Meet Sonia Ogier a Wellington based somatic practitioner
I know exactly what it is like to live a life driven by constant internal overwhelm, self-doubt, and physical exhaustion - because for a long time, that was my normal
The Wake - Up Call
My turning point came in my mid 30’s. Outwardly, I was a successful professional evaluating complex social policies for government departments. Meticulous and deeply focused on doing a ‘good job’, I was doing far too much at work and at home. If you had asked me then, I would have told you I wasn’t stressed. But looking back, my system was completely overloaded. On the inside, I was running on absolute empty.
I lived entirely in my head, disconnected from my physical body. Like many, I carried unintegrated childhood and adult traumas. As a result, my body was trapped in a perpetual cycle of chronic fight, flight, an freeze - and I and no idea.
My days were spent “walking on eggshells,” people - pleasing, and mentally reviewing all I had said and done. Physically, my body mirrored this tension: my posture felt collapsed, my back felt weak, and I experienced acute panic at the thought of speaking up at work. I was trapped in an invisible cage of mental and physical bracing.
Eventually, my body forced me to stop. I became seriously ill with multiple complex conditions including ovarian cancer. My physical system felt like it was breaking down under the weight of years of accumulated and unprocessed stress.
What Changed: Letting the Body Lead the Reset
That crisis launched a 17-year journey to restore my health from the inside out. As a highly analytical person, my instinct was to turn to self-reflection, books, and an inquiry led spiritual path of awakening.
You cannot talk an overactive nervous system into calming down when it is physically locked into a survival response.
When I shifted my focus to specialised somatic bodywork, my recovery accelerated dramatically. Your mind and body are an undivided whole. When we give the physical system the right conditions - profound stillness, absolute safety, and precise, reassuring touch - it naturally remembers how to decompress, release chronic holding patterns, and reorganise itself back into structural ease.
My Life Today
Today, my life looks completely different. I have spent thousands of houses studying ego development, presence, and advanced somatic body work across the USA, Canada, Mexico, Australia and New Zealand.
My mind is quiet, my system is at peace, and I enjoy a deep, resilient sense of alignment. I no longer overextend myself. I find immense joy in simple things - my garden, nature, walking- and I have unlocked a level of creativity I never knew I possessed.
A safe, grounded space to open into
My personal and professional journey has led me to a deeply integrated style of practice. In my offering, my understanding of the mind, heart-centred presence, body, and highly refined relational touch work together to serve my clients.
It is my privilege to offer you a calm, steady space where you can discover the profound benefits of letting your body complete its natural reset. It is entirely possible to reclaim your baseline calm, and I am here to support you through that exact process.
What to expect in a session
To help your nervous system feel entirely safe, we move at a pace that honours both your body and mind.
Fully clothed: All table-based relational somatic touch work is received fully clothed.
No need to re-live the past: Unlike traditional talk therapy, you do not need to analyse or retell the details of past traumas for your body to release them. We go with what is present now - if that includes telling your story, that is welcomed, and if not, silence is equally okay.
A collaborative approach: we work together to track your body’s responses, ensuring you always feel grounded, supported, and choice-led.
I offer in-person sessions at my space in Wellington, New Zealand.
Professional Foundations & Qualifications
My previous Career
Before transitioning full-time into somatic practice, I spent many years working as a professional researcher and evaluator across universities, government departments and private organisation. My work centred around reviewing social programs to improve social outcomes.
While I remain passionate about structural change on a macro level, my focus has shifted entirely to helping individuals transform their health, resilience and daily lives from the inside out.
Teachings that inform my practice
My work is continuously shaped by leading global figures in neuroscience, somatic psychology, spirituality, and advanced bodywork. I am deeply indebted to those pioneers, whose holistic approaches bridge the complex interconnections of our biology, emotional well-being, mind and spirit:
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Creator of Polyvagal therapy, which revolutionised our understanding of the autonomic nervous system and how safety, trauma and social connection are physically wired into the body.
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Founder of NeuroAffective Touch®, a bridge between somatic psychotherapy and therapeutic touch that focuses on healing developmental and relational trauma.
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Renowned expert on trauma, illness, and childhood development, who articulates how chronic stress and unexpressed emotions manifest as physical disease.
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Developer of Somatic Experiencing®, a body - awareness approach to trauma resolution based on how animals in the wild naturally discharge stress and heal from shock.
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Embodied nondual psychologist and founder of the Realisation Process, an innovative method for psychological, relational and physical healing through inhabiting the internal space of the body.
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Author and emergency doctor who masterfully integrates Western medicine and anatomy with the energetic pathways of Traditional Chinese Medicine an acupuncture.
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Founder of Body Intelligence, a leading global authority on Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy. Teaching a gentle, non-invasive touch therapy that tunes into the body’s natural, self-regulating forces of health.
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Founder of the Diamond Approach, a moderne spiritual path that blends ancient spiritual traditions with depth psychology to uncover the soul’s true nature.
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The profound philosopher and writer whose accessible interpretations of Eastern philosophy served as my initial gateway toward awakening, health and our true nature.
Qualifications & Education
Certified NeuroAffective Touch® practitioner (USA) | Working with developmental trauma through somatic connection
Stillness Touch practitioner (Mexico) & Touch of Presence practitioner (Australia) | Accessing the profound healing power of stillness
Realisation Process Teacher (USA) | Developing somatic awareness for psychological and relational healing
Diploma in Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy (Canada) | Engaging the body’s self- healing capacities.
MSc in Social Research Methods, University of Surrey (UK)
BSc degree in Sociology from the LSE (UK)