For humans, trauma is more or less a subjective experience as we differ in our capacity to perceive and react to challenging situations. Trauma is a psychological and physiological condition triggered by significant events such as accidents, abuse, extreme fear or the loss of a loved one, leaving lasting effects on mental and physical well-being. A traumatic experience is generally one that upsets the regular mental balance and forces individuals into a state of shock and prolonged distress that can interfere with their day-to-day functioning. Even after the trigger has passed, the body often holds onto this trauma, manifesting as hypervigilance, chronic tension, or altered breathing patterns.
Somatic interventions have opened up a new pathway for therapists and counselors to help clients come to terms with and release this stored trauma. Somatic techniques aim to bridge the gap between cognitive processes and bodily experiences by placing the body at the center of the healing process. Unlike traditional talk therapy, somatic therapy offers a holistic approach to tap into body awareness as a mechanism for relieving the physical and emotional burden of trauma.
In this blog, we set out to explore the transformative role of somatic interventions in modern psychotherapy to guide and steer clients from trauma toward the path to recovery.
What Are Somatic Interventions?
Somatic therapy is grounded in the concept of body awareness that emphasizes the intrinsic link between mind and body and hence between thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations. A skilled somatic therapist helps individuals practice somatic awareness through intentional movements to process and release trauma deeply embedded in their somatic memory. The ultimate goal of these interventions is to recognize biological stress responses influenced by trauma. In doing so, the individual builds a somatic or mind-body connection that makes them more attuned to their bodily responses and sensations to emotionally traumatic experiences.
Somatic interventions identify physical signs of distress—such as muscle tension, shallow breathing, or increased heart rate—and help individuals discharge this tension in a healthy way. Somatic approaches intend to cultivate a heightened awareness regarding physical signs of mental trauma like high blood sugar or pressure, muscle tension, or involuntary breathing to facilitate emotional and psychological healing. The effectiveness of SE for treating trauma has been affirmed by a 2017 RCT study that showed how 15 weekly sessions of SE significantly decreased the intensity of PTSD symptoms and depression among participants of these sessions.
The Psychology of Trauma
Traditionally, humans are attuned to respond to any real or perceived danger via a flight or fight mechanism for survival. Trauma has a disruptive effect on the body’s nervous system, which can thrust individuals into either a state of hyper-arousal (flight or fight) or hypoarousal (freeze). When the very source or trigger for trauma remains unresolved, these same physiological responses can assume a chronic form. Trauma is the body’s physiological response to a threat that is frozen in time or cannot find an outlet to be released resulting in a perpetual state of distress. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can morph into Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD) when individuals are exposed to recurring episodes of traumatic events. Check out our complex trauma course that employs an integrated approach to rescue patients from this dilemma.
Practical Techniques for Therapists
These techniques are a good starting point for therapists to incorporate somatic interventions in their practice and help clients reconnect with their bodies.
1. Grounding
Trauma can throw us off balance, causing individuals to experience a loss of grounding. Grounding is all about recuperating from that traumatic mode into the present moment through an action as simple as splashing cold water on your face, controlled breathing exercises, and different bodily postures like stretching and jumping.
2. Resourcing
Resourcing is concerned with drawing upon your inner reserves of strength to combat negative feelings or an unforeseen catastrophe. It's like returning to your mind to recollect memories of times and physical sensations when you were in a happier place, strong or surrounded by people you trust. Core Wellness’ positive psychology on-demand course can help you discover your problem areas and focus on your strengths to restore your internal balance which can be beneficial in coping with trauma.
3 . Breathing
This seemingly simple technique carries immense physiological benefits. Breathing exercises such as diaphragmatic breathing or alternate nostril breathing can help us cope with stressful moments by releasing the built-up emotional tension. Deep breathing can activate the parasympathetic nervous system, thereby producing feelings of relaxation and inner calm.
4. Boundary Development
Drawing boundaries is critical to setting priorities and focusing on our well-being. Gaining an understanding of where our boundaries lie can help clients identify stressors or triggers that lead to distress and trauma. A soothing touch from a loved one or friend or feelings of physical support helps reclaim a safe space and instills feelings of comfort.
5. Titration
In the context of Somatic therapy, the titration technique entails the therapist encouraging the client to approach their traumatic experiences more gently and reconnect with the sensation associated with their initial response to trauma. As the client verbally conveys their experiences, they are asked to pay attention to changes in their physical sensation in a sequenced way. This allows the client to take in the experience without getting overwhelmed and learn how to craft a reasonable response to deal with these sensations effectively.
6. Pendulation
As the name indicates, pendulation refers to a method wherein the patient oscillates between a state of arousal and a state of calm. The therapist guides the client or patient to slowly transition from a state of contraction or the unpleasant sensation linked to the trauma toward a state of expansion or relaxation. It's an iterative process that enables the patient to embrace discomfort incrementally and shift to a state of homeostasis or emotional balance before the traumatic event.
7. Body movement
This includes a variety of physical activities to help clients engage with their bodily emotions. Therapeutic activities like yoga, dance therapy, and tai chi as well as running and hiking promote body awareness and redirect negative energies into body movements.
Whether you are a psychologist, therapist, or professional counselor, Core Wellness' live and on-demand course on somatic interventions offers an immersive learning experience and hands-on training to master key somatic techniques and expand their therapeutic tool kit.
The Science Behind Somatic Interventions
Developed by Dr. Peter Levine, somatic experiencing or SE is one of the most popular approaches to somatic therapy. It is a mind-body therapy that employs the body as the central medium to help clients access and mold their feelings, thoughts, and behaviors following a traumatic event or experience. As opposed to other forms of trauma therapy, it does not directly evoke traumatic experiences and instead raises clients’ internal awareness of their bodies and focuses on trauma-induced bodily movements or sensations that emanate when discussing traumatic experiences.
Explore Core Wellness’ interactive live webinar or a recorded webinar by our expert mental health advocate to learn how you can apply a trauma-informed care lens to facilitate healing for your clients.
Conclusion
Trauma affects individuals in diverse ways. The most remarkable thing about somatic therapy is that it can be adapted to a wide range of mental health conditions based on individual circumstances. Somatic therapy aims to address the very roots of trauma by creating a sort of bridge between the mind and body. Incorporating these techniques into their practice can empower therapists to offer a holistic path to recovery for patients battling with post-traumatic stress and anxiety.
Core Wellness’ course on somatic interventions for trauma is driven to equip mental health professionals with the core skills and evidence-based techniques to help patients transcend trauma and embrace it as a means to their personal growth. Register now for our upcoming live session or access our on-demand webinars to unlock the healing potential of somatic interventions and win the battle against trauma for your valued patients.
