Somatic Psychotherapy: An Introduction

Somatic psychotherapy is a therapeutic approach that engages the body's awareness as a powerful tool and intervention in therapy. It is based on the idea that the body stores memories, experiences, and emotions on a cellular level. Accessing and releasing stored experiences and emotions through bodywork promotes healing and growth. Somatic psychotherapy is often used to help people who have experienced trauma, as it can help to release the physical and emotional stress or tension that is often associated with trauma. It can also be helpful for people who are experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, or other mental health struggles, as well as for people who are simply looking to improve their overall well-being.

Key Concepts in Somatic Psychotherapy

There are a number of key concepts that are used in somatic psychotherapy, including:

• Body awareness refers to the ability to pay attention to the sensations in your body and to identify and track changes in these sensations.
• Resourcing refers to identifying and strengthening one's sense of stability and safety.
• Grounding refers to the ability to experience your whole self as connected and "embodied" in the world around you.
• Descriptive language refers to using language to describe one's body's experiences rather than interpreting or analyzing them.
• Sequencing: This is the process by which body-based tension begins to release. Release typically happens with an emotion that intensifies and then slowly starts to lessen, starting a movement, or experiencing a sensation that moves up or down part of your body. Once the sequencing begins, the body continues to sequence, causing a reaction in our mental and physical experiences. For example, we may have an emotional, sensory, or trigger response, but it feels out of nowhere and is hard to identify the link.

How Somatic Psychotherapy Works:

In somatic psychotherapy, your therapist will typically use a variety of techniques to help you connect with your body and access your stored experiences and emotions. These techniques may include:

• Breathwork involves using your breath to connect with your body and release tension.
• Meditation: Meditation can take many forms. From a somatic perspective, this may include sitting quietly and focusing on a sensory experience. This may be visual, sound, smell, taste, touch, a mental image, or simply observing one's thoughts and feelings without judgment. Meditation can help cultivate a sense of clarity and lead to greater self-awareness and understanding. Note: At Carmel Therapy Network, we understand this may take time or feel unsafe for those who may have experienced trauma. We encourage radical acceptance of your nervous system state and identifying what feels most safe (eyes open or closed, lying down or sitting up, lights on/lights off, etc.). Our providers will never force meditation, and you can always ask to stop during a meditation that feels unsafe.
• Movement: This involves using movement to express your emotions and to release tension.
• Touch: The therapist uses a safe contact to help you connect with your body and release tension. Contact should never be nonconsensual, harmful, sexual, or inappropriate. 

Benefits of Somatic Psychotherapy:

Somatic psychotherapy can offer several benefits, including:

• Reduced stress and anxiety: Somatic psychotherapy can help reduce stress and anxiety by releasing the physical and emotional tension that is often associated with these conditions.
• Improved mood: Somatic psychotherapy can improve mood by assisting people to connect with their positive emotions and release negative ones.
• Increased self-awareness: Somatic psychotherapy can help people increase their self-awareness by helping them to identify and understand their body's experiences and emotions.
• Improved relationships: Somatic psychotherapy can help people improve their relationships by assisting them in communicating more effectively and resolving conflicts more peacefully.
• Overall well-being: Somatic psychotherapy can help people improve their overall well-being by helping them feel more connected to themselves and the world around them.

Your mind and body deserve recognition and healing. If you are interested in Somatic therapy, please get in touch with the front desk of Carmel Therapy Network, and we will connect you with one of our providers.