Somatic Psychotherapy: The Importance of the Mind-Body Connection

The mind and body are inextricably linked. Our emotions and thoughts have the power to produce physical reactions in our bodies. As a result, a traumatic or very stressful event in your life may cause mental and physical symptoms that can feel overwhelming or hard to contain. 

When you are stressed or anxious, your body releases cortisol and adrenaline stress hormones. 

The adrenaline rush helps you deal with stressful situations and get out of danger quickly. So, the goal is to provide your body with the energy boost needed for the “fight, flight, or freeze” response.

However, suppose you feel stressed or nervous for an extended period. In that case, this increased release of stress hormones can harm your body. For example, stress can weaken your immune system cause high blood pressure, headaches, chest pain, an upset stomach, sleep problems, and a wide range of emotional issues, among other things.

This is where somatic therapy can help.

What is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic psychotherapy is a type of body-centered mental health therapy that takes into account both the physical effects of emotional distress and provides support for both a person’s psychological and physical well-being. Somatic therapies use a mind-body approach to help find and relieve physical tension held in the body after a traumatic or stressful event by identifying emotional symptoms in the body.

Mental health struggles such as anxiety, depression, or trauma can trigger various reactions in the body, such as chronic pain, respiratory problems, digestive issues, sleep difficulties, and muscle tension.

Somatic therapy is based on the idea that a traumatic event can make the autonomic nervous system unable to regulate itself, which stops the brain from processing the painful event.

In somatic therapy, the emphasis is on involving the body in the therapeutic process. So, a somatic therapist will use relaxation techniques, meditation, and traditional psychotherapy.

Additionally, the primary purpose of somatic therapy is to help you recognize physical symptoms that are impacting your mental health and help you release suppressed emotions brought on by stressful or overwhelming events, allowing you to heal from within.

What Conditions Can Somatic Therapy Address?

Somatic psychotherapy can treat a variety of mental health issues, such as:

•       PTSD
•        Anxiety
•        Stress
•        Depression
•        Grief
•        Addiction
•        Relationship Struggles
•        Sexual function

A Body-Centered Approach to Treating Trauma

Most people find themselves stuck in the aftermath of a terrifying event, unable to completely absorb what occurred.

Unfortunately, many trauma survivors develop mental health struggles or reach for substances to cope and lack the tools to work through trauma and its effects in a healthy and productive way.

Somatic therapy can help you become more aware of your emotions and provide tools to help you process feelings that have been blocked or suppressed because of trauma.

Somatic therapists use body-centered practices like mindfulness, deep breathing, meditation, and yoga to help you to slowly let go of any energy you’re holding in your body and become aware of the feelings and emotional impact caused by the traumatic event.

You can learn to manage painful physiological sensations and repressed emotions during sessions and outside of therapy. Studies show that somatic psychotherapy can improve your self-esteem and increase your resilience. This increased emotional awareness can help you become more aware of the relationship between your mind and body. This allows you to work through emotions, create trust around your ability to sit with strong emotions (feel your feelings), relieve tension, and feel reconnected to yourself and others.

Types of Somatic Therapy

Some of the most common forms of somatic therapy include EMDR, somatic experiencing, Hakomi, and sensorimotor therapy. 

EMDR

In EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), originated by Francine Shapiro, Ph.D., the client recalls a traumatic experience while undergoing bilateral visual, auditory, or tactile stimulation. The goal of EMDR is to help you overcome emotional distress linked to PTSD and other mental health struggles by focusing on disturbing emotions and thoughts that result from a traumatic event rather than the trauma itself.

Somatic Experiencing

Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a body-oriented modality that was created by Peter Levine, Ph.D. and is used in a variety of professions such as, counseling, physical therapy, and school settings. Traumatic events can get stuck in the body and create pain and discomfort.  SE focuses on addressing the physical reactions to trauma, teaching you how to safely release built-up energy and learn how to regulate your nervous system. During a session the provider observes your physical responses while you share small bits of information about a traumatic or stressful event. The provider will notice physical shifts as you recount events such as how you’re breathing, swallowing, and body adjustments. You will also be asked to share any somatic sensations that come up throughout the session. A good provider will honor your pace and focus on using resources that strengthen your sense of safety so you can properly process the event. 

Hakomi

Hakomi therapy is an experiential, body-centered psychotherapy originated by Ron Kurtz. The Hakomi Method is grounded in five principles: mindfulness, organicity, nonviolence, mind-body integration, and unity. It incorporates somatic awareness and a provider will work with you to identify images, memories, emotions, and beliefs that are held in your body. Hakomi primarily integrates principles of Buddhism and Taoism, emphasizing concepts such as mindfulness, self-compassion, and empathy. According to Hakomi therapy, our body is a gateway into our unconscious. Therefore, during the Hakomi therapeutic process, the client learns to somatically identify unconscious beliefs that creating suffering or leaving you feeling stuck in your life.

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy

Sensorimotor therapy is another body-centered therapeutic approach created by Pat Ogden for treating trauma and attachment difficulties. It integrates psychotherapy, neuroscience, somatic therapy, and attachment theory principles to assist the client in reliving a traumatic event in a safe atmosphere. Sensorimotor therapy helps you better understand how past traumatic events are affecting you somatically and find ways to turn adversity into strengths. Sensorimotor therapy incorporates the cognitive, emotional, and somatic experiences with a body-centered focus. 

The counselor works with you collaborately and at your pace as they introduce different interventions to help you feel more grounded and capable to move through trauma responses. The retelling of the traumatic event is not necessary for healing and closure. The therapy aims to help you feel less overwhelmed by traumatic material and provide improved cognitive and emotional function.

 Summary

Somatic therapy can help you learn physical tension-relieving methods such as breathing exercises, yoga, grounding exercises, mindfulness, and practices that help you connect to your bodily experience. As well as help you let go of stuck energy and process what you went through on a deeper level. 

Somatic treatment can teach you to become more tolerant of unpleasant physiological sensations, negative cognitive patterns, and suppressed emotions. This can help you feel more capable of feeling strong emotions, enhancing your self-esteem and resilience while alleviating mental, emotional, and physical discomfort.