Bliss & Stars Retreat

Somatic Experiencing® & Breathwork Journey in Cape Town

Body-First Support for Stress, Anxiety, Chronic Pain, and Burnout

Nervous System Support Rooted in Somatic Experiencing®, Breathwork, and Mindfulness

There’s a limit to how much thinking can help.Sometimes what you need is to stop trying to make sense of it. Somatic Journey sessions begin with the body, not as a symbol or a metaphor, but as the place where things actually happen.
It is not therapy or advice, not dramatic breakthroughs (though they can sometimes sneak in when you’re not trying), and not forced catharsis.

Somatic Journey sessions offer space to notice what’s here, to sit with it, and to see what shifts when you don’t try to change it. They also teach you how to stay with what’s uncomfortable, with what doesn’t need fixing, with yourself.

I work with people navigating chronic stress or burnout, anxiety and emotional overwhelm, disconnection or numbness or feeling “switched off,” big life transitions or relational challenges, and moments when nothing seems wrong but something feels clearly not right. Each session draws from Somatic Experiencing®, breathwork, and mindfulness. We work gently, at the pace of your body. Just space for honest awareness, open conversation, and subtle shifts.

These sessions are not psychotherapy and do not replace licensed mental health care.
Daria Rasmussen Founder Of Bliss And Stars

About Me
I’m based in Cape Town, offering body‑centered support for stress, disconnection, and nervous system regulation.

My Approach
I blend formal training with trust in presence and the body’s own pace. I trained with teachers like Martin Aylward, Dan Brulé, and amazing team at Somatic Experiencing International. These sessions aren’t therapy, advice, or promises of breakthroughs. They’re simply space to notice what’s here, to sit with it, and to see what shifts when you stop trying to change anything.

What I Offer
I don’t offer fixes. I offer company for the parts of you that are ready to return home.

book your session | online or cape town

Self Compassion

SOMATIC EXPLORATION

90-min session

1:1 Breathwork Fundamentals, Minfulness, and Somatic Experiencing

In-person or via Zoom

Bishopscourt in Cape Town

R950
This session focuses on foundational breathwork and somatic experiencing: a body-centered approach to addressing stress and tension. Designed for those navigating trauma, burnout, or simply wanting to better understand their physical responses to stress.

What You’ll Do
➜ Learn breath techniques to calm your mind and ease physical tightness.
➜ Practice simple exercises to help your nervous system shift from “overdrive” to “steady.”
➜ Map your stress landscape—identify where fear, pain, or anxiety live in your body.

How It Helps
This isn’t magic. It’s a technique.
→ Short-term: Walk away with 2-3 methods to reset in moments of overwhelm.
→ Long-term: Build familiarity with your body’s stress signals and how to respond constructively. Develop ability to gradually rewire how the nervous system responds to challenges.

Session Breakdown
90 minutes | Step-by-step guidance.
1️⃣ Start grounded: Use breath to anchor yourself in the present.
2️⃣ Body check-in and exploration: Notice areas of tension without judgment.
3️⃣ Skill-building: Try somatic tools tailored to your needs.
4️⃣ Wrap-up: Plan how to incorporate what you’ve learned and what are the next steps.

Takeaways
➜ Clarity: Recognize how stress impacts your body.
➜ Tools: Leave with actionable practices (no fluff).
➜ Awareness: Tune into physical cues before they escalate.

Commitment Start small. Build consistency.
→ Single session: Get a toolkit for immediate stress management.
→ 6 sessions (flexible scheduling): Deepen your practice and create sustainable habits.
Sleep Yoga

INNER JOURNEY

2.5-h session

1:1 Somatic Experiencing, Deep Conscious Breathwork, and Mindfulness

In-person,  Bishopscourt in Cape Town 

R2,950

This extended session blends Somatic Experiencing®, deep conscious breathwork, and mindfulness into one powerful rebalancing for your nervous system. It’s for those ready to go deeper, whether you’re navigating trauma, burnout, chronic stress, or simply want to understand how your body holds tension.
This isn’t surface-level self-care. It’s intentional, body-based work that creates space for emotional processing, nervous system regulation, and clarity.

What You’ll Do
➜ Clarify your focus: What are you holding? Stress, fatigue, emotional blocks?
➜ Explore somatic patterns. Where do fear, tension, or overwhelm live in your body?
➜ Breathe deeply & consciously. Use structured breathwork to access and process stored stress.
➜ Integrate with awareness. Use mindfulness to ground, reflect, and carry the insights forward.

How It Helps
This isn’t a quick fix. It’s training for resilience.
→ Immediate relief from physical tightness and emotional intensity.
→ Access to deeper body-mind connection
→ Build resilience over time, not through force but through presence
→ Learn 4–5 nervous system regulation tools you can use in daily life

Session Breakdown 2.5 hours | Step-by-step guidance.
1️⃣ Intention-setting: Clarify what you want to address (stress, burnout, emotional blocks).
2️⃣ Somatic Exploration: Locate physical hotspots linked to tension.
3️⃣ Intensive breathwork: Guided sequences to rebalance your nervous system.
4️⃣ Integration: Ground yourself and plan next steps.

Takeaways
➜ Deeper body-mind connection: Understand how stress impacts you physically.
➜ Actionable strategies: techniques for real-time stress reduction.
➜ Enhanced resilience: Tools to navigate challenges with less reactivity.

Commitment
Start with intensity. Build sustainable shifts.
→ Single session: A concentrated rebalancing for immediate relief.
→ 4-session series (6-12 weeks): For long-term nervous system rewiring, trauma resolution, and resilience building.

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