Your first somatic session is quieter than most clients expect — conversation, orientation, and slow tracking of what your system is already doing.
Key Takeaways
What to know before you start:
- The first session is oriented toward the working relationship — it is not a technique demonstration or a dramatic breakthrough experience.
- The insight-vs-change reframe applies here too: understanding what happens in a first session is one thing; the session itself is the different kind of work.
- Sessions include conversation about what brings you in, some slow tracking of what your body is doing while you speak, and orientation to how the work moves.
- Depth of engagement builds from safety, which builds over time — first sessions are not designed to reach deep material.
- Sessions are available in person at our Mid-Wilshire office and by secure telehealth across California, beginning with a free consultation.
01 — What it isWhat actually happens in the first session
Most clients arrive at their first somatic session with some picture of what will happen — either a picture inherited from mainstream media (something dramatic, cathartic, possibly involving lying on the floor and shaking) or from prior verbal therapy (a straight talk-through of history). Both pictures are wrong. The first session is quieter than the first, more physical than the second, and mostly oriented toward the working relationship.
What actually happens: conversation about what brought you in — what you notice, what you have tried, what feels stuck. Some slow tracking of what your body is doing while you speak — where you breathe, where you brace, when something shifts. A gentle orientation to how the work moves, so you know what to expect. Almost no specific techniques. Public resources from the Somatic Experiencing International and the Polyvagal Institute describe the pacing principle in somatic clinical work that guides these early sessions.
At Angeles Psychology Group this work sits inside depth-oriented care. Our Somatic Therapy pillar page steps back to the wider context, and sibling clusters like is somatic therapy evidence-based and somatic vs talk therapy address adjacent territory.
The pacing principle. Depth of engagement builds only as safety builds. First sessions are designed for the working relationship, not for deep material — which is why they are quieter than most clients expect.
Not sure whether depth work fits what you are actually working on? A free 20-minute consultation is the simplest way to find out.
02 — How we deliver itStructure of a first somatic session at APG
A typical first session runs 50 minutes. Early minutes are usually conversation — practical intake questions, what has brought you in, what you have already tried. The middle stretch is usually mixed talk and slow body-based tracking — your clinician noticing your breath, your posture, when your energy shifts, and occasionally checking with you about what you are noticing. The final stretch is usually orientation — questions you have, what to expect from the next few sessions, and any practical logistics.
The clinical stance is transparency. You do not have to guess what is happening. If your clinician is doing something specific with what they notice, they can tell you what they are tracking and why. Practical delivery information is on our homepage, and further reading on the framework is in our Orgonomic therapy overview.
Mostly conversation
First sessions look more like talk therapy with slow body-based tracking — not dramatic technique work.
Sage transparency
You get told what your clinician is tracking. No mystery machinery.
In person or online
Delivered at our Mid-Wilshire office or by secure telehealth across California — same depth, both formats.
03 — Getting startedA first step that starts with the consultation
Beginning is low-pressure and in your control. Before your first session, you book a free, 20-minute consultation, talk with a clinician about what brings you in, and together decide whether depth-oriented somatic care fits. The first paid session is the beginning of the working relationship.
Angeles Psychology Group is a private-pay practice; superbills are provided for out-of-network reimbursement, and fees are explained transparently before you commit. Public resources from Somatic Experiencing International and American Psychological Association are useful if you are still weighing whether depth work fits what you are working on. On scope: Angeles Psychology Group provides psychotherapy and does not prescribe medication. If medication management is or becomes part of your care, we coordinate with your existing prescriber with your written consent, and can support a referral to a psychiatrist when clinically appropriate. If your situation is a mental-health emergency, please call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or reach the Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386 or the Trans Lifeline at 1-877-565-8860 — support that is available now.
What the consultation covers before your first session: practical logistics — cadence, cost, fit — as well as any specific concerns you want held from the start. You are welcome to bring questions about clinician fit, prior therapy context, pacing preferences, coordination with a prescriber you see, insurance and superbills, and what a typical arc of care looks like.
A typical first month runs weekly, 50 minutes per session. The first session is oriented toward the working relationship. Sessions two through four are still primarily orientation and safety, with the first small stretches of deeper work usually beginning around session three or four. Deeper material tends to surface once safety is established rather than pushed for from the start. Many clients notice, in the first month, that the pacing itself is one of the more distinctive things about the work — nothing is rushed.
Practical notes on preparing for the consultation: there is no intake paperwork to complete before the call and no requirement to describe your situation in a particular way. You are welcome to bring notes if that helps you speak clearly under pressure, and equally welcome to arrive with none. If English is not your primary language, you can ask about language preferences during the call. If you have accessibility needs, mention them at booking so the practice can accommodate. If a specific clinician has been recommended to you by a therapist, prescriber, or friend, you can request them by name at booking; if not, the practice matches based on what you describe. Reviewer standing behind every page: David Zohar, MFT.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will I have to lie on the floor?
No. Some somatic modalities include floor work; the practice does not require it and most sessions do not include it. You will be in a chair or on a couch, in person or in your home for telehealth.
Will I have to talk about specific traumatic events in the first session?
No. First sessions do not push for detail. What you share is your call, and the pacing principle applies from the beginning.
What if I feel very activated in the first session?
That is common and is clinical information. Your clinician tracks it and adjusts. First sessions are not designed to push through activation; they are designed to hold it.
Should I prepare anything?
No specific preparation is required. Some clients bring notes about what they want to say; others arrive with none. Both are fine.
How soon will I feel a difference?
Varies by client. Some notice small nervous-system shifts in the first month; others notice change over a longer arc. Depth work is not a short-term intervention.
Can this be done by telehealth?
Yes. Secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth across California delivers the same depth as in-person work for most of the work; some experiential elements benefit from being in the room and your clinician will be candid about which.
How do I get started?
Book a free, 20-minute consultation through our online scheduling. You talk with a clinician about what brings you in, with no commitment, and together decide what fits.
About this page
This page reflects the practice of Angeles Psychology Group, a depth-oriented, affirming psychology practice in Los Angeles founded by Dr. Neil Schierholz, PsyD (PSY25154). Angeles Psychology Group is a psychology practice and does not prescribe medication. Where medication is relevant, care is coordinated with a client's own psychiatrist or prescriber, who manages any medication. Clinical statements are framed as research suggests and cited to primary sources.
Reviewed by Dr. Neil Schierholz, PsyD. Last updated August 2026.