Listening to Your Nervous System: In-Person Workshop

A gentle, experiential workshop exploring regulation, connection and inner steadiness

👥 Small group: maximum 6 participants

📍 28 High Street, Altrincham, WA14 1QP

📅 Sunday 18 October 2026

🕙 10:00am - 1:00pm

🏷️ £59 per person

📩 Can’t make it? Let’s connect about future dates

This small-group workshop is guided by Michaela Burrell, Somatic Processing Practitioner, and offers a gentle, experiential space to explore your nervous system, discover supportive regulation practices and deepen connection with your body.

Our nervous systems are constantly responding to the world around us.

At times we may feel calm, present and connected. At others, we might notice restlessness, urgency, tension, overwhelm, shutting down, people-pleasing or a sense of disconnection from ourselves.

None of these responses mean that something has gone wrong.

They are part of the body's remarkable way of trying to protect us.

This small, in-person workshop offers a gentle opportunity to understand your nervous system a little more deeply and, most importantly, to experience different ways of supporting it.

Rather than teaching you one "right" way to regulate, we will explore a range of simple practices and notice how your own body responds.

Because different nervous systems need different things at different times.

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What we will explore

We will begin with a simple, accessible introduction to nervous-system states and some of the ways our bodies respond to stress, connection and perceived safety.

From there, we will explore several pathways that can support regulation:

Orienting
Using the senses and our surroundings to reconnect with the present moment.

Breath
Exploring gentle ways of working with the breath, without forcing or controlling it.

Sound
Experimenting with vibration, humming, sighing and listening.

Self-touch
Exploring supportive contact, pressure and ways of offering our own body a sense of containment or connection.

Movement & pressure
Using gentle movement, rhythm, stretching, grounding and mildly stronger physical input to meet different kinds of nervous-system energy.

Co-regulation
Exploring what happens within us when we experience safe, attuned connection with another person.

Throughout the workshop, every practice will be an invitation rather than an instruction.

You are welcome to participate fully, modify a practice, keep your eyes open, closed, change position, move around, sit something out, or simply observe. Your body gets a say.

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A space to notice, not perform

This workshop is intentionally limited to six participants. That gives us plenty of space to pause after each exploration and gently notice:

What happened in my body? Did anything soften, energise, settle or become clearer?Did I want more of that practice, less of it, or something completely different?

There will also be opportunities to share what you noticed with the group, if you wish. Sharing is always optional.

One person's nervous system may find a particular practice deeply settling, while another person's system may respond very differently. Neither response is wrong.

Part of the intention of the workshop is to begin discovering your own language of regulation.

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This workshop may be for you if…

You would like to:

  • understand your nervous system in a simple, compassionate and non-clinical way

  • feel more connected to your body's signals

  • explore practical tools you can return to in everyday life

  • understand what helps you feel more grounded, present or steady

  • become more curious about your responses rather than judging them

  • experience somatic practices in a supportive small-group environment

You don't need any previous experience of somatic work.

You also don't need to be particularly "good at feeling your body". Curiosity is enough.

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Is a group workshop the right support for me?

Somatic work can be gentle, but turning attention towards the body can also bring up sensations, emotions or protective responses.

For that reason, this workshop is designed for people who currently have enough capacity to remain reasonably present, make choices about their participation and return their attention to the room around them when needed.

A 1:1 setting may be more appropriate if you are currently experiencing:

  • frequent or prolonged periods of feeling completely disconnected from your body or surroundings

  • difficulty remaining oriented to the present moment once emotions or body sensations arise

  • very intense activation or overwhelm that regularly feels difficult to come back from without individual support

  • a very recent traumatic or destabilising experience that still feels acutely overwhelming

  • severe mental health symptoms that currently make it difficult to feel grounded, make autonomous choices or participate safely within a group

  • an acute mental health crisis or immediate risk of harm to yourself or someone else

This doesn't mean somatic work is unsuitable for you. It may simply mean that more individual support and pacing would offer your nervous system a safer place to begin.

If you are unsure whether the workshop would be suitable for you, you are very welcome to contact me before booking.

This workshop is an educational and experiential wellbeing offering. It is not psychotherapy, medical treatment or a substitute for appropriate mental-health care.

Learn About 1:1 Somatic Support

What the morning will look like

We will spend approximately three hours together, including a short break.

The morning will include:

Arrival and settling
Time to arrive, get comfortable and gently orient to the space.

Understanding your nervous system
A brief introduction to nervous-system states and protective responses.

Experiential practices
Exploring orienting, breath, sound, self-touch, movement, pressure and co-regulation.

Reflection and conversation
Plenty of space to notice and, if you wish, share how different practices felt for you.

