What is Somatic Experiencing™?
Get a FREE 20-Minute Consultation!
Somatic Experiencing™ (SE) is a body-focused therapeutic approach designed to help individuals release trauma and stress stored in their nervous systems. Unlike traditional talk therapy, SE works by guiding people to reconnect with their physical sensations, helping the body process and release stuck energy. This healing technique is rooted in the idea that trauma is held in the body, and by addressing it somatically, we can restore balance and resilience.
Understanding Somatic Experiencing: A Path to Healing
Somatic therapy is a valuable approach for a wide range of physical, mental, emotional, and interpersonal challenges. When our nervous system is regulated, our brain functions more effectively, helping with decision-making, creativity, and overall performance. Somatic Experiencing™ can help you become a better version of yourself - physically and emotionally.
Benefits of Somatic Therapy - What I Can Help You With
The Main Benefits of Somatic Experiencing™
❤ Reduced Stress and Anxiety
❤ Trauma Recovery
❤ Improved Emotional Regulation
❤ Enhanced Body Awareness
-
Reduced Stress and Anxiety
SE helps calm the overactive nervous system, offering relief from chronic stress and anxiety
-
Trauma Recovery
Whether it’s from a major event or accumulated stress over time, SE aids in the gentle release of trauma stored in the body
-
Improved Emotional Regulation
By working through somatic sensations, SE encourages a healthier response to emotions, fostering a sense of inner calm
-
Enhanced Body Awareness
SE helps you tune in to your body’s signals, promoting a deeper connection to yourself and your physical well-being
What to Expect from a Somatic Therapy Session
In a typical SE session, you’ll be guided to notice the subtle physical sensations in your body. It’s not about re-living past trauma, but rather allowing your body to gently release the stored tension. Sessions are deeply personalized, meaning we’ll go at your own pace, ensuring that you feel safe and supported throughout the process. This can lead to profound relief, a renewed sense of ease, and a deeper connection to yourself.
How Does it Work?
Somatic Experiencing™ therapy works by engaging the autonomic nervous system, which controls essential bodily functions like breathing, heartbeat, and digestion—functions we typically don’t think about. However, by becoming more aware of our physical sensations in the present moment, we can actually shift our physiological state. For those dealing with chronic pain or high stress, this approach taps into the body’s natural ability to heal.
This form of therapy works with the body's fight, flight, freeze, and flow responses, aiming to restore balance to the nervous system. When we experience shock, stress, or trauma, our bodies can get stuck in unhealthy patterns. While we’re designed to respond to danger, we’re also meant to return to a state of calm. When that doesn’t happen, it can lead to a range of issues—physical, emotional, psychological, or even problems with our immune and nervous systems.
Somatic therapy helps release the stress, trauma, and tension that may be "stored" in the body. Through learning self-regulation techniques with the guidance of a mental health professional, individuals can begin healing from trauma, addressing both mind and body.
What Separates SE from Other Types of Therapy?
Traditional talk therapy is great for understanding why we are the way we are—shedding light on our patterns and belief systems that might be holding us back. However, at the NC Center for Resiliency, we view Somatic Experiencing as the “now what” modality. Many people come to us already knowing a lot about their struggles, yet still find themselves stuck—whether it’s because medication isn’t working, they can’t sleep, are having trouble functioning at work or school, or feel unable to move on from a traumatic event.
Somatic Experiencing™ focuses on working with the autonomic nervous system to help restore the body’s natural ability to self-regulate. Therapists in this modality provide you with skills and techniques to practice both in therapy and on your own, helping you return to a balanced state. This may include recommendations for lifestyle changes or referrals to other integrative health practitioners to ensure you receive comprehensive support. The mind and body are fully interconnected, and our goal at the NC Center for Resiliency is to help you achieve optimal health.
Coherence, a term used by scientists, refers to a highly efficient state where the nervous system, cardiovascular system, hormones, and immune system all work together smoothly. Athletes might refer to this as being “in the zone,” while meditation instructors call it “flow.” Coherence is the ideal state for your body’s healing systems to function at their best and for emotional balance to be restored. Through Somatic Experiencing™, we aim to help repair the nervous system by introducing new physical sensations or completing a response that was interrupted during a traumatic event, allowing for deep healing.
Why Choose Me for Your SE Journey?
With over 20 years of experience, I bring a unique perspective to healing. In 2008, a life-altering car accident set me on a path of recovery that deepened my understanding of trauma and pain. After extensive rehabilitation, I immersed myself in Somatic Experiencing® with Dr. Peter Levine. Having overcome my own physical and emotional challenges, I fully understand the complexities of pain and am committed to providing compassionate, personalized care.
Somatic Experiencing works!