening in the present moment.
Over time, you can build a collection of practices and observations that feel useful in your everyday life.
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Life changes can bring uncertainty and possibility at the same time.
You may be considering a career change, navigating a relationship transition, questioning what you want next, or realizing that something in your life no longer feels like the right fit.
Our work can create space to explore your thoughts, emotions, values, physical responses, and what feels meaningful to you as you consider different possibilities.
Rather than telling you what choice to make, I help you become more curious about your own experience as you find your way forward.
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Our sense of who we are can be influenced by relationships, experiences, expectations, and beliefs we've carried for a long time.
We can explore what it feels like to speak up, take up space, make choices for yourself, set boundaries, express your needs, or simply become more aware of what you like and want.
Somatic exploration can include conversation, body awareness, Parts Dialogue, movement, and curiosity about the patterns you notice.
The work creates space to get to know yourself more deeply and explore what feeling more like yourself means to you.
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Sometimes we carry ideas about ourselves for so long that they begin to feel like facts.
We can become curious about the beliefs and patterns you've picked up along the way — where they may have come from, how they show up in your life now, and whether they still fit who you are today.
Through conversation, Parts Dialogue, body awareness, and other somatic practices, there is room to explore these old stories while becoming more curious about your own preferences, values, needs, and sense of self.
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The families we grow up in can influence what we learn about relationships, boundaries, responsibility, emotions, and our own needs.
If you grew up around dysfunction, addiction, alcoholism, unpredictability, conflict, or other difficult family dynamics, you may be curious about how those experiences connect with patterns you notice in your adult life.
Our work can explore family dynamics, boundaries, relationships, inner-child experiences, Parts Dialogue, and the beliefs or roles you may have learned growing up.
The focus is on your own experience and what feels relevant to you today.
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You don't have to be struggling with something specific to want to understand yourself better.
Sometimes the question is simply: Who am I now? What do I actually want? What matters to me? What feels like me, and what have I been carrying because I thought I was supposed to?
Somatic work can bring together conversation, body awareness, emotions, Parts Dialogue, movement, and curiosity as you explore your own patterns, preferences, values, and experiences.
There is room here for self-exploration simply because you want to know yourself more deeply.
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Young adulthood can involve figuring out who you are while navigating relationships, family expectations, work, independence, boundaries, and major life decisions.
It can be especially challenging when what you want for yourself differs from what other people expect from you.
Our work can create space to explore your preferences, values, relationships, boundaries, confidence, and sense of direction.
I'm not here to tell you what choices to make. We can explore what different possibilities bring up for you as you get to know yourself and find your own way.
Explore Somatic Therapy NYC
If you’re looking for somatic support in NYC, my practice offers an alternative, body-centered approach to self-exploration, personal growth, and greater self-connection.
Sessions can include conversation, body awareness, grounding, movement, touch, Parts Dialogue, creative practices, and other forms of somatic exploration. Rather than following a one-size-fits-all process, our work is shaped by what you notice, what feels meaningful to you, and what you would like to explore.
People come to somatic work for many different reasons, including stress, anxious feelings, relationship patterns, boundaries, life transitions, difficult family dynamics, self-esteem, confidence, and simply wanting to understand themselves more deeply.
I offer in-person somatic sessions in Manhattan and New Jersey, as well as virtual somatic coaching and support.
