Somatic Experiencing

Who is this therapy for?

Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a trauma-informed approach that can benefit anyone, especially those struggling with anxiety, stress, and emotional dysregulation. It integrates counselling psychology with body-centered therapy, making it effective for individuals from diverse cultures and backgrounds. Rather than offering a one-size-fits-all solution, SE values your unique personal experiences. Whether you're dealing with past trauma, current emotional difficulties, or physical stress, SE works from the inside out to support both your mental health and overall well-being.

How do problems develop?

In Somatic Experiencing, trauma is understood as the result of unprocessed responses—such as fight, flight, or freeze—that occur during overwhelming or distressing experiences. When these responses aren’t fully expressed or resolved, the energy becomes trapped in the nervous system, leading to ongoing mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, and difficulty regulating emotions. This unresolved trauma can also manifest physically, affecting the body and creating further distress. The good news is that the nervous system is adaptive and capable of change, offering hope for emotional healing and recovery.

Where does change come from?

SE emphasizes the body's natural capacity for healing, growth, and transformation. The therapy is grounded in the idea that true change begins within, acknowledging that unresolved emotions and trauma can often manifest physically. By integrating the mind and body, Somatic Experiencing addresses not only mental health issues but also the physical impact of stress and trauma. This holistic approach supports individuals in overcoming challenges like anxiety, trauma, stress, and emotional dysregulation, leading to long-term resilience and well-being.

How does change happen?

In SE, the relationship between you and your therapist plays a central role in the healing process. Your therapist works with you to understand how your nervous system responds to stress and trauma, guiding you to safely release trapped energy and unresolved emotions. By creating a supportive and empathetic environment, the therapist helps you navigate between states of safety and distress. This process allows you to address past trauma, reduce mental health symptoms, and reconnect with a fuller range of emotions. SE is particularly effective for those struggling with trauma-related mental health issues, offering a pathway to emotional regulation and resilience.

While SE can be a transformative tool for trauma recovery, it's important to note that working through trauma isn’t always necessary or appropriate for everyone. SE offers a variety of resources that your therapist can introduce during sessions, helping you build resilience, enhance your mental health, and tackle challenges as they arise.

But does it really work?

Research supports the effectiveness of Somatic Experiencing for addressing trauma and trauma-related symptoms, such as anxiety, stress, and emotional dysregulation. Several studies have demonstrated SE’s ability to help individuals process and integrate trauma, leading to improved emotional regulation and a reduction in trauma-related symptoms (Andersen et al., 2018; Briggs et al., 2018; Brom et al., 2017; Parker et al., 2008; Payne et al., 2015; Winblad et al., 2018). Existing research shows SE as a valuable tool in trauma recovery and emotional well-being. Its body-centered approach has shown promise in enhancing resilience and reducing the physical and emotional impacts of stress.

References

Andersen, T. E., Ellegaard, H., Schiøttz-Christensen, B., & Manniche, C. (2018). Somatic experiencing® for patients with low back pain and comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder – protocol of a randomized controlled trial. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 18(1). doi:10.1186/s12906-018-2370-y

Briggs, P. C., Hayes, S., & Changaris, M. (2018). Somatic Experiencing® Informed Therapeutic Group for the Care and Treatment of Biopsychosocial Effects upon a Gender Diverse Identity. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2018.00053

Brom, D., Stokar, Y., Lawi, C., Nuriel-Porat, V., Ziv, Y., Lerner, K., & Ross, G. (2017). Somatic Experiencing for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Outcome Study. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 30(3), 304–312. doi: 10.1002/jts.22189

Leitch, M. L. (2007). Somatic Experiencing® treatment with tsunami survivors in Thailand: broadening the scope of early intervention. Traumatology 13, 11–20. doi: 10.1177/1534765607305439

Motschnig, R., & Nykl, L. (2015). Person-centred communication: Theory, skills and practice. McGraw-Hill Education (UK).

Parker, C., Doctor, R. M., and Selvam, R. (2008). Somatic therapy treatment effects with tsunami survivors. Traumatology 14, 103–109. doi: 10.1177/1534765608319080 

Payne, P., Levine, P. A., and Crane-Godreau, M. A. (2015). Somatic experiencing: using interoception and proprioception as core elements of trauma therapy. Front. Psychol. 6:93. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2015.00093 

Taylor, P. & Saint-Laurent, R. (2017). Group Psychotherapy Informed by the Principles of Somatic Experiencing: Moving Beyond Trauma to Embodied Relationship, International Journal of Group Psychotherapy, 67:sup1, 171-181, doi:10.1080/00207284.2016.1218282

Winblad, N. E., Changaris, M., & Stein, P. K. (2018). Effect of somatic experiencing resiliency-based trauma treatment training on quality of life and psychological health as potential markers of resilience in treating professionals. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2018.00070