Somatic Therapy: Healing Trauma Through the Wisdom of the Body

Somatic therapy is a transformative healing approach that emphasizes the body’s role in processing trauma. It departs from traditional talk therapy by engaging physical sensations, movement, and the autonomic nervous system (ANS) to help individuals heal at a profound level. Pioneers in trauma healing, Dr. Peter Levine and Dr. Bessel van der Kolk, have brought awareness to the importance of the body in trauma recovery, showing how trauma is not just a psychological experience but one deeply embedded in the body itself.

Dr. Peter Levine, founder of Somatic Experiencing, explains, “Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness.” His approach highlights that trauma creates “survival energy trapped in the body,” leading to physical symptoms and emotional dysregulation. By releasing this energy, somatic therapy restores balance in the ANS, enabling a more adaptive response to stress. Through techniques like body scanning, mindful movement, and breathwork, somatic therapy allows individuals to experience a full-body release of trauma. These techniques work by helping people recognize and release the tension and emotions stored within their bodies, fostering a sense of safety and grounding.

Bessel van der Kolk’s influential book, The Body Keeps the Score, echoes this approach, underscoring that trauma fundamentally reshapes the body and brain, often resulting in chronic pain, muscle tension, and an overactive nervous system. He writes, “The body keeps the score, in a sense, the body is the scorecard of trauma.” According to van der Kolk, cognitive approaches alone are often insufficient, as trauma can leave physical marks that are only accessible through body-centered work. He emphasizes that “learning to observe and tolerate our physical reactions is the first step in reclaiming agency over our lives.” This connection to the body grants individuals not only insight into their trauma but also the power to reshape their response to it, engaging their bodies as active partners in the healing journey.

The autonomic nervous system (ANS), which includes both the sympathetic (fight-or-flight) and parasympathetic (rest-and-digest) branches, plays a critical role in trauma responses. In response to threat or trauma, the ANS activates survival responses that can leave a lasting imprint on the body, keeping individuals in states of hyper-arousal or numbness. Through somatic therapy, individuals learn to gently guide the ANS back to equilibrium, regulating their physiological and emotional responses to stress. By doing so, somatic therapy helps release not only mental blocks but also the physical remnants of trauma, fostering a fuller and more embodied sense of recovery.

One of the most empowering aspects of somatic therapy is the recognition that the body itself holds the key to healing. Rather than being passive recipients of treatment, individuals are taught to view their bodies as wise and resilient resources capable of healing from within. This reconnection with the body provides a sense of control, grounding, and agency, allowing for a comprehensive healing process that addresses trauma's full impact on both mind and body.

OmTerra, a platform committed to body-based healing, reflects these principles in its practice, particularly through its Psychedelic Somatic Interactional Psychotherapy (PSIP) services. In PSIP, clients are encouraged to tune into bodily sensations during guided psychedelic experiences, such as those involving psilocybin or low-dose ketamine. By focusing on the body’s signals, individuals can allow trauma and emotions to surface naturally and be processed directly in the body. This method not only fosters a deeper connection to self but also empowers clients to use their bodies as tools for transformation, reclaiming their lives from the lingering effects of past trauma.

In essence, somatic therapy, with its focus on body awareness, is the missing link in trauma recovery, providing a more complete and sustainable path to healing. By acknowledging that our bodies, far from just carrying the weight of past experiences, are sources of strength and insight, this approach opens the door to true resilience and lasting well-being. Through platforms like OmTerra, which leverage body-centered approaches such as PSIP, individuals are invited to experience their bodies as allies in the healing process, accessing a fuller, more resilient sense of self.

‍

© 2024 Steve Elfrink. All rights reserved.

‍