Somatic Experiencing
A Groundbreaking Approach to Healing Trauma and Regulating Stress
Stress and anxiety seem to follow us everywhere we go these days. Whether it’s work pressure, relationship challenges, or the residual effects of past trauma, our nervous systems are often operating in overdrive. While traditional talk therapy remains a valuable tool for many, some find it insufficient when it comes to deep-rooted trauma or chronic dysregulation. That’s where Somatic Experiencing (SE) offers a fresh and transformative approach.
What Is Somatic Experiencing?
Developed by Dr. Peter Levine, Somatic Experiencing is a body-based therapeutic modality designed to help people process and release trauma stored in the nervous system. Unlike traditional psychotherapy, which focuses on thoughts and emotions, SE emphasizes physical sensations—what’s happening in the body right now.
Trauma isn’t just a psychological wound; it’s a physiological imprint that lives in the body. Somatic Experiencing addresses this reality by gently guiding individuals to reconnect with their bodily sensations, allowing trapped survival energy (like fight, flight, or freeze responses) to be safely discharged.
What Makes SE Different?
Here are a few key ways Somatic Experiencing stands apart:
1. Focus on the Nervous System
SE is grounded in neurobiology. It views trauma as a dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Instead of revisiting traumatic memories in detail, SE helps people track their internal sensations and gradually restore balance to their nervous system.
2. Bottom-Up vs. Top-Down
Most therapies work “top-down,” starting with the mind to influence the body. SE works “bottom-up,” starting with bodily sensations to affect thoughts and emotions. This is particularly effective for trauma, which often bypasses cognitive processing and lodges in the body.
3. Micro-Dosing of Trauma
Rather than diving into the overwhelming story of trauma, SE practitioners help clients approach their sensations in small, manageable doses—a process called “titration.” This gentle pacing prevents re-traumatization and allows the body to integrate healing experiences more safely.
4. Pendulation and Resource Building
SE teaches clients to move between states of discomfort and safety (called “pendulation”). It also helps them identify internal and external “resources” (feelings, memories, or environments that bring a sense of calm or strength), which serve as anchors during the healing process.
How Somatic Experiencing Benefits the Everyday Person
You don’t have to have a major traumatic event in your past to benefit from SE. Everyday stress, minor accidents, and emotional overwhelm can all lead to subtle forms of nervous system dysregulation. Here’s how SE can help:
Regulates the Nervous System
Many people live in a chronic state of sympathetic overdrive (fight-or-flight) or dorsal vagal shutdown (freeze or dissociation). SE helps recalibrate the nervous system, allowing for more access to the parasympathetic state—rest, digest, and feel safe.
Promotes Mind-Body Awareness
By tuning into subtle body sensations, SE increases somatic awareness. Over time, this fosters a deeper connection with your body’s signals, helping you respond to stress before it escalates.
Releases Accumulated Stress
Whether it’s tension from sitting at a desk all day or emotional strain from a conflict, stress accumulates in the body. SE provides tools to release this buildup through gentle movement, breath, and attention to sensations.
Builds Resilience
SE teaches you how to navigate emotional storms without getting stuck. As your nervous system becomes more regulated, you’ll find it easier to recover from stress, stay present, and engage with life more fully.
A Practical Example
Imagine you’re about to give a presentation, and your heart races. Instead of suppressing the feeling or trying to “push through,” an SE-informed approach would have you notice the sensation—perhaps a fluttering in your chest or a tightness in your throat. By staying with that sensation, and then shifting attention to a resource (like the feeling of your feet on the ground or a supportive memory), you allow your body to process the stress and return to balance.
Interested in Somatic Experiencing?
Somatic Experiencing reminds us that healing isn’t just a mental exercise—it’s a full-body process. In a culture that often prioritizes thinking over feeling, SE invites us to slow down, listen to our bodies, and rediscover our innate capacity to heal.
Whether you’re dealing with past trauma, chronic stress, or simply want to feel more grounded in daily life, Somatic Experiencing offers a compassionate and effective path toward nervous system regulation and emotional freedom.
Interested in trying SE? Choice Point Psychological Services can help! Get matched with a therapist in your area, or explore books and videos by Dr. Peter Levine to learn more.