Treating Trauma Using Somatic Experiencing

Individuals struggling with trauma who find traditional talk therapy overwhelming or ineffective - and practitioners seeking to understand how the body holds and releases traumatic stress - can need more than cognitive approaches to access the deep healing that occurs when nervous system regulation is restored. Tonya Miles has spent over 20 years integrating somatic approaches with traditional psychology, becoming a leading expert in Somatic Experiencing and helping clients heal trauma through body-based interventions that don't require reliving painful experiences in detail.

As Licensed Psychologist and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) with extensive training from the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute, Dr. Miles brings unique expertise that bridges traditional psychology with cutting-edge trauma treatment. Her specialisation in perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, combined with her former Board membership with Postpartum Support International, demonstrates her deep understanding of how trauma affects the nervous system during life's most vulnerable transitions. Her 19+ years of private practice experience, including work at VA hospitals and community mental health settings, gives her comprehensive insight into trauma presentations across diverse populations.

Miles's expertise spans perinatal mood and anxiety disorders, ADHD in children and adults, trauma therapy using Somatic Experiencing, substance abuse treatment, and what she describes as helping clients "connect to internal healing for better external connections." Her approach recognises that trauma is stored in the body's nervous system and that lasting healing requires addressing these physiological patterns rather than focusing solely on cognitive processing. She specialises in working with clients who have been unsuccessful with traditional talk therapy, those dealing with complex trauma presentations, individuals experiencing postpartum mental health challenges, and practitioners wanting to develop expertise in somatic approaches to trauma treatment.

What sets her training apart is somatic expertise combined with clinical depth. Miles doesn't just teach trauma theory - she shows practitioners how to recognise and work with nervous system dysregulation, how to help clients access their body's natural healing capacity, and how trauma resolution can occur without overwhelming emotional processing. Her integration of Somatic Experiencing with traditional psychological training creates comprehensive approaches that honor both mind and body in the healing process.

For your practice, expect to gain specific techniques for somatic trauma treatment, tools for recognising nervous system dysregulation, and frameworks for integrating body-based interventions with traditional therapy approaches. Her method particularly benefits practitioners working with complex trauma, those treating clients who don't respond to talk therapy alone, or clinicians wanting to develop expertise in nervous system-informed treatment approaches.

Quick Win: Dr. Miles's "nervous system check-in" technique helps clients assess their body's stress response patterns - sometimes providing the first sense of agency over their trauma reactions while building awareness of their nervous system's natural capacity for self-regulation.

Qualifications

• PsyD, Clinical Psychology, Forest Institute of Professional Psychology, Springfield, MO, 2004
• MS, Guidance & Counseling, Missouri State University, 1998
• BA, Psychology, University of Missouri-Columbia, 1996
• Licensed Psychologist: Kansas, Missouri
• Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP), Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute, 2016
• 20+ years experience as licensed psychologist

Professional Experience

• Licensed Psychologist, Private Practice, Tonya L. Miles, PsyD, P.A., Overland Park, KS, March 2006–present (19+ years)
• Assistant Professor, Psychology, Johnson County Community College, August 2004–May 2008 (3 years, 10 months)
• Adjunct Professor, Psychology, Johnson County Community College, January 2011–May 2011
• Pre-doctoral Internship, VA Hospital, Leavenworth, KS, 2003–2004
• Behavioral Health Assessor, Shawnee Mission Medical Center, 2004–2005
• Family Therapist, ReDiscover, 2002–2003
• Former Board Member, Postpartum Support International, 2004–2007 (3 years)

Clinical Specialties

• Somatic Experiencing trauma therapy and nervous system regulation
• Perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (postpartum depression and anxiety)
• ADHD assessment and treatment in children and adults
• Complex trauma and PTSD treatment using body-based approaches
• Substance abuse treatment with trauma-informed care
• Women's issues and reproductive mental health
• Psychological testing and evaluation
• Individual, couples, and family therapy

Treatment Philosophy

• Focus on helping clients "connect to internal healing for better external connections" through compassionate, evidence-based approaches using collaborative treatment planning in a safe, supportive environment. Somatic Experiencing approach allows trauma healing without requiring clients to review overwhelming details.

Ready to integrate body-based trauma treatment with traditional therapy approaches while helping clients heal without overwhelming re-experiencing? Discover how Dr. Miles's Somatic Experiencing methods can transform your understanding of trauma treatment and give you the tools to work with nervous system regulation for lasting healing and recovery.