What does a somatic therapist do?

A somatic therapist educates patients about how their autonomic nervous systems work and helps them increase their awareness of their own bodily sensations. As a practitioner of “body psychotherapy,” the therapist talks to his/her patient about what exactly is being experienced and perceived in the body.
The therapist also acts as a trusted partner and calm presence during sessions, which can feel stressful and overwhelming for the patient at times.

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Sometimes as needed I will add "trauma informed touch" to sessions if it feels beneficial to the client. With over two decades of experience as a Licensed Massage Therapist I am highly trained in the benefits of therapeutic touch. Trauma informed touch is a form of bodywork that helps people to experience touch as reassuring and can help to re-inform the body of a more secure way of being in the world.  Touch is integrated as needed to co-regulate the nervous system and provide support for the individual.   Overall the therapist’s goal is to help decrease the distress and symptoms that the patient is feeling so they can experience improved coping skills and quality of life.

Here are some of the core principles behind somatic therapy/somatic experiencing:    

The mind and body are connected, so whatever is felt in the mind is thought to also show up in the body.

      SE involves a patient working on feeling physical sensations in the body that are tied to past traumatic events, rather than only thinking through the events and emotions that were felt. The purpose is to access the body memory of the event, not the story itself.

Repressed memories are thought to be capable of continuing to impact the body physically, even when memories are forgotten. Until a memory is fully felt and processed, it can continue to do damage.The main goal therefore is to begin experiencing present moments again.


For more information about SE please visit www.traumahealing.org