What is Somatic Experiencing?
Somatic Experiencing is a naturalistic form of therapeutic body work that aids the healing of Post-Traumatic Stress Response (PTSR) and other issues related to trauma. It was established by Peter Levine in the 1970s and has been used in the treatment of trauma. It is based on Wilhelm Reich’s theory of blocked energy in the body and how it needs to be released in order to heal.
Healing comes through Somatic Experiencing by addressing where imbalances occurred through the excess energy that was trapped in the body following a traumatic incident. During a traumatic incident, adrenalin floods the body in order to fight and run for survival. It’s just something the body does in normal reaction mode. When the traumatic event is over, the body gradually goes back to resting state, but sometimes the body can go into a freeze state and the brain can dissociate to leave the present moment and take refuge elsewhere. This can cause energy to be trapped in the body. The excess energy needs to be discharged but the body doesn’t like to waste energy and tends to store it. This is often the root of dysfunctions following trauma. In order to heal trauma, we must release that energy. It can be deeply uncomfortable, however, it is far better to go through it for our mental and emotional health, than let it fester or bury deeper inside.
The Somatic Experiencing approach is to assist a person to notice their physical sensations in relation to difficult thoughts and emotions connected with their traumatic events. Instead of talking about the experience and reliving it, Somatic Experiencing uncovers and identifies the sensations in the body that are energetically linked to the traumatic emotions or memories. For instance, when a traumatic memory comes up, a person would notice where they feel sensations of pain or discomfort in their body. The person would make the connection between that part of the body and the traumatic event. While that connection if fresh, the person would immediately think of a positive thought or memory, such as basking in the sunshine or a favorite vacation spot. By bringing in a pleasant, positive experience, there is a somatic overwrite and the person should feel relief in the form of a tingling sensation, calming or the feeling as if a weight has been lifted.
These are some techniques used in Somatic Experiencing to release traumatic energy trapped in the body:
Breathing can be used to breathe out and release blocked and stored energy.
Mindfulness to strengthen awareness of surroundings, thoughts, and the way the body feels.
Meditation to calm and increase awareness.
Somatic Psychotherapy may be used to talk about the experience and pinpoint correlating body discomfort.
Body movement is used to release trapped energy and identify areas of stress to process it for healing.
Positive Imagery can be used to calm the body and mind to help bring healing to stress areas.
Conclusion
Normally we can sufficiently recover from a traumatic event but we each process trauma differently both physically and emotionally. Trapped energy from a traumatic event can cause imbalances in the body. Those imbalances over time can become chronic pain, behavior disorders or disease. Trauma therapy should be sought at the first sign of trauma symptoms, or right after a traumatic event, but we don’t always realize that we need help. Waiting until pain and discomfort become so unbearable is what normally drives people to seek therapy. Somatic Experiencing is a way to release stored trauma energy by identifying body discomfort associated with a trauma memory. Using positive imagery, the trauma memory energy can be uncovered and released. Relief in the form of a freer, lighter feeling can be achieved.
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