Somatic Psychotherapy San Diego

Where the Body and the Mind Come Together to Create Lasting Change

SPSD is owned and operated by Brandi Ducote, a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (license # 87040), Licensed Advanced Alcohol & Drug Counselor (LAADC) and Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) in the state of California.

Brandi completed her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at San Diego State University and her Master of Arts in Marital and Family Therapy at Alliant International University. She worked as a Grief and Bereavement Counselor at San Diego Hospice and the Institute for Palliative Medicine from 2011-2012. She then worked for 10+ years in Substance Use Disorder treatment, where she discovered the connection between addictive issues and trauma. Brandi began training with Somatic Experiencing International in 2019 and became certified as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) in 2021. Brandi remains active in the Somatic Experiencing community as an assistant in local trainings.

Brandi is passionate about the work that she does and enjoys working through a holistic and body-based lens. As someone who has benefitted from therapy personally, Brandi understands the strength and courage it takes to seek help. She aims to create a safe space for you to explore what is most important to you, work through and resolve anything that has been holding you back from achieving your goals.

Individual/Couples/Family Therapy

-Depression, grief/loss, anticipatory grief -Anxiety, panic attacks, perfectionism -Obsessive Compulsive Disorder -Substance abuse, chemical dependency -Anger -Relationship distress -Boundary setting

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Rates & Insurance

Now accepting Lyra!

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Somatic Experiencing Students

Discounted rates available for SEI students!

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Brandi specializes in working with older adolescents and adults who struggle with issues related to complex trauma, anxiety, panic attacks, anger, depression, obsessive-compulsive tendencies, grief/loss, perfectionism, substance abuse, and relationship distress.

She enjoys working with individuals of varying backgrounds and abilities, including those who identify as highly sensitive (HSPs), and is LGBTQIA+ friendly.

As we discuss presenting problems and life events that trigger emotional pain, you will be invited to notice any physiological (body-based) responses that occur during the session.

Doing so allows access to the natural survival impulses (fight, flight, freeze) that became thwarted during the original event(s), as well as the survival-based beliefs that were formed in response to the event(s). There is then an opportunity to fully process and complete these survival responses (through the use of movement, vocalization, imagery, boundary exploration exercises, etc.), leading to a discharge/release of any stuck survival energy and a shift in beliefs about the world, self, and others. 
Sessions are typically 50 minutes. 90-minute sessions are also available. Speak with Brandi if you are interested in scheduling a 90-minute session.
Life happens! Just let Brandi know that you need to cancel or reschedule a session prior to 24 hours of the scheduled service time, otherwise you will be responsible for the session fee.
Yes! Both in-person and telehealth appointments are available Tuesday through Friday weekly. 
Brandi has extensive experience with both "top-down" and "bottom-up" approaches. She blends Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Somatic Experiencing, Attachment Theory and Polyvagal Theory into her work. 
Somatic Experiencing is a body-oriented approach to trauma healing. To learn more about SE, here are some helpful resources:

https://traumahealing.org/se-101/

https://www.somaticexperiencing.com/somatic-experiencing 
Brandi is not in network with any insurance providers and will not bill insurance directly. Payment can be made via debit/credit card, Venmo, or cash. If you would like for Brandi to provide a Superbill to submit to your insurance provider for fee reimbursement, please mention it to her.
  • 11858 Bernardo Plaza Court, San Diego, CA, USA
  • Suite 210