Somatic Experiencing Therapy for Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD)

About C-PTSD

Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder or C-PTSD is most often seen in clients who have experienced abusive, neglectful and/or deeply invalidating childhoods and domestic violence survivors. However, it may also arise from other circumstances of high stress over extended periods of time – incarceration, war, extended political violence and oppression, membership in high demand groups and cults and even burnout and compassion fatigue amongst front line care providers and activists can create the symptoms of complex trauma.

Somatic Experiencing therapy for C-PTSD

Somatic therapy for C-PTSD often requires a more patient pace of work – at first clients may have a difficult time recognizing body sensations or may only notice unpleasant body sensations. Healing from C-PTSD involves careful attention to building trust, navigating shame, and moving at the pace that your nervous system sets for the work. Everything we do is geared towards recovering a client’s embodied sense of agency and dignity. Sometimes complex trauma symptoms can leave clients feeling as if they are going around in circles using talk therapy by itself. Working somatically - with the nervous system and the body directly - can often bring traction to other approaches. Through my experience providing SE therapy in residential recovery centers, I am used to working with psychotherapists and other providers as a team.

If you are experiencing C-PTSD, Somatic Experiencing Therapy can help. Contact us for a free consultation.