Our Therapists

JESS LOCHTE

Kia Ora! My name is Jess and I am the founder and main therapist at FeelSeitig.

Having been shy but very observant since a young age, I developed a deep interest in non-verbal communication and the expressive qualities of the body. This guided me into a field of somatic and body-based psychotherapies, culminating in graduate studies in Dance/Movement Therapy & Counselling, and post-graduate qualifications in trauma treatment and sensorimotor psychotherapy.

I enjoy working with clients across the whole wellbeing spectrum - from very well functioning to deeply traumatised. I have found that my own strengths as well as my body-based and creative approaches lend themselves well to working with a wide variety of presentations, including depression, anxiety, relational difficulties, trauma, and dissociative symptoms.. Particularly, I enjoy working with the autonomic nervous system (ANS) through somatic and creative means, repatterning neurological safety and defensive responses, to create an integrated state of health and wellbeing (physically as well as psychologically). I work collaboratively, integrative, and non-directive, aiming to create a space in which experiences of any kind can be explored within the therapeutic alliance.

My own background has further pulled me into the study of intergenerational trauma and cultural dynamics, with a special focus on national trauma and shame resilience. Cultural humility has become one of my core values and I appreciate the trust and wisdom many of my clients bring and share about their own cultural backgrounds.

More recently, I have become interested in neurodiversity, specifically how societal expectations and environmental structures contribute to experiences of ADHD, anxiety, depression, chronic fatigue, and burnout in highly sensitive people.

Outside of work, I enjoy the outdoors: climbing, hiking, surfing, running, mountain biking, and snowboarding. I also have a keen interest in Yin and restorative forms  of Yoga and a passion for creative and mindful activities such as drawing and scribbling.