What is somatic experiencing therapy?
Developed by Peter Levine, somatic experiencing therapy is an alternative approach to healing trauma. According to the theory, trauma gets unintentionally trapped in the body, which is manifested through multiple physical and emotional symptoms. These symptoms are commonly noticed among patients suffering from trauma-related disorders.
The theory focuses on releasing stored stress by addressing physiological responses. The aim is to restore balance and promote healing through body-centred techniques.
How Does Somatic Experiencing Therapy Work?
Here is how somatic experiencing therapy works:
- Interoceptive
This technique of somatic experiencing therapy enhances awareness of internal bodily sensations. Patients are made to focus on their heartbeat, the sound of breathing, and muscle tension. The aim is to understand how their body reacts to stress, how the breathing changes, and which muscles get more tense when they remember their trauma. - Proprioceptive
Awareness of a body’s position and spatial orientation is crucial. With proprioceptive somatic experiencing therapy, therapists explore how a patient’s body feels in space and responds to physical movements. The aim is to restore the natural alignment of the body and reduce the emotional effects of trauma. - Kinaesthetic
Kinaesthetic somatic experiencing therapy focuses on bodily movement and physical expressions. This therapy motivates patients to notice involuntary movements in their body, like involuntary shivering or trembling. To complete interrupted defensive responses, the body gets rid of the discharged trauma. Physical and emotional resilience is enhanced while restoring a sense of ease and flow.
Here are a few basic steps followed by therapists who administer somatic experiencing therapy:
1. Understanding Trauma
Unconscious trauma stored in the body of a person can disrupt emotional regulation. This prevents proper processing of emotions, triggering a “freeze” response. When exposed to a difficult situation, patients get immobilised and are not able to respond properly.
2. Emotional Dysregulation
Emotional trauma and a persistent feeling of fear leave a brain stuck in a particular situation. Stress gets triggered even after a threat has passed. With somatic experiencing therapy, therapists try to recognise the source of these triggers.
3. Releasing Trauma
Body-centred techniques like breathwork, gentle movement, and grounding exercises. This body-mind approach is focused on healing trauma by guiding clients to tune into their physical sensations. Therapists do not trigger the disturbing memories and thoughts directly. However, they focus on processing trauma by reconnecting an individual with his or her body.
4. Restoring Balance
Therapists try to rebuild the emotional resilience of a patient by exploring physical sensations. They aim to release trapped energy by completing defensive responses to regulate emotions and responses.
Techniques in Somatic Experiencing Therapy
- Soothing Breath
This technique includes becoming aware of physical sensations by breathing deeply and exhaling slowly. For instance, being aware of the support of a chair while your body rests safely will allow an individual to reconnect with his or her physical self. The body is given rest so that the mind can prepare to feel and process the worst emotions. - Grounding and Centring
Trauma enables a person to feel unbalanced and disconnected from reality. Grounding and centring techniques focus on sensations in the body, mostly feet, which makes a person feel stable. This creates a sense of safety and provides inner strength, which makes an individual accept reality and move on. - Evoking Kindness
Therapists focus on evoking kindness among patients to make them feel better. For instance, therapists might remind patients of their favourite holiday, or an obedient pet, or evoke a memory that creates a warm feeling. The aim is to trigger positive sensations and make them feel connected with others so that they can adjust to society. - Sounds and Vibrations
Sounds and vibrations play an essential role in soothing the body and relaxing the mind. Sounds like “voo,” “hum,” and “om,” among others, discharged the stored energy from trauma. These sounds calm the nervous system, promote relaxation, and restore balance. - Shaking It Off
The therapy includes intentionally trembling and shaking one’s body to shake off trauma. The aim is to release pent-up energy and help settle the nervous system. By straining a body, therapists try to reduce the lingering effects of stress.
What Somatic Experiencing Therapy Can Help With?
Somatic Experiencing Therapy can help restore the nervous system to its original form after a traumatic event like an accident. The body gains access to stored and hidden pain, anger, and guilt. People can learn to overcome cravings for substances and even address the impact of abuse subjected to them.
Benefits of Somatic Experiencing Therapy
- Somatic Experiencing Therapy lowers bodily tension and eases psychological stress. The therapy aims to promote relaxation by addressing the root cause of stored trauma.
- Deep-seated physical tension can be relieved. This therapy also improves the overall functioning of the human body.
- By administering this therapy, therapists resolve trauma, which reduces irritation and anger issues among patients. Aggressive reactions are curbed, and self-awareness is heightened.
- Patients start feeling more optimistic in general life and gain a strong sense of self-assurance. A sick person usually develops a bitter attitude towards life. However, somatic experiencing therapy has proven to restore gratitude in the lives of people, improving their quality of life.
Effectiveness of Somatic Experiencing Therapy
Somatic experiencing therapy has proven to be effective in treating patients suffering from post-traumatic stress. The therapy reduces physical symptoms in traumatised and non-traumatised patients.