Somatic therapy in Melbourne
Body-based trauma therapy in Thornbury and Elsternwick
Sometimes, understanding why you're struggling doesn't change how you feel. You might know that you're safe, yet your body remains tense or on alert. Under pressure, you may find yourself reacting in ways that don't make sense to you.
Somatic therapy offers a way to explore these experiences by paying attention to what's happening in your body, alongside your thoughts and emotions.
I'm Rudi Doku, a certified Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner. My work also draws on Internal Family Systems (IFS). I work with people experiencing anxiety, chronic stress, trauma, grief and difficult life transitions. I see clients in Thornbury and Elsternwick, and online across Australia.
- Where
- Thornbury, Elsternwick or online across Australia
- Who with
- Rudi Doku, certified Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner (SEP)
- How long
- The first session is 90 minutes. Later sessions are 60 or 90 minutes.
- Cost
- Sliding scale, $140 to $220 per session
- First step
- A free 45-minute consultation
- Referral needed
- No
- Medicare rebate
- Not available
Somatic therapy begins with a conversation. We take time to understand what's happening for you and work at a pace that feels manageable.
Somatic therapy, briefly
Somatic therapy is a broad term for approaches that pay attention to bodily sensations alongside thoughts and emotions.
My primary approach is Somatic Experiencing® (SE), developed by Dr Peter Levine. In sessions, we explore physical responses such as tension, changes in breathing or the impulse to move, working at a pace that feels manageable.
How this tends to show up
People describe freezing when someone raises their voice, or hearing themselves say yes when everything in them means no. They replay conversations at night, worry about things that haven't happened, or feel constantly on edge.
For others, it's grief after a death or separation, burnout after years of pushing through, or the after-effects of a difficult relationship. Some experience flashbacks or nightmares. Others simply feel disconnected from themselves or the people they love.
You don't need to know whether what you're experiencing counts as trauma before getting in touch. We can talk about what's happening during your free 45-minute consultation.
Alongside talk therapy
Talking can help us make sense of our experiences, recognise patterns and find different ways of responding. Many forms of psychotherapy also work with emotions, behaviour and bodily experiences.
Somatic therapy places particular attention on what happens in the body. You might notice your shoulders tightening during a difficult conversation, your breathing changing when you feel anxious, or an urge to withdraw when someone gets close.
In our sessions, we can explore these responses as they arise. Somatic therapy offers a different emphasis, and the approaches can complement one another.
Inside a session
We begin with what's happening in your life and what you'd like to work on. As we talk, I may invite you to notice physical sensations, such as tension in your shoulders, a change in breathing or the feeling of your feet on the floor.
We work gradually, paying attention to what feels manageable. You don't have to revisit difficult experiences in detail, and you can decide how much you want to share.
Sometimes we explore a response that appears during the session. At other times, we notice what helps you feel more settled or connected to yourself. There's no prescribed way a session should unfold.
How I work with people
Sometimes one part of you wants to make a change while another part holds back, and I'm interested in both. I don't hurry anyone toward an outcome. We explore what you notice at a pace that feels manageable, and I want to hear when something isn't working for you.
I'll be honest with you. If I notice something that might be useful, I'll say so, even when it's not easy to hear, and you're welcome to disagree. There's room for humour too, because therapy can deal with painful things without feeling serious every moment. My own therapy is how I found this work, so I know what it's like to sit in the client's chair.
The approaches I bring
Somatic Experiencing® is my core approach. I use Internal Family Systems alongside it when that helps, and I'm also a certified TRE® provider. The training section below has the dates, teachers and training bodies.
Where I see people
Thornbury, inner north
Melbourne Integrated Therapies
8-10 Mansfield Street
Somatic Experiencing® in ThornburyOnline
In every state and territory of Australia, and internationally. Some people start online and move to in-person sessions later.
Online somatic therapy in AustraliaThe first step is a free 45-minute consultation, to see whether we're a good fit and to answer any questions about the process.
What we might work towards
People come to therapy with different hopes. For some, it's feeling less overwhelmed by anxiety or stress. For others, it's being able to set a boundary without feeling consumed by guilt, or responding differently when a relationship becomes difficult.
