Body-Mind Experiencing
Body-Mind Experiencing is a therapeutic approach for trauma and stress-related disorders that integrates embodiment practices within a healing framework. At its core, it invites you to become mindfully grounded, centered in your body, and attuned to your breath. Healing unfolds through a series of restorative, nested processes, by engaging the senses, bodily sensations, emotions, imagination, meaning-making, reflection, choice, and impulse-driven movement or action. These experiences are carefully tracked and paced, gently supporting the rewiring of the nervous system, and, ultimately, fostering physiological regulation and emotional healing.
Embodiment is the integral practice of developing mindful, experiential awareness as we learn to face and explore states of being that were previously avoided, suppressed, or left unresolved due to trauma or developmental gaps. In Somatic Experiencing, this unfinished business often reflects a survival response — such as fight, flight, or freeze — that was interrupted or never fully completed. By slowly revisiting these experiences through present-moment consciousness and allowing the body to complete its instinctive responses, we help restore balance and vitality within the body-mind system. This process not only releases stored tension and pain but also supports authentic self-expression, helping us reconnect with our true Self and move toward greater empowerment and wholeness.
As we return to our authentic Self, we reconnect with our gut feelings and emotions, learning to express them in ways that feel honest and validating. Healing occurs through deeply felt experiences in the body and through finding and using our voice. This process not only rewires the nervous system, but also builds the capacity to manage anxiety, depression, and challenges in relationships and intimacy. Over time, we become more resilient and expand our window of tolerance for previously overwhelming experiences.
Healing at the Heart Level offers a powerful gateway into the present moment, releasing us from the body’s memories of the past and the anxieties projected onto the future. This body-mind integration approach helps release the imprints of trauma held in the body and softens the hold of lifelong conditioning. As a result, we can begin to shift how we experience depression, anxiety, or overwhelm – often expressed through numbness, chronic pain, illness, distress, or self-sabotaging patterns – moving toward a more grounded, present, and self-empowered way of living.
Embodiment
“Embodiment is what allows us to go within ourselves, discover the truth and communicate it in a full-hearted way. Embodiment is the basis of our physical, emotional and neurological healing. Embodiment is the root of our creative and spiritual impulses.”
Trauma
“People think of trauma as being these terrible things that happened to you. Those are traumatic but they’re not the trauma. The trauma is what happens inside of you as a result of those things. What happens is the shutdown of the cells, what happens is a disconnection from the body, a shame about the Self. What happens is a loss of connection to oneself and a worldview that makes it very difficult to be in the present moment. So, trauma, ultimately, is disconnection from the Self and the present moment.”
“The imprint of trauma is not in your cognition (…) The problem with trauma is that these smoke detectors systems in your brain are changed: you start feeling things that feel differently, your body feels differently (…) You numb yourself out, not because you want to, because this part of your brain does that to you. This is really where most of all your trauma imprint is, in your reptillian brain (…) The part of brain where you talk and think really cannot control this part of your (reptillian) brain (…) this part of your (primitive) brain has a life of its own.”
Body-Mind Experiencing can work for You
if you relate to one or more of the following statements!
"I worry all the time."
"Everything is always too much."
"I am on the edge of losing control."
"Everything is always too much."
"I am on the edge of losing control."
"I have lost interest in everything".
"It's an effort to do anything."
"It's an effort to do anything."
"I feel all alone in this world."
"I have do it all on my own."
"I have do it all on my own."
"I don't feel safe in this world (anymore)."
"I am not worthy of (having) love/anything."
"I feel discomfort in my body and shame on how it looks."
"I don't feel sexually desirable."
"My partner only wants me for sex and I try to please him/her."
"My partner only wants me for sex and I try to please him/her."
"I don't have an intimate/sexual relationship."
"I don't enjoy sex (anymore)."
"I don't enjoy sex (anymore)."
"I lose myself in a relationship."
"My feelings get hurt easily."
"My feelings get hurt easily."
"I don't love anyone."
"I can't find anyone that will love me as I am."
"I can't find anyone that will love me as I am."
"I am hard on myself and those around me."
"I can't do anything right."
"I can't do anything right."
"I have achieved a lot but I am not satisfied or happy."
"My childhood still makes me feel angry and resentful."
"I have lost someone and can't overcome the grief."
"I believe there is something wrong with me."
"I am not good enough."
"I am not good enough."
Body-Mind Experiencing is also highly recommended for actors, artists, writers, public speakers, teachers, lawyers, entrepreneurs and for anyone that wants to speak the truth from the core of who they are and unleash their creative power!
Testimonials
What Clients Say?
