Playing with Power

What is somatic advocacy?

Somatic advocacy is a new and emerging model of care that bridges two fields that have historically worked in parallel: sexual violence advocacy and body-based healing practices.

Traditional community-based advocacy — the kind offered by sexual assault and domestic violence organizations across the country — provides crisis support, safety planning, legal accompaniment, and systems navigation. It is essential work. But it rarely has the time, training, or framework to address what the body is holding after harm.

​

Somatic and tactile practices — rooted in neuroscience, movement, consensual touch, and the body's innate capacity for regulation — works directly with the nervous system and the relational field. These practices have not always been embedded in advocacy settings, or made accessible to those most impacted by sexual violence or trauma.

​

Somatic advocacy brings these together. At Playing with Power, our somatic advocates are trained in neuroaffective touch, movement education, and trauma-responsive care — working with the body's wisdom. We walk alongside you in your process, often from a place of deep lived experience.