Somatic Experiencing
Life can be stressful, unpredictable, and at times, overwhelming. From traumatic experiences to everyday stressors, our bodies and minds can hold onto these experiences and create tension and anxiety that can negatively affect our daily lives. Somatic Experiencing therapy is an approach that aims to address these physical and emotional symptoms by working directly with the body to release tension and stored trauma. This technique works by helping individuals to become more aware of their physical sensations and to use this awareness to resolve traumatic experiences.
What is Somatic Experiencing?
Somatic Experiencing is a therapeutic approach that focuses on the physical sensations of the body as a means of healing trauma, stress, and shock. Developed by Dr. Peter Levine, this method is based on the idea that trauma is not just a mental or emotional experience but also a physical one, and therefore, for sustainable well-being, the body must be included in the healing process.
“Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness.” - Peter Levine
When a person experiences trauma, the body’s natural response is to go into fight, flight, or freeze mode. This is an adaptive response that supports overall safety. However, sometimes the body is unable to complete the response and the energy remains trapped in the nervous system, which can cause physical and emotional symptoms over time.
Somatic Experiencing works to help release this traumatic shock and to heal early developmental attachment trauma. Somatic Experiencing allows clients to connect more to their physical experience, gain better control over nervous system regulation, and move through stress.
What can Somatic Experiencing help me with?
Somatic Experiencing is a gentle, non-invasive therapy that can be used to treat a wide range of issues, including chronic pain, anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is a trauma-informed approach that respects the client's unique experience and focuses on building a sense of safety and trust between the client and practitioner.
Trauma may begin from a life-threatening event, cumulative stress, accidents, abuse, assault, neglect, and a number of other stressors. Often when people have accumulated trauma in their bodies, they will experience some of the following symptoms:
never feeling settled, feeling jumpy or hyper-alert
ongoing worry and fear despite non-threatening situations
stress and tension in the body
dissociation and disconnection from life
exhaustion and fatigue
Through Somatic Experiencing, clients often report reduced physical pain, improved emotion regulation, increased self-awareness, more connection and presence, embodiment, and enhanced resilience.
If you are struggling with past traumas, anxieties, or stresses, Somatic Experiencing may be the right therapy for you. When working with clients, I incorporate somatic methods into most sessions. If you are wanting to exclusively do Somatic Experiencing Therapy, please let me know upon booking.
What can I expect during a Somatic Experiencing session?
During a Somatic Experiencing session, the therapist will guide you through a series of exercises and techniques that focus on helping you become more aware of your body sensations and emotions. By paying attention to these sensations, clients can begin to notice patterns of physical responses to emotional triggers and learn how to regulate their nervous system responses.
The session typically begins with the therapist helping you to feel safe and comfortable, creating a relaxing atmosphere for the work to take place. They may ask you to sit or lie down, and focus on your breathing. Throughout the session, the therapist will encourage you to pay attention to your body's feelings and sensations and to express any emotions that come up. By doing so, you can learn to release any blocked or pent-up energy in your body that may be contributing to emotional issues or physical pain.
Somatic experiencing therapy often differs from traditional talk therapies in that the narrative of your experiences is not the main focus. Attention is given more to what happens as you recall that narrative or the pattern and familiar sensations within your body. You will be guided to connect to sensation, imagery, behaviour, emotions, and the meaning given to these experiences.
Somatic Experiencing therapy is a gentle and non-invasive approach to healing and can help you to develop new coping mechanisms and better emotional regulation. It is a process that can take some time, and each session builds on the last. By working with your therapist regularly and committing to the process, you can expect to see improvements in your overall mental and physical health.
Resources
Book a somatic experiencing session here, or set up a phone consultation to discuss any questions or concerns.