SOMATIC + PARTS WORK INTENSIVE
A 3-hour individual experience
in St. Clair Shores, Michigan.
More uninterrupted time to slow down, get curious about what's underneath a pattern, and feel into another layer without needing to rush.
What if we didn't have to rush?
One thing I've noticed over years of doing somatic work is that it can take time to arrive.
Sometimes we're 40 minutes into a session before someone has settled enough to get to what they really wanted to explore.
That isn't wasted time. It's part of the process.
Even in a 90-minute session, there are times when it feels like we're just beginning to touch the edges of something and it's already time to start wrapping up.
Maybe we've connected with a part that needs more time. A sensation is beginning to lead us toward an emotion, memory, or belief. Or something has shifted and we need space to process and integrate what just happened.
What would it feel like if we had enough time to go a layer deeper?
Not by pushing harder.
By having enough space to stay curious about the pieces that can be harder to sit with, the things we avoid, move away from, intellectualize, or simply don't have enough time to explore.
A 3-hour Intensive isn't about doing three times as much work. It's about having enough time to move differently.
Slower can take us further.
With more uninterrupted time, there is less starting and stopping. We can settle in, follow what emerges, and stay with something instead of only touching its edges.
And if something starts to feel like too much, we don't have to push through it.
We can move away, ground, notice what's happening, get curious, and return if and when it feels accessible.
Sometimes the shifts we notice are small.
Your shoulders drop. You notice your jaw tighten when a particular emotion comes up. Sadness moves and some of the gripping softens. Or you begin to feel sensation after feeling disconnected from your body.
Bigger doesn't mean better.
A sensation, a part you hadn't noticed before, a connection between an old belief and a current pattern, or the ability to stay with something difficult a little differently can all become meaningful pieces of the work.
What happens during a Somatic + Parts Work Intensive?
There isn't a set formula or a three-hour agenda to complete.
We begin with an intention, pay attention to what your system is communicating, and let one piece of information lead us toward the next.
WE START BY ARRIVING
Before we meet, you'll complete a questionnaire that gives me a sense of what you'd like to explore.
When you arrive, we'll talk about your intention and what you're noticing that day. Then we slow down, perhaps noticing your breath, feeling your feet, orienting to the room, or beginning with one sensation.
You don't need to walk in and immediately access the "big thing."
SOMATIC WORK AND PARTS WORK BEGIN TO WEAVE TOGETHER
We might begin with a sensation and become curious about what it connects to, such as an emotion, belief, memory, or part of you. Or we might begin with a part and notice what happens in your body as you spend time with it.
A sensation can lead to a part. A part can lead to a belief. A belief might lead us toward a somatic practice that gives us new information.
I may offer a question, observation, practice, or possibility for you to feel into.
You get to decide what fits. Even realizing, "No, that's not it," gives us information.
SOMETIMES WE MOVE. SOMETIMES WE GET VERY STILL.
You might sit, stand, stretch, sway, breathe, make sound, move, or become very still.
We may also incorporate music, sound, vibration, weight, or other sensory experiences when they feel supportive. None of these are requirements.
You don't have to make your body fit the practice. We find the practice that can meet your body where it is.
YOU HAVE CHOICES THROUGHOUT
Choice is part of how we work with your system. You don't have to close your eyes, lie down, be touched, remember exactly what happened, tell every detail, or have a big emotional release.
If something becomes overwhelming, we slow down. Going deeper doesn't mean pushing farther than your system is ready to go.
WE LEAVE TIME FOR INTEGRATION
Toward the end of our time, we shift toward grounding, processing, and noticing what you want to carry with you.
That might be a small practice, a new way of recognizing when a part is present, or one next step that feels accessible in everyday life.
Integration isn't homework to complete correctly. It's a way of continuing the relationship with what you discovered.
Is a Somatic + Parts Work Intensive right for me?
You don't need to have a perfectly defined goal, experience with somatic or parts work, or an existing relationship with me.
Curiosity is enough of a place to begin.
You might recognize yourself here:
“I understand this pattern, but I keep doing it.”
“I keep having the same conversations in my relationships.”
“I finally get to the thing I really want to work on, and then the session is over.”
“I move so quickly that I don't always notice my own signals or boundaries until I've already moved past them.”
“I know there's something here, but I can't quite put all of the pieces together.”
90 minutes or 3 hours?
