What is Somatic Experiencing Therapy?
Using Sensation to Recover Resilience
Somatic Experiencing (SE) therapy techniques are based in an understanding of how trauma, stress and neglect affect the body. Somatic Experiencing therapy offers methods for paying attention to the body in gentle, informed ways that support clients to navigate the fight/flight/freeze patterns that can persist in the wake of distressing experiences. Clients are not asked to discuss upsetting stories at length or to relive unpleasant events. Somatics treatment does not seek out “buried memories” or require a client to remember events in their entirety.
Through somatic experiencing exercises, clients learn to observe and “track” body sensations, imagery and feelings associated with the topics discussed or those that arise from simple exercises. They learn to identify and tolerate safety at the level of sensation. This allows more space and resilience to encounter the body’s fight/flight/freeze reactions in a gradual, “titrated” fashion. Using somatic experiencing clients learn to navigate distressing emotions and memories as physical sensations become more differentiated and take on new meanings.
Clients become more empowered in the face of triggers, uncomfortable physical sensations and hard to break patterns while also becoming more present, more resourceful, more assertive and better able to access the full range of their emotions.
Nature’s Lessons in Healing
In this video, you will learn about the physiological basis of trauma and how Somatic Experiencing® (SE™), developed by Peter A. Levine, PhD, helps distressed individuals recover a sense of well being, stability and vitality.