Somatic Psychotherapy: Uses, Techniques and How It Can Help You
What is Somatic Psychotherapy?
Somatic Psychotherapy is a type of therapy founded on body-centered psychology and healing. It is a holistic approach that focuses on how the body holds and shares our lived experiences. Rather than focusing on the mind and what we think or our emotions and how we feel, it focuses on the body and aims to gain insight into our past and find ways to release stuck, stagnant, leaking, or frozen energy in the body. In somatic psychotherapy, the body is the focus; It’s the message the body holds is what we give our attention to. This contrasts with many other therapies, which focus on one thing at a time—such as your thoughts or emotions. This treatment can benefit people who have experienced trauma or abuse and want to work through those issues from a somatic lens.
In somatic psychotherapy, we’re not just talking about thinking differently—we’re aiming to engage our body differently by practicing intentional awareness and communicating with or moving the body in specific ways. In doing this, we can help explore and move stagnation and trauma held in the body.
A somatically trained therapist can notice how clients hold their bodies. This can give clues as to what they may be protecting or avoiding. For example, one’s shoulders may be tight and raised from fear, or their back may be arched for protection. A trained eye can observe and encourage small movements (or even just awareness) to places where the energy may be leaking, stagnant, held, or frozen. This can help clients feel more connected with themselves and their surroundings. It is normal for those who have experienced trauma to feel nervous about starting any therapy, let alone focusing exclusively on the body! It is essential to know that you will only be directed toward your body when you feel safe, and a skilled provider will encourage you to go as fast or slow as your system allows. There is no rush in doing this work; the most essential thing in starting therapy is feeling connected with and safe with your provider. This is fundamental to doing more profound work. And building a safe and solid therapeutic relationship can take time. Once you have established a solid rapport, you will be gently guided to focus on your body.
Typically, somatic therapy techniques are used with other therapies, such as Psychodynamic or Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or hypnosis, to help individuals. Somatic psychotherapy can be used for many different kinds of issues, including:
Trauma
Stress-related disorders and anxiety
Depression
Trouble sleeping and insomnia
What is the goal of Somatic Psychotherapy?
Somatic Psychotherapy aims to help identify and change held patterns in your body that can cause numbing, distress, or pain. It can help increase self-awareness and initiate better connections with yourself and others. In this way, individuals using somatic psychotherapy often find themselves better positioned to discern body sensations, examine thoughts, and identify what comes up emotionally and how the body responds.
How can Somatic Psychotherapy help you?
Somatic therapy can be helpful for those who are curious about what their body has to say about trauma, depression, anxiety, or other things. It can help people who have suffered trauma or loss and need support working through their emotions by focusing on the body. Somatic psychotherapy is based on the idea that our bodies have an innate ability to heal themselves (1).
Techniques in Somatic Psychotherapy
Here are some techniques used in somatic therapy that can help you (2):
Body self-awareness. The first step in understanding how your body holds trauma is finding a safe way to explore your body.
Grounding. Learning how to connect to something that can help anchor your body creates a container for deeper exploration.
Dance or other movements, voice work, massage, and grounding exercises.
Types of Somatic Psychotherapy
Somatic Experiencing (SE)
Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a complex process that occurs when a person’s body is in contact with another person or object. It utilizes five sensory channels: sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing. These sensory channels are used to both convey information as well as provide a calming experience for the participant. It is called somatic awareness when we are in this state of being touched.
Somatic awareness can be positive or negative, depending on the situation or person. For example, being touched by someone who has caused harm to you in the past can be very painful and uncomfortable because your body will respond to their touch as though you are being abused. However, if you are touched by someone who loves and cares for you, that touch will bring comfort and relaxation as they reassure you that you are safe and cared for.
Somatic Experiencing begins by creating a safe space for participants to relax and become comfortable with their bodies. This can be done through many different methods, which help people relax before entering the somatic experience. Once participants have entered their safe space, they begin to explore their bodies by moving them through different movements, such as breathing exercises and stretching exercises, while also listening to sounds created by other participants, such as bird songs or ocean waves, simply through their senses than electronics or speakers.
Somatic Experiencing can be used for anything from meditation to mindfulness training to managing stress. The most common use for this experience type is personal growth and self-development. The bodily experience of the body is a series of responses to sensations that are felt throughout every cell, tissue, and organ. These sensations are often referred to as feelings. SE has five elements that practitioners use as a framework, otherwise known as SIBAM (3):
Sensation: There’s an increased awareness of bodily sensations and physical symptoms in your body.
Imagery: This refers to sensory impressions; your senses associated with the experience
Behavior: These are observable behavioral responses, including gestures, posture, and facial expressions.
Effect: These are emotions felt at the moment displayed to the outside world.
Meaning: This is the totality of the experience and how you perceive the therapy.
The Somatic Experience (SE) is one of many tools psychologists have developed over the past decade. This type of therapy aims to help people heal from their trauma by assisting them in accessing their body’s natural processes, which can help them move past the pain they experience while still experiencing it.
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is a body-centered talk therapy rooted in the belief that physical sensations can help people understand themselves better, leading to better relationships, healthier habits, and more effective ways of thinking. It uses physical sensations as the primary means of communication.
Sensorimotor psychotherapy uses the person’s mental, physical, and emotional state to alleviate trauma-related physical symptoms. In this case, the client can examine how past traumas affect them somatically. (1)
In a sensorimotor therapy session, you will learn to identify your bodily sensations by asking yourself: What do I feel? How does it make me feel? These questions will help you understand your body’s responses to different situations and emotions. The goal is not just to become aware; it’s also to learn how to use this awareness creatively that empowers us as human beings.
Sensorimotor psychotherapy aims to change how a person thinks about their body so they can see how their beliefs and perceptions affect their ability to process sensory data. This can help them develop more adaptive ways of interacting with their environment and others. This may include:
Understanding how and why they’re feeling that way
Identifying feelings that have no apparent source
Understanding the emotions they are experiencing and why they are experiencing them
Uncovering memories that are trapped inside your mind, causing you distress or pain
The Phoenix Rising Centers provides professional care for the physical symptoms of anxiety and depression. In addition, we offer a range of treatments that can help you feel better, from yoga to meditation to EMDR and more.
Our experienced clinicians are committed to providing you with a safe space where you can explore your own experiences, express your feelings, and identify solutions for the challenges you face. The key is building trust with us—letting us know what works best for you and letting us help guide you through those steps.
References:
Somatic Psychotherapy. [online] goodtherapy.org. Available at: https://www.goodtherapy.org/learn-about-therapy/types/somatic-psychotherapy [Accessed 1 Jan. 1970].
Somatic Psychotherapy | Types & Techniques - Genesis Recovery. [online] genesisrecovery.com. Available at: https://www.genesisrecovery.com/somatic-psychotherapy/ [Accessed 1 Jan. 1970].
How The SIBAM Model Can Help You Overcome Trauma. [online] redbeardsomatictherapy.com. Available at: https://www.redbeardsomatictherapy.com/post/how-the-sibam-model-can-help-you-overcome-trauma [Accessed 1 Jan. 1970].