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Somatic therapy is a form of body-centered therapy that focuses on the connection between the mind and body. It aims to help individuals process and heal from trauma by addressing how emotions and experiences are stored in the body.
Here are some key aspects of somatic therapy:
- Mind-Body Connection: Somatic therapy explores how deeply painful experiences are expressed in the body. It uses techniques that integrate both psychotherapy and physical therapies to promote holistic healing.
- Techniques Used: Practitioners may use a variety of methods, including mindfulness, body awareness, movement, and touch. These techniques help release tension and trauma that are held in the body.
- Benefits: Somatic therapy can be beneficial for individuals dealing with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and other stress-related conditions. It helps in relieving physical manifestations of stress, such as muscle tension and disrupted sleep.
- Different Approaches: There are various forms of somatic therapy, including Somatic Experiencing, the Hakomi Method, and other body-centered practices like yoga and meditation.
Somatic therapy, also known as somatic experiencing therapy, is a form of therapy that aims to treat trauma and other stress-related disorders and mental and emotional health issues. The practice, which has been around since the early 20th century, has recently gained increased attention.
This surge in interest is partly due to the influence of social media and the growing curiosity about alternative approaches to psychotherapy.
Somatic therapy is used to help with a range of mental health issues, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, grief, and stress.
Somatic therapy can also assist with physical issues like chronic pain, sexual dysfunction, and digestive disorders.
Somatic therapy has proven to be an effective treatment for PTSD. When victims of a tsunami underwent somatic therapy, 90% of participants reported significant improvement in PTSD symptoms.
Research conducted by one study showed somatic therapy was an effective treatment for cervical myofascial pain.
Benefits of somatic therapy include improved mood, increased bodily awareness, improved self-esteem, and reduced stress.
In one study conducted in 2021, when women with addiction combined somatic therapy with regular substance abuse treatment, they saw an increase in well-being.
So, what does somatic therapy entail? And what should someone consider before attending a therapy session?
- Somatic therapy holds the belief that emotions become trapped in the body when not processed. The approach places importance on the connection between the mind and body.
- Willheim Reich, a student of Sigmund Freud, proposed in 1933 that emotional trauma could lead to physical reactions in the body.
A somatic therapist helps clients become aware of bodily sensations, training them to feel safe in their bodies while recalling thoughts, experiences, and emotions. Somatic therapists help individuals release certain emotions that are built up in the body using various techniques.
- The body awareness technique helps an individual recognize bodily tension and induce calming thoughts.
- The titration technique involves the patient being guided through a traumatic memory while the therapist notes and addresses physical sensations.
- The pendulation approach guides a client from a relaxed state to emotions associated with trauma and back again to relaxation.
- Dance is a popular form of somatic therapy as it activates an emotional response and assists self-regulation through movement.
- Results from a clinical trial into the practice of grounding showed it was effective in reducing pain, improving physical function, and bettering mood levels.
- The resourcing technique involves the therapist helping an individual recall people or places associated with feeling safe.
- The practice of mindfulness helps individuals to experience their thoughts and emotions without being overwhelmed.
- Talk therapy (psychotherapy) is centered around thought processes, behaviors, and perceptions. Some somatic therapists use talk therapy and somatic therapy in the same session.
- Sensorimotor psychotherapy helps clients to self-regulate and stabilize the autonomic nervous system, expediting total healing.
- The Hakomi method is a combination of spiritual, scientific, and psychological principles that focuses on gentleness, nonviolence, compassion, and mindfulness.
- Bioenergetic analysis focuses on the mind, body, and the energy flowing between them. A therapist will identify areas of distress or disharmony and help the client find relief from mental and physical tension.
- Biodynamic psychotherapy combines medical and holistic approaches, including massages to strengthen an individual’s mind and body connection.
- Brain spotting helps individuals process psychological trauma via eye movements by locating points in the visual field to access unprocessed emotions in the subcortical brain.
- Breathwork uses a range of breathing techniques to improve wellbeing. Slow, deep breaths can achieve reduced stress and healing.
When looking for a somatic therapist, it’s important to consider their credentials and areas of expertise. To locate practitioners near you, you can search online therapist directories.
Before your first somatic therapy session, think about your emotional and physical goals. As with any therapy, be mindful that sessions may trigger old and painful memories.
At your first appointment, the therapist will conduct an assessment aimed at your areas of complaint. Once comfortable, the working phase of somatic healing will begin.
In somatic therapy, touch is often involved, so it’s important to ensure you don’t mind being touched by another person.
Risks of somatic therapy include re-traumatization, abusive touch, and inappropriate regression. The risks can be mitigated by ensuring improved and credible standards for training and increased supervision.
Some experts believe that certain somatic techniques need more research to determine their efficacy, and higher-quality research is required to explore the potential benefits of somatic therapy.