Somatic Experiencing

Somatic experiencing therapy is a type of alternative therapy geared towards helping people find healing from a variety of traumas that occur throughout one's life.

Created by Peter Levine, PhD, this therapy works on the principle that trauma gets trapped in the body(soma), leading to some of the symptoms people with PTSD or people who have experienced trauma might experience. Through this method, practitioners work on releasing this stress from the body. It can be done without any touch at all, seated or lying down on a massage table, and with or without touch. The touch offered is supportive in nature, with gentle hand placements throughout areas of the body that are safe for the individual.

Many people who have experienced trauma, especially those who have experienced physical trauma such as domestic violence or sexual assault, can dissociate or disconnect from their bodies. Somatic experiencing helps them increase awareness of their internal experience (interoceptive, proprioceptive, and kinesthetic sensations). And, it provides a framework for people to move beyond their symptoms, to be more present with their body.