New Client Welcome Page
Welcome! I’m glad you’re here. This page offers an orientation to our work together, what to expect, and common questions. Please take the time to read through this information before your first session.
My office is located at 10 Regina St N, Unit 3 — above Seven Shore Café in Uptown Waterloo. See below for some photos to orient you to where we’ll be. Parking and main entrance are located at the back of the building.
This is a photo of me in my office, where our sessions will take place. The space is private and spacious, with two chairs, a couch, a rug, and plenty of pillows and cushions. During a session, we can arrange the space in a way that feels most supportive to you (sitting on the floor, sitting across from one another in chairs, a more traditional couch-and-chair setup etc.) There is no right or wrong way to be. We work with what feels most supportive to your system, which could change session to session. There are also a variety of fun somatic tools available, including a rebounder (small trampoline), art supplies, weighted stuffed animals, and other sensory items.
Additionally, there is a treatment table for somatic touch work. This is something we can explore, only if we both agree it feels supportive to your process. You can withdraw consent for this at any time.
What does the first session look like?
Our first session is mainly about general orientation, and our nervous systems settling into space together. We typically don’t dive into deep processing right away. Instead, we focus on grounding together, familiarizing you to the space, and exploring some somatic basics. This might include simple tracking of sensations, noticing patterns of tension or ease, gentle movement, and orienting exercises. The goal is to create a foundation for the work to come and to begin building a sense of trust and attunement between your system and the process.
Due to the relational nature of this work, I ask clients to commit to coming in for a session every 1-2 weeks for a minimum of 8 weeks. This supports continuity, accountability, and allows enough time for the work to unfold and for new patterns in the nervous system to begin taking root. There is no requirement to pay upfront or pre-book sessions in advance (payment typically occurs on a per-session basis). The commitment is honour-based rather than contractual. After 8 weeks, we can revisit pacing and frequency together.
It’s important to know that these guidelines aren’t rigid rules! If you’re coming in for something specific, or working with me alongside another professional therapeutic relationship, a different scheduling rhythm may be more appropriate. What matters most is ongoing communication as we work together to support you.
I don’t offer session packages, as this work isn’t designed to follow a pre-set structure/outcome. Rather than moving through with a fixed endpoint in mind, we move at the pace of your nervous system and your personal therapeutic goals.
How does payment work?
Payments are accepted in the form of e-transfer to ayesha@embodimentwithayesha.com, and are asked to be paid within 48hrs of the session. In-person sessions are 60 minutes in length and are a $120+tax investment per session. Virtual sessions are 60mins in length and are a $110+tax investment per session.
Additionally, for returning clients only, I offer the following optional offerings:
Somatic art sessions — a creative and embodied space to explore what’s been alive in our 1:1 work ($85)
30min client support calls ($55)
If in need of financial assistance, you’re welcome to contact me directly. Likewise, if your circumstances change at any point while we’re working together, we can revisit arrangements and find a solution, together.
Sessions are typically not covered by extended health benefits, however, if you have extended health coverage that includes “Yoga Therapy”, you may be able to submit sessions for reimbursement (as I am a certified member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists). If you’re curious about this, I encourage you to contact your insurance provider directly to confirm your coverage.
Cancellation Policy
Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a body-oriented approach to working with stress, trauma, and nervous system patterns. Rather than focusing primarily on talking through experiences, SE works by gently tracking sensations, impulses, emotions, and nervous system responses as they arise in the body. We pay attention to capacity, regulation, and pacing, allowing your body to complete responses that may have been interrupted or held over time. SE is not about reliving traumatic events and re-telling the story over and over. You will never be asked to “go into” something you’re not resourced for. It’s also not a technique where I do something to you. This is a collaborative, relational process that honours your unique nervous system. Together, we get curious with your system’s way of relating, operating, and moving through activation (moments of alertness, vigilance, stress, or shutdown) and deactivation (return to regulation, baseline). In our sessions together, we may also weave in partswork (IFS informed), which is a way of relating to different aspects of your inner experience, younger selves, and protective narratives. This is a gentle way of getting to know yourself more fully, and developing relationship with the many parts of you that shape your lived experience.
I understand that life happens and plans sometimes need to shift. I ask for 24 hours notice for cancellations or rescheduling. Sessions missed without adequate notice will incur a $50 fee, to be paid within 48hrs of the missed appointment.
What even is Somatic Experiencing?
Before our first session together, you are required to fill out an intake form.
Please click here to access the form.