Creating your own regulation toolkit
Identifying the practices, sensations and forms of support your nervous system might find supportive.

Closing and integration
A gentle opportunity to notice what you are taking away from the morning before returning to your day.

There will be a 10-minute break partway through the workshop.

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Practical information

You are invited to wear something comfortable that allows you to move easily.

Most practices can be done seated or standing and can be adapted to your body's needs.

You may also wish to bring a bottle of water, a small snack and a blanket or an extra layer so that you can remain comfortable throughout the morning.

A gentle invitation

You don't need to learn how to control your nervous system. You can begin by becoming curious about it - by noticing its signals, by discovering what helps it feel supported, and by gradually building a relationship with your body that allows for greater choice, steadiness and connection.

If this workshop feels aligned for you, I would love to welcome you into this small, supportive space.

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GENTLE NOTE

Somatic and nervous system practices are gentle, body-based, trauma-informed approaches that support reconnection, regulation and embodied awareness. While many people experience greater steadiness, clarity, connection and aliveness, experiences and outcomes vary, and no guarantees can be made.

These practices are holistic, educational and complementary wellbeing approaches. They are not substitutes for medical care, psychotherapy, psychiatric treatment, diagnosis or crisis support.

Your Event Host

Michaela Burrell. A Somatic Processing Practitioner. A woman with curly brown hair smiling, sitting outdoors near a stone wall and potted plants. 
I'm Michaela Burrell, a Trauma-Informed Somatic Processing Practitioner.
Through Your Journey To Wholeness, I guide people towards greater connection with their bodies, emotions and inner experience through compassionate, trauma-informed somatic work.
My approach is grounded in curiosity rather than judgement, choice rather than force, and the understanding that our protective responses make sense when we listen to what they have been trying to do for us.

You can find out more about how Somatic Journeying could support you here.

You can read about clients’ experiences of working with me here.

And you are warmly welcome to follow my updates on Instagram or Facebook.

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In the meantime, you can explore gentle somatic support resources for your inner world

Download Free Somatic Awareness Resources

Staying connected

Meeting ourselves with compassion and kindness is not something most of us learn at school. It's a life skill, and a gentle, ongoing practice.

I frequently share gentle somatic reflections, brief moments from past somatic journeys and somatic support resources on my social media pages. I like to see them as small doorways into a remembering; learning to sit with ourselves without judgement.

If you’d like to receive gentle prompts to support connection with your inner world, you’re warmly invited to stay connected through Instagram or Facebook.

