Somatic Experiencing

Have you experienced a threat to your safety, trauma, event, or circumstance in which you received little to no support? Do you feel as though you are stuck and can’t move forward in your life? Are you experiencing difficulty in relationships? Are you experiencing symptoms and/or behaviors that don’t seem to be getting better with other therapeutic modalities?

Often times, when we experience something as traumatic, our body stores this experience in our nervous system.

Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a therapeutic approach developed by Dr. Peter A. Levine that focuses on the resolution and healing of trauma.

SE defines trauma as the result of an overwhelming experience or series of experiences that exceed a person’s ability to cope and integrate the emotions and sensations associated with those experiences.

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Trauma can be caused by a wide range of events, including accidents, natural disasters, physical or sexual assault, combat, or ongoing abuse or neglect. According to the SE framework, trauma is primarily understood as a physiological and nervous system response rather than just a psychological condition. It emphasizes the importance of understanding how trauma impacts the body and the nervous system, as well as the mind. SE recognizes that when a person experiences trauma, their body’s natural self-regulation mechanisms can become overwhelmed, leading to a dysregulated state.

In somatic experiencing, trauma is seen as an incomplete physiological response that remains stuck in the nervous system. The energy and activation associated with the traumatic experience may not have been fully discharged or processed, leading to lingering physical and psychological symptoms. These unresolved traumatic experiences can contribute to a wide range of difficulties, including anxiety, depression, hypervigilance, sleep disturbances, chronic pain, and other physical and emotional symptoms.

The SE approach aims to facilitate the completion of the trauma response by gradually titrating and tracking the activation in the nervous system. Through gentle and mindful exploration of bodily sensations, emotions, and beliefs associated with the trauma, the individual is supported in renegotiating their relationship with the traumatic experience. This process allows for the release of trapped energy and the restoration of the body’s natural self-regulation and healing capacities. Overall, somatic experiencing views trauma as a complex interplay between the body, mind, and nervous system. It emphasizes the importance of addressing the physiological aspects of trauma and facilitating the natural healing process, allowing individuals to integrate and resolve the overwhelming experiences they have endured.

Learn To Connect With Your Body In A Healthy Way

No matter how hopeless you may feel right now, anxiety is highly treatable and there are numerous avenues for healing. We want to help you find what’s right for you and what brings deep, lasting change. To get started, you can click the “start today” button below or call our intake coordinator at 704-804-0810. We offer both in-person and online therapy.

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