Both Individual Somatic + Parts Work sessions and Intensives give us space to work with sensations, parts, patterns, emotions, beliefs, and what is happening in your life.
Choosing a 3-hour Intensive doesn't mean you're going deeper, working harder, or more committed to your healing.
It's simply a different amount of uninterrupted space.
In a 90-minute session, we may focus on one primary thread, part, or somatic practice and continue building on the work over time.
A 3-hour Intensive gives us more room to settle in, follow connections between different pieces, and spend longer with what emerges before shifting toward integration.
Some people book an Intensive for something specific. Others find the 3-hour format simply works better for them and schedule Intensives monthly, quarterly, or as needed.
There isn't one right way to do this work.
Looking for more support between sessions?
If what you're looking for is not only more time in a session, but ongoing support as you practice, integrate, and navigate what comes up in everyday life, you may want to explore The Bridge Immersion, my 3 or 6 month container for sustained support and integration.
Intensive details
Your Intensive includes:
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A full 3-hour individual session
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A pre-session questionnaire so I can understand what you would like to explore
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My preparation and review of your questionnaire before we meet
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Time for grounding, processing, and integration
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A brief follow-up after your Intensive
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need experience with somatic work or parts work?
No. You don't need to know how to identify a part, understand nervous system language, or be experienced with somatic practices.
We'll start with where you are and explore from there.
Do I have to talk about my trauma or tell the whole story?
No. Rehashing the story isn't the goal.
You don't need to remember exactly what happened or share every detail for us to work with what you're experiencing now.
What if I get overwhelmed during the Intensive?
We slow down.
We can pause, orient to something grounding, move away from what we're exploring, or get curious about the overwhelm itself. There is no expectation that we need to accomplish a certain amount in three hours.
What if I don't feel anything in my body?
That's okay. "I don't feel anything" gives us somewhere to begin.
We might start with something outside of your body, such as the weight of an object, the texture of a blanket, sound, vibration, or movement. You don't have to be "good" at noticing sensations to do somatic work.
Is touch part of the session?
Therapeutic touch can be, but it is always optional.
If hands-on support is something we explore, I will ask for your consent each time. You can say yes, no, or change your mind at any point. We also discuss what this specifically looks like and why it is being used.
Touch is never required for the work.
Can I book more than one Intensive?
Yes. An Intensive doesn't have to be a one-time experience.
Some people choose an Intensive for something specific they want more space to explore. Others find that the 3-hour format works better for them and choose to schedule Intensives periodically as their way of continuing the work.
What should I plan for after my Intensive?
When possible, I recommend leaving yourself at least an hour afterward without somewhere else you immediately need to be.
There isn't a specific way you need to spend that time. You might rest, journal, draw, hydrate, take a walk, or simply give yourself some quiet. Before you leave, we'll talk about what feels nourishing and supportive for you.
Is an Intensive appropriate if I'm currently in crisis?
An Intensive is not intended to provide crisis stabilization or a higher level of care.
If you are actively suicidal, have recently been hospitalized for a mental health crisis, are experiencing active substance dependence, or are experiencing symptoms such as paranoia, a different level or type of support may be more appropriate.
The consultation gives us a chance to talk about what you're experiencing and make sure an Intensive is an appropriate fit.
A little about me
I'm Kelly Zalewski, LMSW-Clinical, and I've worked in the mental health field since 2008. I've been in private practice and integrating somatic approaches into my work since 2017, with parts work becoming a deeper part of my practice beginning in 2020.
My approach has been shaped by training in Internal Family Systems (IFS), Somatic IFS, yoga, breathwork, mindfulness, DBT, and Somatic Experiencing.
But my role isn't to tell you what your body, a sensation, or a part means.
I bring curiosity, observation, and grounded presence to the room. I may offer a question, an observation, a practice, or a possibility for you to feel into. You get to notice what fits, what doesn't, and what your own system is communicating.
The goal is to become more able to recognize and trust the language of your own system.
Sometimes you don't need more effort.
You need more room.
You don't need to arrive knowing exactly what you want to uncover. You might simply know that a pattern keeps repeating, or that there is something you want more time to stay with.
A Somatic + Parts Work Intensive gives us three hours to slow down, get curious, and make room for what is there without needing to rush toward an answer.
If you're wondering whether this kind of space might be supportive for you, we can start with a conversation.