Bullying: Don't Carry the Shame That Wasn't Yours
Bullying taught your body to brace, hide, and doubt yourself. Somatic work helps you release those patterns and reclaim the confidence that was taken from you.
Dario Droznes
Certified Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner
Are You Still Affected By Past Bullying?
The voices of bullies still echo in your head
You shrink in social situations, expecting rejection
Conflict or criticism triggers an outsized response
You struggle to assert yourself or take up space
Shame about the bullying persists years later
You've internalized what the bullies said about you
Bullying isn't just emotional—it's stored in your body
The helplessness, shame, and fear from bullying experiences get stored in your nervous system. Somatic work helps you process these experiences and reclaim your power and sense of self.
What Does Bullying Do?
Bullying is a form of relational trauma. Whether physical, verbal, or social, it threatens something fundamental: your belonging, your safety, your sense of being acceptable as you are.
During bullying, your nervous system mobilized to fight back or flee—but usually you couldn't. You had to endure, suppress your responses, and carry on. That trapped survival energy is still in your body.
The shame, the shrinking, the hypervigilance around others—these aren't weaknesses. They're the residue of experiences that overwhelmed your capacity to cope.
In somatic work, we help your body complete what it couldn't complete during the bullying. As trapped defensive energy finally releases, you naturally reclaim your right to take up space, speak up, and belong.
Talk Therapy vs Somatic Experiencing®
Talk Therapy
- Top-down approach
- "Tell me what happened"
- Uses language/insight/narrative
- Understands the "why" of patterns
- Outcome: "I understand my trust issues now"
Somatic Experiencing®
- Bottom-up approach
- "What’s happening in the body right now?"
- Works with sensation/impulse/movement
- Changes the "how" of responses
- Outcome: "My body feels more relaxed now"
What Somatic Work Can Do For You
Real, lasting change is possible. Here's what clients experience.
Discover Your Inner Strength
Feel capable of protecting yourself without constant vigilance.
Know Your Worth
Know your value isn't determined by what bullies said or did.
Find Social Ease
Engage with others without anticipating rejection or attack.
Embrace Self-Compassion
Replace self-blame with understanding for what you went through.
Express Yourself Authentically
Take up space, voice opinions, and be visible without shrinking.
Set Healthy Boundaries
Recognize and respond to mistreatment without freezing or overreacting.
How We Work Together
A gentle, collaborative approach designed to meet you exactly where you are.
Validating the Impact
We acknowledge how profoundly bullying affected you—without minimizing or rushing past it.
Processing the Body's Response
Work with the trapped fight, flight, and freeze responses that couldn't complete.
Releasing Shame
Somatic work helps shift shame from something you carry to something that happened to you.
Reclaiming Power
Reconnect with healthy aggression, boundaries, and your right to exist fully.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to common questions about somatic work and how I can help.
The bullying happened decades ago. Does it still affect me?
Yes. Unprocessed trauma doesn't have an expiration date. Your nervous system may still be responding to threats that ended long ago.
It wasn't physical—it was 'just' words. Is that real trauma?
Absolutely. Verbal and social bullying can be just as impactful as physical. The nervous system responds to perceived threat, regardless of physical contact.
I feel ashamed that I'm still affected. Is that normal?
Very normal—and part of what we heal. The shame you feel is a residue of the bullying, not a reflection of reality.
What are your fees?
My fee is $175 per 60-minute session. Longer sessions are available and prorated accordingly. I reserve a limited number of sliding scale slots for individuals who need nervous system healing but face financial barriers. If cost is a concern, please reach out to discuss current availability. I don't accept insurance.
Who I Am
I'm Dario Droznes, a certified Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner. I didn't come to this work from a textbook. I came to it because it changed my life. Now I help other people find that same shift.
I believe healing happens when we listen to what our bodies have been trying to tell us. Together, we'll gently work with tension, exhaustion, and overwhelm, helping the nervous system find its way back to safety and ease.
Get in Touch
Taking the first step can feel vulnerable. I'm here to answer any questions you might have.