Have you ever heard the expression ‘Your body always keeps score’? This saying suggests that your body can hold onto memories of trauma, not only your mind and brain, emphasising the significance of the mind-body connection. Otherwise known as the wellness triangle
Somatic therapy thrives on this connection, operating under the belief that emotions from trauma can become ‘trapped’ in the body when not processed. The wellness triangle consists of 3 portions that make up the human experience - mental, emotional and physical health. A Chronic issue in one of these aspects, if left untreated, may manifest itself in a different aspect. For example, a debilitating chronic injury may affect your emotional or mental wellbeing overtime. Through targeted somatic therapy techniques, you can release any pent-up trauma trapped in your body.
Modern medicine often treats the mind and the body as two separate entities. However, traditional medicine and ancient philosophies from the Far East have long recognised this therapy involving the mind-body connection. This alternative healing approach is fast gaining acceptance by therapists and modern medicine practitioners in the west.
At The Somatic Clinic, we’ve always employed a holistic approach towards health and wellness, be it through somatic therapy or osteopathy. In this blog, we delve into the finer details of somatic therapy, its modalities and the various health conditions it can treat.
Understanding The Basics of Somatic Therapy
Somatic therapy is known by multiple names, such as somatic experiencing therapy or body psychotherapy. Somatic means ‘relating to the body’ and is considered a part of somatic psychotherapy, an umbrella term for mind-body-centric therapies.
Another way to see somatic therapy is that it’s based on a body-oriented approach in psychology. The success of somatic therapy modalities depends on addressing the feedback loop running continuously between the body and the mind.
Somatic Therapy vs Talk Therapy
Often, somatic therapy is taken to be similar to talk therapy, a typical psychotherapy technique in which the mind is engaged. However, in somatic therapy, the therapist treats the body as the foundational point for healing, making it different from talk therapy.
How Somatic Therapy Works
The fundamental concept of somatic therapy revolves around treatment focusing on the body and how emotions appear within the body. It addresses the belief that your body traps and expresses negative experiences and emotions from traumatic events or unresolved emotional issues that manifest into debilitating bodily conditions.
But how do these negative traumatic emotions get ‘trapped’ in your body?
How Your Body Traps Trauma
In any stressful or traumatic situation, your body’s nervous system is triggered. However, even after the event, your nervous system may be stuck in survival mode, with stress hormones continually releasing cortisol, leading to a spike in blood sugar and blood pressure. This constant level of stress causes your immune system to become weak and over time, leads to developing physical symptoms.
When triggered by more stress, these negative emotions often emerge if you have experienced trauma before, entering into a loop of traumatic feelings each time you are triggered.
With a body-centric healing approach, somatic therapy techniques help your body heal on a cellular level by releasing the trapped emotions using various somatic therapy modalities.
What Does a Somatic Therapist Do?
A somatic therapist helps you develop awareness of your body's sensations and teaches you to feel safe in your body while recalling certain traumatic feelings, thoughts, and experiences. A variety of somatic therapy techniques, such as breathwork and, are used to help you release the trapped emotions built up inside your body.
For effective somatic therapy for depression, anxiety or any other health conditions, book an appointment to discuss how our experienced therapists at The Somatic Clinic can help.
Popular Somatic Therapy Modalities
Some of the most common somatic therapy modalities are:
- Grounding
In this technique, you connect your mind to your body and the earth by calming your nervous system.
- Body Awareness
Learning this technique helps you recognise tension in your body and evoke calming thoughts.
- Sequencing
This technique is about paying close attention to the order in which the sensations of tension and stress leave your body.
- Titration
In this technique, a therapist guides you through a traumatic event while calibrating and addressing the physical sensations.
- Resourcing
A therapist teaches you how to recall people and places associated with feelings of safety.
- Pendulation
You move from an agitated state of recalling a traumatic event back to a relaxed state after releasing the pent-up energy.
Benefits of Somatic Therapy
Somatic therapy greatly benefits those suffering from mental and physical health conditions.
It addresses physical issues such as chronic pain, digestive disorders and sexual dysfunction, and mental conditions like anxiety, addiction, grief, depression, PTSD, anger and stress; the benefits of somatic therapy are limitless.
Embrace Relief Through Somatic Therapy Techniques at The Somatic Clinic
Somatic therapy harnesses the power of the mind-body connection and can be a preferred option for anyone looking to get more in touch with themselves and their life experiences.
Our therapists have the knowledge and expertise to holistically treat varying bodily conditions and help you get back to living your life. We also offer nutritional counselling, osteopathy treatments and chronic pain treatments.
Book your appointment for somatic therapy online on our website.