Many clients who come to my office are often curious about what exactly “somatic therapy” means. The truth is, somatic therapies can look a lot of different things. Highly specialized somatic therapists may primarily use approaches like EMDR or Somatic Experiencing - both of which are wonderful models for things like highly acute PTSD symptoms.
Yet others, like myself, often simply weave a more nuanced focus on the body into existing talk therapy models. And here’s why:
Not only do somatic psychotherapy techniques like breathing, mindfulness, and slightly more experiential activities work with the mind-body connection and modern neruoscience’s understanding of how the nervous system interacts with our mental health. But one of the most common patterns I observe in clients when I slow them down just enough to notice and stay with what’s going on in their body is that there is something sitting just below the surface.
Sometimes it's emotion - tears, grief, anger, pain. Sometimes it’s a memory - stuck and not yet fully processed. And sometimes it's even a “part” - any indication of imperfection they are afraid to accept, or an identity that's unsafe to express.
Whatever it is, it's often contained and constricted behind very physical experiences - things like that tension in your neck, tightness in your stomach, stiffness in your jaw, or knots throughout your back. Our bodies are constantly working overtime to hold back pieces of ourselves from that what we feel is acceptable to release or present to the world, and while sometimes traditional talk therapy allows this release over time, bringing more attention to the body in session can often get us there much quicker.
That said, at the end of the day one of the most beautiful parts of therapy - across models - is that it provides a safe space to finally let go. Let it come apart, untangle, and allow movement and fluidity without trying to maintain so much control.
If you’re learning more, set up a consultation call.