Over the past two years, working with Fernando has been proper good. Through the darkest of times, his support has been an anchor; guiding me to see that healing transcends merely revisiting past pain: it encompasses hope and the rediscovery of beauty in life. His respect for my individuality has created a space where I am welcomed, exactly as I am. With his expertise and guidance, the intensity of the fires that raged so fiercely within me have quieted, leaving me more grounded in the rhythm of daily life. His joy is contagious; you cannot help but smile, and his playful spirit spurs alchemy, bringing lightness even to the heaviest of moments. It is clear that he cares, both for the work he does and for those he supports. Through this journey, I have discovered the experience of connecting with another person. This bond has provided me with a sense of being heard and valued: a stark contrast to the trauma I carry within, and has become a source of quiet, steady healing that I look forward to and value greatly each week.
Veronica, 25
I reached out to Fernando after years of cognitive/talking therapies, including EMDR/CBT. Whilst these therapies helped to comprehend the extensive past trauma which led to my CPTSD symptoms, my body continued to have responses to triggers - which made daily life challenging. I have been working with Fernando for over a year now and he has helped me not only through some big life changes (including having a baby, moving house and cutting contact with triggering individuals), but in giving me the tools and techniques I needed to expand my 'window of tolerance'; I'm now aware of what my body can feel when any triggers arise, and have a greater capacity for tolerating these. I will continue to heal and tough days are a part of this, but I'm now much less afraid as I feel more consistently safe each day, more confident in validating my feelings, and more able to recognise any negative bodily movement - consequently reducing its power. As a survivor of multiple abusive experiences, I can't recommend Fernando enough for both his effective practice of Somatic Experiencing work, and his reliability as a vital, safe source of help, enabling the transition from surviving to thriving.
Amy, 30
Working with Fernando has helped me to be more aware of sensations in my body, to be more grounded, and to be more able to tolerate difficult feelings. What I have learnt so far is helping me to be more present in challenging moments and to bring kinder responses to bear. I have found Fernando to be a sensitive, compassionate, supportive and kind person. He is a highly attuned and skilful therapist, who makes the sessions feel very safe and comfortable. I quickly felt able to trust him and have found our sessions together to be very helpful at a difficult time in my life.
Tim, 31
I had a weekly session with Fernando for over 18 months. Each time, I learned to trust that whatever came up in the session would feel safe and that I would become clearer about the issue in hand - I would become more present with what was going on in my life. I grew in safety and in trust. I knew that Fernando would always be empathetic and not judgemental. I learned what it was to feel safe and to trust; for that I am truly grateful.
Freya, 56
I‘m actually feeling really, really good. I feel the work we’ve done was super powerful and cleared some major things for me in a very quick time.
Kristin, 41
I wanted to say a huge thank you, I found them [the sessions] really beneficial and I learned a lot, and I appreciated all the effort you put in.
Anna, 32
“I started working with Fernando after a particularly traumatic medical procedure which unearthed a whole pile of unaddressed trauma that I didn’t realise I was still holding onto. I was in a state of total emotional numbness, had lost my sense of self, my creativity, my ability to connect, I couldn’t even cry, I really was at crisis point.
Over 8 months I worked first on a weekly, then bi monthly basis with Fernando, the work we did was life changing. Fernando’s approach was gentle and encouraging, I never felt like I was pushed too far, he has a 6th sense for knowing at exactly which point to pause and feel through the difficult emotions that come up. The techniques he taught me were so empowering, for the first time in my life I actually know how to feel and work through my emotions, whereas before had often avoided them because they often became overwhelming.
This kind of work takes time, you have to trust the process and the slow unravelling as you get in touch with a deeper sense of yourself, but the commitment to the work will pay off over and over again.
I cannot recommend Fernando enough for his expertise and gentle approach to the work he does, I always felt incredibly safe and supported in our sessions (Something that is crucial as a survivor of SA), and he’s also helped me to notice my own patterns through his keen attention to the details in my behaviour.
If you are looking for a therapist who is deeply passionate about helping his clients to succeed, a therapist who can help you work through deep traumas in a compassionate manner that will never push you too far, but just the right amount to do the deep work, then Fernando is the person for you.”
Over 8 months I worked first on a weekly, then bi monthly basis with Fernando, the work we did was life changing. Fernando’s approach was gentle and encouraging, I never felt like I was pushed too far, he has a 6th sense for knowing at exactly which point to pause and feel through the difficult emotions that come up. The techniques he taught me were so empowering, for the first time in my life I actually know how to feel and work through my emotions, whereas before had often avoided them because they often became overwhelming.
This kind of work takes time, you have to trust the process and the slow unravelling as you get in touch with a deeper sense of yourself, but the commitment to the work will pay off over and over again.
