About

My name is Adelina Rotaru, I am from Romania and I founded Somatic Soulcraft in 2023 for English speaking people.

Somatic Soulcraft is a soulful project created with the intention of providing therapeutic support for individuals in the process of self-discovery and recovery from trauma, within a well-informed and gentle framework. It is the place where I have gathered and combined the theory and practice from years of study with my professional experience so far, into a program of workshops, individual sessions and therapeutic group sessions for adults.

My work and experience

In my professional role, I work as a licensed psychological counselor, a trauma-informed psychotherapist, Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) and NARM (NeuroAffective Relational Model) Practitioner. In my work I also use various other methods in which I trained and I combine psychotherapy with somatic therapy in individual sessions, group sessions and workshops.

During my studies and afterwards, I participated in various internships, volunteered, and worked in several institutions where I had numerous learning opportunities and interactions with individuals who enriched my experience. These included children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, children in foster care and placement centers, individuals with substance addictions, people affected by HIV/AIDS, women and children victims of domestic violence sheltered in social centers, and LGBTQIA individuals.

Studying child and family psychology and psychotherapy, I discovered the joy of working with children, parents, and educators in kindergartens, alongside my work in my private practice with adults and children.

On a personal level, I then experienced the role of being a mother. This was the richest and most intense experience for me, both as a person and as a psychologist, testing all my resources and knowledge and challenging me to grow and develop more than I had imagined. Following personal difficulties, I turned towards something I had felt for a long time, focusing more on the bodily experience that I couldn’t decipher despite years of personal development and psychotherapy as a client. This led me to enroll in courses on various body-centered and trauma therapies, such as Somatic Experiencing, TRE (Tension and Trauma Release Exercises), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), NARM (NeuroAffective Relational Model), Bodynamic, and others.

The sufferings and challenges in my personal life have led me to this field where, in addition to the experiences mentioned, I have learned and continue to learn firsthand what the therapeutic process means, both from the perspective of a therapist and a client.

I believe that as a therapist, I need continuous psychological and emotional hygiene and a certain inner ecology to be able to provide quality support for each client. Therefore, I continue to explore myself through various therapeutic approaches.

In recent years, I have learned how important the connection with my own body is, which has become a very valuable compass in my personal life and in my practice. I enjoy learning out of curiosity, discovering the human being from different perspectives, both from ongoing training and from the clients in my practice. I am in a continuous process of self-exploration and constantly learning about human nature, life, love, and suffering. I strongly believe that this field is one where we are constantly learning, not only about human nature and others but also about ourselves, the people behind the role of psychotherapist.

Studies and Continuing Education

From 2012 to the present, I have participated in numerous conferences, continuing education courses, and workshops, among which I highlight those that have left their mark on my current practice:

• Certificate of participation in the Bodynamic Basic Tools workshop, conducted by Mar Barosso, focused on the Bodynamic approach, a pioneering method in somatic developmental psychology and psychotherapy that integrates current research in children's psychomotor development, cognitive and depth psychotherapy, brain research, with a special emphasis on the quality of bonds and attachment and on healthy relationships. (Bucharest 2024)
• Training assistant for the NARM (NeuroAffective Relational Model) therapeutic model training in Romania. (2023 - present).
• Participation in the workshop "Uncovering the Roots of Sexuality Trauma - The Full Embodiment Model," focused on body work, sexuality, gender identity, trauma, and resilience, conducted by Ariel Giaretto (somatic therapist, international Somatic Experiencing trainer), (Bucharest 2023).
• Certificate of participation in the 2-year international training in the NARM (NeuroAffective Relational Model) psychotherapeutic model, an advanced clinical training for mental health professionals working with complex trauma. NARM is a working model for addressing attachment, relational and developmental trauma by working with attachment patterns that cause lifelong psychobiological symptoms and interpersonal difficulties. (Bucharest 2022 - 2023).
• Continuing Education Workshop "Trauma, Emotion, and Spirituality" conducted by Raja Selvam PhD, psychologist, Somatic Experiencing training faculty, founder and training faculty of Integral Somatic Psychology (Bucharest 2023).
• Certificate of participation in the CSTi - Introduction to CranioSacral Therapy Course, organized by the Upledger Institute Romania (a branch of Upledger Institute International). Craniosacral therapy is a gentle therapeutic method that stimulates the body's natural process of self-correction and self-healing, and the individual mechanism of natural healing and dissipation of negative effects (Bucharest 2023).
• Continuing Education Workshop - Advanced Strategies for Working with Sexual Trauma and Sexuality, by Ariel Giaretto, international Somatic Experiencing trainer and specialist in somatic sex education and working with sexual trauma (September 2022).
• Certificate of participation in the first European online Congress dedicated to Polyvagal Theory, organized by Polyvagal Akademie in Germany and Polyvagal Institute in the USA (June 2022).
• Certificate of participation in the international EMDR Level A training awarded by EMDR Institute Osterreich and Mind Master, trainers Catalin Zaharia and Peter Schutz. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapeutic method of desensitization and reprocessing through eye movements, primarily used for treating trauma and stress-related issues (Bucharest, 2022).
• Somatic Experiencing Practitioner Certificate - a psychobiological method developed by Dr. Peter Levine for over 40 years, internationally recognized for its effectiveness in identifying and renegotiating physical and emotional traumas, post-traumatic stress disorders, and their consequences. (Bucharest 2019 - 2022)
• Participation in two modules (out of three) in the international TRE® - Tension, Stress, and Trauma Release Exercises training program. TRE® is a practical bodywork method for releasing stress, tension, and trauma through a series of exercises that support the body at a deep muscular level. This method has been created and developed by Dr. David Bercelli for over 20 years and is recognized and utilized in communities worldwide. (2020-2021)
• Graduate of a continuous professional training program in Experiential Psychotherapy focused on adults, children, couples, and families, Romanian Experiential Psychotherapy Institute (2015).
• Graduate of Master's studies (2012-2014): "Assessment, Counseling, and Psychotherapy for Children, Couples, and Families" at the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, University of Bucharest.
• Bachelor's degree in Psychology (2008-2011): Faculty of Psychology and Sociology, Spiru Haret University, Bucharest.