If you experience constant stress, you have probably heard of Somatic Experiencing. In case you are still wondering what that is, Somatic Experiencing or Somatic Therapy is a type of body therapy to treat trauma and stress. As the name suggests, “Somatic” refers to the body, so this therapy focuses more on the body than on words, unlike typical stress-relief therapy.
This unique therapy was created by Peter Levine, who thought that trauma can result in the nervous system being trapped in a stressed state. So, this was the idea. Experiencing Somatic Experiencing helps the nervous system gradually return to a state of safety.
People who experience trauma have physical signs such as muscle tension, short or shallow breathing, cramps in their stomach, racing thoughts, or being easily startled. Somatic Experiencing helps with these symptoms.
The aim is not to make the body better; instead, to help the body feel safe enough to release the stress gradually. Consider this guide a complete answer for you or someone you know who is facing trauma or stress ahead of an upcoming Somatic Experience. If you are from Canada, then this guide will help you find the best possible approach to resolving your trauma or stress-related issues.
What is it like to Experience Somatic Therapy?
Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a form of counseling that includes awareness of the body. Rather than beginning with the trauma story, the therapist will help the person be aware of the body in the present.
What that means is simply having a person go through body awareness exercises, such as breathing and maintaining specific body postures, and helping them understand their moments of heaviness more deeply in a controlled, safe environment.
The therapist then slowly leads the person further. For example, they might ask the client to feel a small body sensation, feel safe, then feel another sensation. This is important as trauma can be overwhelming.
How long does the Somatic Experiencing Process Take?
Somatic Experiencing takes time. It allows the body to relax. The session starts with a focus on safety. The therapist will help to make a safe space and bring attention to the present moment.
Then, the therapist may guide the client to begin tuning into sensations, to find a “resource” (such as a positive memory or an image that feels comforting), and to foster a back-and-forth between stress and calm. This movement helps the body and mind learn how to cope with stress and then relax.
What if a Person is Already Seeking some Other Therapy?
Somatic Experiencing can be used to treat trauma, anxiety, depression, grief, and other types of stress. It can also be used alongside other treatments, such as talk therapy, when a person needs emotional and physical support.
What Somatic Experiencing Is Like
Somatic Experiencing is generally slow-paced and gentle. It doesn’t tend to look all that intense. It might involve sitting in a chair or on the ground, breathing deeply, tuning into a body sensation, or doing something like stretching or putting the feet on the ground.
In therapy, as you perform these body awareness exercises guided by a therapist, the therapist usually asks questions like:
- What sensations can you feel in your body now?
- Where does it feel like in your body?
- How about when you move your body, or breathe?
- Do you feel any part of your body is more relaxed?
The questions give the person a chance to increase their awareness without becoming distressed. The therapist can also help the person shift from feeling stressed to feeling safe. This can also be called ‘pendulation’. This teaches the body it doesn’t have to be in alarm all the time.
What is Titration in Somatic Therapy?
The other aspect of Somatic Experiencing is titration. That is, working with very small parts of a trauma story rather than the whole. This approach can be helpful for trauma because it can be overwhelming to experience such strong emotions. It’s safer and often more helpful to take a small step.
At the end of a session, a person seeking therapy feels less overwhelmed, stressed, or agitated; more present, relaxed, and alive. They can feel they have started to breathe more fully, feel less tense, or feel they are coming back home to themselves.
How to Become a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner
Training to be a Somatic Experiencing practitioner is no small effort. This is not a fast-track course. Typically, those seeking training in this method are already professionals in counseling, psychotherapy, social work, psychology, nursing, or other health care fields.
The training generally takes place over several years. This will involve workshops, practice, personal therapy, and supervision. This is because Somatic Experiencing is a trauma intervention, and trauma is delicate. A practitioner must not only understand the technique but also safety, ethics, and the nervous system.
Those learning Somatic Experiencing often have to learn to:
- Recognize stress in the body.
- Work with clients to ‘ground’ themselves
- Work slowly and safely
- Avoid going too fast
- Help to heal trauma without re-traumatizing
Another quality of a good practitioner is patience and strong listening skills. It’s not about directing the client and supporting them to become more stable, more aware, and more healed.
How Somatic Experiencing Can Help
Somatic Experiencing can help because trauma is held in both our mind and body. We can try to talk about the trauma, but we can’t stop our bodies from being wound up, scared, or numbed out. This is where body therapy is helpful. It’s the part of the healing process where words might not work.
Once the nervous system calms down, people may feel less reactive, less anxious, and more able to cope with their feelings. They may breathe more easily, feel safer, and sleep better. That’s a good thing for many.
This type of therapy is also gentle, which may help people stay in therapy. Some people may feel that unmanageable feelings are too intense in talk therapy, and so may benefit from starting with the body. It can help to slow down the process.
Final Thoughts
Somatic Experiencing is a gentle, gradual, and mind-body approach to trauma. It teaches people to recognize when they’re stressed and how to relax. It’s a gentle experience, rather than pressured and intense. This can be the crucial pace for many.
Boomerang Counseling Center provides Somatic Experiencing as part of their trauma treatment, and they also treat other issues like anxiety, depression, grief, and nervous system stress. They offer trauma counseling, depression counseling, and Somatic Experiencing so people can work towards healing their body and mind.