I cannot recommend Fernando enough for his expertise and gentle approach to the work he does, I always felt incredibly safe and supported in our sessions (Something that is crucial as a survivor of SA), and he’s also helped me to notice my own patterns through his keen attention to the details in my behaviour.
If you are looking for a therapist who is deeply passionate about helping his clients to succeed, a therapist who can help you work through deep traumas in a compassionate manner that will never push you too far, but just the right amount to do the deep work, then Fernando is the person for you.”
Sylvia, 29
About the Heart-centred
Embodiment Therapist
Fernando Kalliope is a regular Yogi practitioner with over twenty years of professional training and cumulative expertise in Embodiment practices, physically assimilated in dance, acting, voice and improvisation art forms.
Fernando, in addition to his core modalities’ training, completed the following relevant courses which have further enhanced his Embodiment journey:
• The Wheel of Consent, “The Art of Receiving and Giving” training programme with Betty Martin (Dawlish, UK, 2015);
• Scar Tissue Remediation & Management with Ellen Heed and Kimberly Ann Johnson (Dawlish, UK, 2016);
• The Art of Tantra Massage Professional Training, 16-day over one-year programme with The Paths of Transformation by John Hawken (Cernivsko, Czechia, 2017);
• Myofascial Energetic Release ‘Lower Back & Neck’ with Nisarga Dobosz (London, UK, 2017);
• Somatic Experiencing Bodywork and Coupling Dynamics with Kathy Kain (Weggis, Switzerland, 2019);
• Getting to the Core of Sexuality Trauma with Ariel Giarretto (Stockholm, Sweden, 2019);
Fernando Kalliope is an insured professional member of the Association of Somatic and Integrative Sexologists (ASIS) since 2016 and follows its ethical codes of practise.
The somatic therapy framework and backbone modality Fernando Kalliope uses in his work is Somatic Experiencing (SE), a neuroscience and body-based approach to healing trauma and other stress disorders. Fernando is a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (Krakow, Poland and Lisbon, Portugal, 2017-2019).
In addition to the SE core modality, Fernando uses another Body-Mind Integration method, Chakra Therapy, as developed and presented by Anodea Judith in her book, “Eastern Body, Western Mind”. Fernando has trained personally with Anodea Judith in two in-depth courses in London, UK, and Novato, USA, 2016.
Fernando Kalliope also uses to a great extent SOMA-Embodiment which offers touch and movement tools, relating to the perception or awareness of the position and movement of the body to transform emotional and developmental trauma. SOMA- Embodiment was devised and developed by Sônia Gomes, a senior SE faculty teacher, and Fernando completed the 120-hour certification training programme with Sônia Gomes and Marcelo Muniz (Zurich, Switzerland and Łochów, Poland, 2019-2020).
Recent trainings in 2024 include Bodynamic Foundation (Lisbon) and Neuro Affective Touch Foundation (London).
Embodiment, Intimacy & Empowerment
How does it work?
Embodiment works by increasing the level of Intimacy of the Self while staying connected inside and in Embodied Relationship with the outside world. As you give yourself time and permission to share your internal process with the Other/Therapist, as the level of intimacy increases, so does the capacity for feeling sensations and emotional states through your body: your sense of Self strengthens and your cognitive ability to ask for what you want or desire gets an Empowerment boost. Empowering the body to speak its mind is the ability to feel while listening, thinking and talking in regards to the Self and to the Other. Embodied Talking is thus the ability to speak your truth directly from your own body-mind experiences as you feel each experience moment by moment.
Boundaries & Body-Mind Integration
Boundaries are the physical and/or behavioural development edges we all have, the frontier between what is within our current knowledge, ability and strength and what is immediately outside, the wild and challenging realm of the senses that is unknown to us. These edges form the inner space whereby our embodiment process of mindful contraction and expansion gradually occurs. A mindful and slow Self-discovery exploration ensures it is done within a safe and resourceful container, so as not to unintentionally hurtle through our boundaries, and hence facilitating its flow and Integration into our grounded and connected being. Within this Self-regulating framework, we are are able to safely integrate the body-mind experiences in a way that we reclaim our sense of power and learn to expand or reset our boundaries, building up our resilience and opening up our heartland to emotional healing.
Body-Mind Integration enables us to restore a feeling of flow – being – and our actions – doing – come out of this flow of life other than from the fleeing need to do something in order to avoid what we’re fully experiencing, e.g., craving of food when our body is not hungry. Body-Mind Integration or Embodiment therapy is a gateway to our love and freedom within, creativity, intuition, choice, self-acceptance, self-esteem and self-expression.