We might work towards feeling more present in everyday life, developing a kinder relationship with yourself, or recognising when you're becoming overwhelmed and what helps.
There's no guaranteed outcome or fixed timetable. We can talk about what matters to you and regularly review how the work is going.
The training behind this work
Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner (SEP)
Conferred by Somatic Experiencing International on 10 February 2025, after its three-year professional training plus additional supervised sessions and case consultations. I trained personally with Maggie Kline and Kathy Kain. The title covers somatic practice, and SEI states on the certificate that it doesn't confer a licence to practise psychotherapy.
Teaching Assistant, Somatic Experiencing International
I currently sit on the assisting team for Restoring Resilience's Melbourne Somatic Experiencing® training, with Maggie Kline as faculty trainer.
Internal Family Systems, Level 1
Completed through the IFS Institute in June 2021. Level 1 is the entry point into IFS and differs from IFS Institute Certified Therapist status, which needs further study I haven't done. I trained in IFS with Einat Bronstein.
Polyvagal Institute training
The 42-hour Foundations of Polyvagal Informed Practice, Part I course, completed in July 2021. I studied with Deb Dana.
TRE® Certified Provider
Certified in November 2020, qualifying me to lead Tension, Stress & Trauma Release Exercises sessions.
SEI practitioner listing: Somatic Experiencing International's Find a Practitioner directory.
Scope of practice
My work is somatic practice and isn't a substitute for medical or psychological assessment or treatment when those are needed. I don't diagnose psychiatric conditions. If you're experiencing acute distress or have concerns requiring clinical assessment, I encourage you to seek appropriate support from a GP or qualified mental health professional. Where suitable, somatic sessions can complement that care.
Postgraduate study in Counselling and Psychotherapy at Ikon Institute is under way.
Nobody can guarantee an outcome. The work offers a slower, body-led way of meeting what the nervous system is still carrying.
If you need help urgently, contact your GP, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, or in an emergency call 000.
Questions people ask
You can bring any of these to the call, or ask them here first.
What can Somatic Experiencing® help with?
People seek Somatic Experiencing® for a range of difficulties, including trauma-related stress, anxiety, burnout and emotional reactivity. Whether it's suitable depends on your circumstances and needs.
SE can be used alongside medical or psychological care, and outcomes vary from person to person.
Do I need to talk about trauma in sessions?
No. You don't have to describe difficult experiences in detail. We can begin with what's happening for you now, and you decide what you feel comfortable sharing.
How long does somatic therapy take?
There's no set number of sessions. It depends on what brings you to therapy, what you'd like to work on and how things develop.
Some people come with a specific issue they want to explore, while others choose to work together over a longer period, particularly when dealing with longstanding patterns or the effects of trauma.
We can discuss what might be helpful during your free 45-minute consultation. If we decide to work together, we'll regularly check in on how things are going and whether the sessions are meeting your needs.
How is Somatic Experiencing® different from EMDR or CBT?
EMDR and CBT often work directly with trauma memories or thought patterns. SE works mainly through sensation and the nervous system's responses, and the story of what happened takes second place. Many people use more than one approach, and I'm glad to work alongside other practitioners.
Is Somatic Experiencing® evidence-based?
The research is early. A randomised controlled trial published in 2017 found reductions in post-traumatic stress and depression symptoms, and a 2021 scoping review described the early evidence as promising while calling for more rigorous trials.
Other results are mixed. In two trials with people who had low back pain (2017 and 2020), adding SE to physiotherapy didn't reduce pain more than physiotherapy or exercises alone. I'm happy to talk through what's known during the free consultation.
Where do you offer in-person Somatic Experiencing® in Melbourne?
I offer in-person sessions in Thornbury (inner north Melbourne) and Elsternwick (inner south Melbourne). Online sessions are available across Melbourne, regional Victoria, interstate and internationally.
Can I do somatic therapy online?
Yes. I see people online across Australia, and internationally where appropriate. SE follows your own awareness of sensation, which doesn't depend on being in the same room.
Do I need a referral or a mental health plan?
No. Sessions don't need a referral or a mental health plan, and they aren't Medicare rebatable.
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Book a free 45-minute consultation
The next step is a free 45-minute consultation, to see whether we're a good fit. A few quick questions when you book, and that's it.