Hi there, my name is Devyn. I am a 3rd year nursing student in the sunny Okanagan. This summer I’m going to be writing blogs to provide mental health education, support and hopefully help everyone learn a little more about the services that are offered through Dakova Health.
Today, I want to dive deeper into Somatic Experiencing and talk about how exactly this method can assist us to heal trauma from within. Somatic Experiencing is a therapeutic approach which prioritizes mind-body connection and aims to address the physical aspects of trauma to promote healing and resilience. This approach recognizes that trauma is directly linked to physical sensations and reactions within our bodies.
When we experience something traumatic, our body’s natural physiological reaction is to activate our fight, flight or freeze response. Sometimes, these reactions can become “stuck”, leaving us with lingering symptoms such as stress, anxiety and fatigue. Somatic Experiencing is an approach used to guide us through these incomplete reactions in an attempt to bring the body back to a state of balance and harmony.
During your session, a trained therapist will collaborate with you to become more aware of bodily sensations that may be associated with trauma – these could include tension, shaking, and/or changes in breathing. Once the sensations are identified, the therapist can then help you track them and release the stored energy associated with the trauma. The therapist may use techniques such as guided movement, gentle touch and/or visualization to help you reconnect with your body and promote its ability to heal from within.
Now that we have the science behind Somatic Experiencing all figured out, let’s talk about what this looks like on the day to day. Have you ever wondered why you felt so good after an impromptu dance party? Or how about after a good laugh with your best friends? Well these are all forms of somatic therapy! These experiences – and many others – are simply helping us to rid excess energy within our bodies. So really it isn’t all as complicated as it may seem.
You have already taken your first step towards healing today when you decided to learn more about the benefits of Somatic Experiencing. So now why not give it a try with one of our trained somatic therapists at Dakova Health? We are so grateful to be a part of your journey towards positive health and well-being.