Toni Teixeira, LCSW
accepting clients in NJ, PA, and FL
As Featured In
I help people make peace with the parts of themselves they thought they had to hide—especially the ones that got loud, angry, or silent just to stay safe.
For the past 20 years, I’ve used Somatic Therapy to help people who feel disconnected, ashamed, overwhelmed, or just tired of “talking about it” without anything changing.
Your body is speaking. I help you listen and heal.
Somatic Therapy For People Who Are:
- Anxious
- Burnt out or overwhelmed
- Feeling stuck
- Carrying trauma
- Emotionally reactive
- Lost sense of self
- Breaking generational cycles
When it feels like “too much” it’s not just in your mind.
It’s in your nervous system.
You may not have words for what you’re feeling, but your body does. A tight chest. A lump in your throat. The urge to shut down or explode over something small. You might be told you’re “too sensitive,” or that you should “let it go,” but inside you feel like you’re constantly managing a storm.
You’ve worked hard to push through, to stay functional. But underneath the control is exhaustion, shame, and a longing to feel fully present—with your kids, your partner, and most of all, with yourself.
You don’t have to live in survival mode.
"Somatic therapy meets you where your heart, mind, and body are calling for change—it begins the moment you say yes to healing."
Many of us were taught to be strong by shutting down emotions or staying silent. But unprocessed pain doesn’t disappear. It lingers in the body: showing up as anxiety, tension, chronic fatigue, or the constant fear of getting it wrong again.
We won’t just analyze your feelings, I help you feel them, move through them, and finally begin to let them go.
My approach combines evidence-based modalities like:
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
IFS helps you identify and relate to the different “parts” of yourself—including the angry part, the people-pleasing part, and the part that always feels not enough. In somatic therapy, we work with these parts through the body, noticing how they show up as sensations, tension, or impulses—and gently engaging them with compassion so you can show up with wisdom and care for yourself and in your relationships.
Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)
AEDP focuses on creating a safe, attuned relationship where you can feel and process emotions that were once too overwhelming. This helps your nervous system shift from states of distress to safety and connection – so every conflict doesn’t feel like the world is crumbling around you.
Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT or Tapping)
EFT combines gentle tapping on specific acupressure points with verbal processing to calm the nervous system and reduce distress. As a somatic tool, it’s a powerful way to release stored emotional energy, especially when words aren’t enough.
Somatic Therapy With Me Has Results
My approach is compassionate, down to earth, and direct. We’ll work together to understand:
“Why do I get so triggered over small things?”
The reactions feel big because they are—they come from deep, unmet needs and unprocessed pain.
Together, we’ll slow things down, follow the sensations, and get curious about the protective parts of you that developed to help you survive.
“Isn’t it better to just move on?”
You already tried. That’s how you made it this far. But your body may still be holding what your mind has worked so hard to forget.
Real peace comes when you can feel, release, and heal—not just cope.
“I’ve tried therapy before. How is this different?”
Somatic therapy works from the bottom up—starting with your body’s cues.
You’ll understand how your past shaped your patterns, learn to perceive “there and then” signals of threat and ground yourself in the “here and now” signals of safety, and build new, embodied ways of relating to yourself and the people you love.
About Toni Teixeira, LCSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker | Certified Clinical Trauma Professional
Somatic Therapy Online Across New Jersey
I hold a Master’s in Social Work from NYU and am certified in trauma-focused, somatic, and relational therapies including IFS, EFT, and AEDP. I’m also Board Certified in TeleMental Health to ensure safety and quality in virtual therapy.
Over the years, I’ve helped people move through trauma, anxiety, grief, and shame—but somatic work is where I’ve seen the most profound, lasting transformation. Not just insight, but deep, embodied healing that changes how people show up in their lives, relationships, and parenting..
Outside of therapy I enjoy running, hiking, ballroom dancing, and trying new vegan recipes. I believe in living what I teach: compassion, curiosity, and connection.
Certifications
- Certified Clinical Trauma Professional
- Board Certified TeleMental Health Provider
- Level 2 AEDP Certification
- Certificate Program in Clinical Supervision
Trainings
- Internal Family Systems (IFS)
- Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP)
- Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT or Tapping)
Affiliations
- National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
Publications & Presentations
I’m the author of Reflections: A Therapy Companion, a self-guided journal to support therapy clients in deepening their healing between sessions. My work has also been featured in academic texts and national conferences, exploring themes of trauma, abuse, gender, and resilience. From early research on how women cope with sexual harassment to more recent workshops on caregiver self-care and somatic healing, my writing and teaching reflect a long-standing commitment to helping people heal with compassion and integrity.
Let’s find your way back to you.
Therapy doesn’t have to be rigid or clinical. It can be human, intuitive, and deeply affirming.
If you’re ready to break the cycle and create a life that feels more like you—I’d be honored to support you.