Anxiety doesn’t always want stillness. Sometimes it needs some movement first. When the body feels activated, sitting completely still or trying to meditate can sometimes feel like too much. A small movement, a shoulder roll, a gentle shake of the hands or feet, a stretch, a yawn, can give the nervous system somewhere to place the energy that is already there. Not to force calm. Not to perform regulation. Just to listen to what the body may be asking for. Sometimes support begins with allowing a little movement. If you are looking for gentle somatic support, I have free PDFs available through the link in my bio, alongside group somatic journeys and 1:1 sessions for deeper, more individualised exploration. You do not have to navigate your body’s signals alone ♡ #somaticsupport #anxietysupport #nervoussystemsupport #somaticpractice #groundingpractice
Sometimes the parts of us that feel guarded, defensive, distant, sharp, or hard were not trying to make life more difficult. They may have been trying to protect something tender. Something young. Something overwhelmed. Something that once needed armour to feel safe. Somatic work can offer a gentle space to meet these protective parts with curiosity, compassion, and respect, rather than force or judgement. ❤️‍🩹 Not to rush them into softening. Not to take their protection away. But to slowly let them know: I see you. I understand. Thank you for trying to keep me safe. And sometimes, when warmth enters the space, something inside begins to shift. 🪷 If you are looking for gentle support with reconnecting with yourself, I have free somatic support PDFs available through the link in my bio, alongside group journeys and in-depth 1:1 somatic support. 🦋 You do not have to meet every part of yourself alone. #somaticsupport #selfcompassion #partswork #nervoussystemsupport #somaticexperience
Self-kindness is not only for the moments when we feel calm, polished, or easy to love. It matters just as much, maybe even more, when we feel messy, emotional, tender, or unsure.​ 🫶 This gentle somatic anchor is an invitation to meet yourself wit
Self-kindness is not only for the moments when we feel calm, polished, or easy to love. It matters just as much, maybe even more, when we feel messy, emotional, tender, or unsure.​ 🫶 This gentle somatic anchor is an invitation to meet yourself with a little more warmth, without needing to force calm or fix what is here. And if you feel called to explore this more deeply, I’m co-hosting a guided hypno-somatic journey today: The Courage to Be Kind to Yourself A gentle space to practise inner kindness, self-compassion, and reconnecting with yourself safely. Link in bio ♡ #selfcompassion #innerkindness #somaticsupport #somaticpractice #nervoussystemsupport #emotionalwellbeing #traumainformedcoaching
Sometimes grounding does not have to begin with closing the eyes, changing the breath, or placing a hand on the body. For some nervous systems, self-touch or intentional breathing practices can feel activating, uncomfortable, or simply not accessible in the moment. Orienting can offer another gentle doorway. 🪷 An invitation to let your eyes move slowly around the room. To notice colours, shapes, light, edges, space. To remind the body, quietly: I am here. I am safe. And as you look around, you might gently notice what happens inside. Maybe the breath shifts naturally. Maybe the body softens a little. Maybe nothing changes at all. All of that is welcome. If you are looking for a soft space to practise meeting yourself with a little more inner kindness and safety, in addition to personalised 1:1s, I also offer somatic group sessions, which are infused with softness, co-regulation, self-compassion and gentle insight. Link in bio 💖 You do not have to force your way into the body. Sometimes reconnection begins by gently noticing what is around you. #somaticsupport #nervoussystemsupport #groundingpractice #somaticpractice #traumainformed
What if self-compassion meant embracing all of you? Not only the calm, open, loving parts. But also the worried parts. The perfectionist parts. The people-pleasing parts. The tired, guarded, or shadowed parts. The younger parts still longing to be
What if self-compassion meant embracing all of you? Not only the calm, open, loving parts. But also the worried parts. The perfectionist parts. The people-pleasing parts. The tired, guarded, or shadowed parts. The younger parts still longing to be held. Sometimes inner kindness is not about fixing ourselves. Sometimes it is the courage to stay connected to ourselves while something tender is present.​🦋 This is the heart of my upcoming hypno-somatic group experience with Karissa Force of @forcebynaturehypnosis The Courage to Be Kind to Yourself Wednesday 10th June Online, replay included Exchange: £11.11 A gentle space to explore self-compassion, inner kindness, and embracing all of you. Link in bio, you’re warmly welcome 💖 #​selflove #somaticexperience #partswork #selflovepractice #self-compassion
Regulation is not about being permanently calm. It is about slowly learning how to stay connected to ourselves when activation rises. For some of us, this does not come naturally. We may have learned to brace, shut down, push through, disconnect, or judge ourselves for feeling “too much.” But activation is not a failure. It is part of being human. What can begin to shift is the way we meet it, with a little more acceptance, compassion, and safety in the body. 🪷 This is what we’ll gently practise during my next group session: The Courage to Be Kind to Yourself A hypno-somatic experience for cultivating inner kindness and self-compassion. Link in bio if you feel called to join us 💖 #selfcompassion #innerkindness #somaticsupport #nervoussystemregulation #somaticpractice
Most of us were never really taught how to cultivate inner kindness. And sometimes we do not know where to begin, because self-kindness is often spoken about as something external: a softer day, a warm bath, a walk, a nourishing meal. And while these can all be beautiful forms of care, authentic self-compassion can ask something deeper of us. It can ask us to stay with ourselves when we feel tender. When emotions feel heavy. When we want to distract, push through, or outsource the kindness we are longing for. That is the heart behind The Courage to Be Kind to Yourself, a gentle hypno-somatic group experience I am co-hosting with Karissa Force. 🫶 Together, we will practise reconnecting with peace, warmth, inner safety, and the parts of us that may be asking for care. This session may be supportive personally, and may also offer professional inspiration for practitioners curious about somatic parts work or how somatic processing can weave beautifully with hypnotherapy. 🪷 Join live or receive the replay with registration. 💖 Details are available through the link in my bio. 🥰#somatichealing #nervoussystemregulation #partsworktherapy #somaticexperience #selfcompassionpractice
