What is Somatic Experiencing?

Somatic Experiencing is a body awareness therapeutic approach for healing trauma and other stress disorders.  

How Can It Help Heal Trauma?

Trauma is in the nervous system not the event, so it is stored in the body and mind.  While traditional talk therapy is a “top down” model that allows the mind space to heal, Somatic Experiencing is a “bottom up” model that focuses on connecting with our nervous system to complete self protective responses and survival energy that did not have the opportunity to discharge at the time of the traumatic event.  This is approached by creating a sense of safety and then gently developing an increasing tolerance for difficult sensations and suppressed emotions. 

Somatic Experiencing is a gentle approach that allows us to work with small bits of info at a time so to not  overwhelm the system and re-traumatize one self.  It allows clients to attune to what is happening in their bodies, slow down and pause intense fast energies and balance the nervous system’s fight, flight, and freeze responses.