Embracing the Full Gamut of Yourself: Creativity, Trauma, and Embodiment

The word “Gamut” found its origins in Medieval Europe. Benedictine monk and musician Guido d’Arezzo developed a method of teaching musical notes using just syllables. “Gamma ut” represented the lowest note in a musical scale (G) and was eventually shortened to what we now use to refer to the entire range of musical notes—and, more broadly, to encompass the whole scope of anything at all.

As a musician, I love the history and evolution of this word. To me, it illustrates that creativity knows no boundaries. As an Integrative Trauma and Somatic Practitioner, my goal is to help my clients rediscover their own version of this boundless creativity so they can live a life that is whole and fully expressed.

Through trauma, we often abandon younger parts of ourselves—out of shame, fear, anger, or nervousness—which holds us back from authentic expression. Take, for example, a child growing up with an unpredictable parent. To navigate the volatility, they may learn to wear many different hats—adapting themselves to manage the adult’s emotions. This child is incredibly resourceful! However, as they grow into adulthood, those same “people-pleasing” behaviors can persist, making it difficult to set boundaries or honor their own desires.

This is just one example of how trauma can shape the choices we make and the lives we create. In my one-on-one sessions, I integrate inner child work, somatic interoception, and bilateral stimulation to help clients reconnect with these abandoned parts of themselves. Together, we explore a new narrative—one that allows for expansion, self-trust, and embodiment.

Creativity is the antithesis of anxiety because it invites possibility where fear demands control. Anxiety keeps us stuck in rigid patterns, trying to predict and prevent every possible outcome. Creativity, on the other hand, asks us to explore, to play, to trust in the unknown. When we reconnect with the parts of ourselves that have been silenced by trauma, we open the door to new ways of being—ways that are expressive, expansive, and uniquely our own. Healing is not about fixing what is broken, but about reclaiming the full range of who we are. Just like the word "gamut" encompasses an entire scale, we, too, are meant to embrace our wholeness—every note, every feeling, every possibility.