Challenging emotions are a little like rocks in a river. They are not necessarily the problem. They may simply be part of the landscape. What often creates more pain is the dams we build around them, the bracing, suppressing, avoiding, pushing away. And of course we do this. These responses are often protective. Human. Wise in their own way. Somatic support invites us to gently practise staying with what is here, slowly, safely, and with compassion, so our aliveness can begin to move again. 🪷 If you would like gentle support with sitting with emotions, there are free somatic PDFs available through the link in my bio. You are also warmly welcome to join my upcoming group journey on inner kindness and self-compassion. A little less resistance. A little more compassion. One breath at a time. #somaticsupport #nervoussystemsupport #somaticpractice #emotionalwellbeing #traumainformed My content is designed to offer supportive nervous system education and simple somatic tools for reflection and grounding. It is not a substitute for therapy, medical advice, diagnosis, or mental health treatment. Please listen to your body and seek professional support if needed.
Self-compassion is not always soft or easy. Sometimes it asks us to meet the parts of ourselves we would rather criticise, rush past, hide, or fix. The tired parts. The tender parts. The ashamed parts. The parts that feel “too much,” &l
Self-compassion is not always soft or easy. Sometimes it asks us to meet the parts of ourselves we would rather criticise, rush past, hide, or fix. The tired parts. The tender parts. The ashamed parts. The parts that feel “too much,” “not enough,” or hard to love. This carousel is a gentle reminder that you do not have to earn kindness by being perfect.​ 💕 You can begin right here, with one softer breath, one hand on your heart, one moment of not abandoning yourself. I’ve also created this self-compassion guide as a free downloadable PDF for anyone who would like to keep it close and use it as a gentle reminder to return to inner kindness.​ 🪷 And for anyone who would like to practise meeting themselves with compassion, even the parts that may feel uncomfortable or more difficult to hold, you are warmly welcome to join: The Courage to Be Kind to Yourself A gentle hypno-somatic group experience for cultivating inner kindness, self-compassion, and nervous system reconnection. Free resources, group session details, and 1:1 support are available through the link in my bio. 💖 #​somaticexperience #selflove #partswork #nervousystemregulation #selfcompassionjourney
You do not have to hide your tenderness to prove you are strong. 🪷 So many of us learned to keep going. To hold it together. To push through. To perform strength, even when the body was quietly asking for softness. But tenderness is not the opposi
You do not have to hide your tenderness to prove you are strong. 🪷 So many of us learned to keep going. To hold it together. To push through. To perform strength, even when the body was quietly asking for softness. But tenderness is not the opposite of strength. Sometimes strength is the moment you stop asking your body to survive alone. A hand on the heart. A hand on the belly. One slow breath. One small permission to soften. This is not about forcing calm. It is about offering your body a different kind of relationship. One where rest is not weakness. One where softness is allowed. One where you do not have to earn gentleness by becoming “better” first. If this speaks to something in you, I’ll be co-hosting a gentle hypno-somatic group experience with Karissa Force from @forcebynaturehypnosis ✨ The Courage to Be Kind to Yourself Treating yourself like someone worth loving A soft space to practise inner kindness, self-compassion, listening to the body, and meeting yourself with more gentleness. Link in bio 💖 #selfcompassionjourney #selfkindness #somaticawareness #nervoussystemsupport #nervoussystemregulation
Anxiety doesn’t always want stillness. Sometimes it needs some movement first. When the body feels activated, sitting completely still or trying to meditate can sometimes feel like too much. A small movement, a shoulder roll, a gentle shake o
Sometimes the parts of us that feel guarded, defensive, distant, sharp, or hard were not trying to make life more difficult. They may have been trying to protect something tender. Something young. Something overwhelmed. Something that once needed a
Self-kindness is not only for the moments when we feel calm, polished, or easy to love. It matters just as much, maybe even more, when we feel messy, emotional, tender, or unsure.​ 🫶 This gentle somatic anchor is an invitation to meet yourself wit
Sometimes grounding does not have to begin with closing the eyes, changing the breath, or placing a hand on the body. For some nervous systems, self-touch or intentional breathing practices can feel activating, uncomfortable, or simply not accessibl
What if self-compassion meant embracing all of you? Not only the calm, open, loving parts. But also the worried parts. The perfectionist parts. The people-pleasing parts. The tired, guarded, or shadowed parts. The younger parts still longing to be
Regulation is not about being permanently calm. It is about slowly learning how to stay connected to ourselves when activation rises. For some of us, this does not come naturally. We may have learned to brace, shut down, push through, disconnect,
Most of us were never really taught how to cultivate inner kindness. And sometimes we do not know where to begin, because self-kindness is often spoken about as something external: a softer day, a warm bath, a walk, a nourishing meal. And while the
Challenging emotions are a little like rocks in a river. They are not necessarily the problem. They may simply be part of the landscape. What often creates more pain is the dams we build around them, the bracing, suppressing, avoiding, pushing away
Self-compassion is not always soft or easy. Sometimes it asks us to meet the parts of ourselves we would rather criticise, rush past, hide, or fix. The tired parts. The tender parts. The ashamed parts. The parts that feel “too much,” &l You do not have to hide your tenderness to prove you are strong. 🪷 So many of us learned to keep going. To hold it together. To push through. To perform strength, even when the body was quietly asking for softness. But tenderness is not the opposi

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