Somatic Experiencing for Trauma Healing
— What does this mean? Some of you may not know what somatic means, or if you do, you may have questions about what it may mean in the context of a session with me.
Soma means body. In this type of session, I explore with you what it means to experience your body-centered sensations, movements, emotions, images etc., that are related to your trauma, in a way that supports healing. We notice together what you are experiencing in your body, not recalling every trauma from the past, rather noticing what you feel in your body now, in the present moment, when you think of a certain experience that may have been overwhelming for you and your nervous system.
SE can be integrated it in a variety of ways to help support you. We can explore your concerns together, with you just seated across from me at my desk, or seated side by side, or you could be lying on the table with your clothes on, with no contact from me or my hands can be placed in specific positions on your body to gently support a release. Sessions can even be done virtually on zoom over the computer. The aim of these sessions is to be with you in the present moment and help to guide you to experience what you are feeling within your body. A range of techniques may be used to help you do that, for 
example, helping you to connect with the space around you when you walk in the room, or finding a calm and centering space within you and allowing you to bring your awareness to what you are feeling around a specific issue. The awareness may or may not be fully present and if it isn't, there is no pressure to perform. We just acknowledge where you are at and offer support so you can feel like you have resources in the session and when you leave the treatment room to go back out into the world.
I often use craniosacral therapy as a way to help connect with your body when we are doing Somatic Experiencing since it’s my main modality, but I am fully supportive of whatever is needed for you to feel as centered as possible to move through some trauma issues together. It is something that can be hard to articulate, but it is really a powerful treatment. We typically work slowly with intention to create a safe and supportive environment where you can explore, play and be curious about your experience.
Working with my clients in this trauma-informed way has enriched my sessions in so many ways, such as, offering a deeper form of support to a woman who has had breast cancer surgery or to a client who has just grieved the loss of their mother. It is a practise that has allowed me to slow down, pay attention and listen more closely to my clients, and embrace the fullness of what their soul most needs in that moment to express. It is a honor to be a witness and to guide and support clients on their healing journey in this way. Ideally, this can lead one to find a sense of peace and happiness within.
I encourage you to watch Peter Levine's Origin to Somatic Experience video. He is the creator of Somatic Experiencing. I hope you find watching his videos helpful and if you have further questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.
I have completed my 3 year Somatic Experiencing training and am now a certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner.
