Somatic Experiencing® (SE™️) is a method of healing and renegotiating trauma and traumatic stress developed by Peter A. Levine. SE™️ facilitates the engagement of a body-oriented therapy and fosters the conditions to safely support the natural and biological release and resolution of survival energy. Often in traumatic or stressful events, our implicit and biological responses are not allowed to complete and can become stuck in the fight/flight/freeze and submit/fawn response. Over time this stuck survival energy can contribute to a wide variety of symptoms that may appear to be unrelated to our traumatic or stressful experience. These responses may have been, or are indeed currently protective, and at the same time perhaps no longer needed as much. SE™️ supports the body to learn that it is no longer in danger as it once was, supporting the nervous system to reconnect with its natural tendency to move towards healing and well-being. 

Somatic Experiencing® can often feel very different than what most folx expect when they think of traditional talk therapy. And it may include supporting an individual to begin to learn the language of their own body, oftentimes bringing awareness to their felt sense, exploring what supports their access to the here and now, and slowing down to make space for the holding of the inner healing intelligence that is innate in all beings. This might look like bringing awareness to what the body is telling us more than what the cognitive mind may want to tell us, and might mean focusing less on the story of the events than on the response of the nervous system in the present moment. Our stories are important and need to be witnessed and honored, and oftentimes our cognitive stories don’t allow the space and time needed for the nervous system to heal. SE™️ in therapy may look like engaging the body throughout a session, at times utilizing safe and comfortable movement, and slowly interrupting the physiological and automatic responses that may be holding the trauma or stress in the body in its attempt to keep us safe.  

We all experience trauma, stress, and overwhelming experiences. And trauma may be the result of single, compounded, or intergenerational events over time. To learn more about trauma and Somatic Experiencing® please visit Somatic Experiencing® International.