Somatic Experiencing
The Somatic Experience approach releases traumatic shock, which is key to transforming PTSD, and wounds of emotional trauma.
What is Somatic Experiencing?
Somatic Experiencing (SE) was created by Peter Levine as a body-oriented approach designed to heal the effects of unresolved trauma and other stress/mood disorders. When trauma or other high-stress situations take place in life, the nervous system becomes overwhelmed and often gets stuck in a ‘fight, flight, freeze, or fawn’ mode.
When these overwhelming life experiences are held in the body, they ultimately end up impacting various areas of our lives through physiological and psychological symptoms of stress. Our nervous system then needs to be reset by establishing a natural rhythm between mind and body. SE targets emotional wounds related to early developmental attachment trauma and aims to let go of traumatic shock by guiding the client to become aware of and speak to the physiological sensations present in their body, while building a tolerance to physical and psychological distress.
This ultimately increases one’s capacity to handle stressful stimuli and resolves the fixated states within their nervous system.
How does Somatic Experiencing work?
SE activates the nervous system by guiding the client to focus on the physiological sensations present for them during a stressful or traumatic response. As stated above, the body often gets ‘stuck’ in a threat response state. The goal is to slowly and carefully activate the nervous system enough that it is able to restore itself back to a rest state, and complete the self-protective response that was intended during the initial traumatic or stressful encounter. This gradually brings the nervous system back to its normal cycle and allows the mind and body to function well.
I am currently a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner In Training enrolled in the final stage of Advanced level training.
