Relationship Rebuild & Communication Support
Service Type(s):
- Couples Counselling
- Communication Coaching
- Conflict Resolution Support
Service(s) Delivered:
- Joint Intake Session + Individual Check-ins (as needed)
- 8-Session Couples Program
- Communication Frameworks & Take-Home Exercises
This case involves a man in his mid-40s who sought Sensorimotor Psychotherapy to address persistent anxiety and dissociative responses in large groups or crowded spaces. He described experiencing a sense of claustrophobia, tension in his chest, rapid heartbeat, and a compelling urge to leave whenever he found himself in social gatherings, conferences, or even moderately crowded rooms. Although he could function well in his work and family life, he reported feeling disconnected from his body in these situations, as though he “wasn’t really there,” often drifting into a mental fog or emotional detachment to cope.
In early sessions, he reflected on his history and noticed that these patterns were longstanding. He could recall avoiding group activities throughout adolescence and young adulthood, feeling safer in one-on-one interactions or smaller, predictable settings. With exploration, he began to recognise that his discomfort in crowds and tendency to dissociate were not only learned responses from social experiences but also had roots in his earliest developmental experiences, specifically, his birth.
He was born via a prolonged and difficult delivery. According to his mother, he experienced significant distress in the birth canal, and medical interventions were used to assist his passage. In Sensorimotor Psychotherapy terms, this early birth trauma had left a pre-verbal imprint in his nervous system, which was an intense activation in fight/flight/freeze circuits that had never fully discharged. Without the ability to self-regulate as a newborn, his system learned to manage overwhelming stimulation by dissociation and withdrawal, a pattern that had persisted into adulthood, especially in environments that resembled the constricted and overwhelming sensations of his birth experience, such as crowded spaces.
Therapy began with establishing a sense of safety and presence in his body. We used grounding techniques, gentle movement, and orienting exercises to help him notice sensations without becoming overwhelmed. Early sessions focused on tracking subtle shifts in breath, posture, and muscle tension, helping him distinguish between present-day environmental triggers and the residual, pre-verbal activation held in his system since birth. This awareness helped him understand that his reactions were not irrational but adaptive survival strategies that had developed very early in life.
As he became more regulated, we incorporated Sensorimotor Psychotherapy techniques such as titration and pendulation to release the stored activation linked to his birth trauma. Small, manageable explorations of bodily tension, especially in the chest, shoulders, and abdomen, allowed him to gradually discharge the residual energy trapped in his system. He also learned subtle grounding movements, like rocking or shifting weight, to reconnect with the present moment when the sensation of claustrophobia arose.
As his therapy progressed, he began noticing tangible changes. In moderately crowded situations, he could stay present longer without dissociating and was able to consciously regulate his breathing and posture. The feeling of claustrophobia lessened as his nervous system became more flexible and resilient. He could tolerate more stimulation that previously triggered automatic withdrawal. Eventually, he reported a significant reduction in dissociation and claustrophobic sensations and could participate in social and professional gatherings without feeling trapped or disconnected
This case highlights how Sensorimotor Psychotherapy can help clients access and release deeply held, pre-verbal trauma. Through somatic awareness, gentle pacing, and relational support, early nervous system imprints, including those from birth, can be resolved, leading to improved regulation, presence, and resilience in daily life.
