What is Somatic Experiencing?

Not only does the ego resist change, but the body develops a defensive posture in response to the blows endured throughout life.  Growth and healing must incorporate the body’s autonomic nervous system and the somatic memories held throughout the body.” - Bessel van der Kolk

One effective way to do this is through Somatic Experiencing (SE), the modality created by Peter Levine.  This gentle approach cultivates nervous system resilience, which in this context refers to the organism’s ability to be responsive to the environment.  It is not a state of perpetual tranquility regardless of circumstance, but the capacity to respond appropriately to an accurate appraisal of a situation.  Tranquility is maladaptive when the house is on fire!

In addition, Somatic Experiencing cultivates tolerance for discomfort.  When someone is overwhelmed by trauma, they develop the habit of suppressing and denying suffering.  This is an effective survival strategy, but as a result, the ability to allow distress to dissipate naturally is lost, and the energy builds up in the body like a beach ball held underwater. What began as adaptation becomes identity and addiction.

The goal in SE is a responsive nervous system that naturally activates and de-activates through both sympathetic and parasympathetic physical responses and rests in a default condition of readiness for social engagement.” -Peter Levine

Somatic Experiencing restores the natural capacity to endure pain, teaching the client a process of walking through suffering rather than running from it. This naturally improves clients’ ability to connect with others and impact their world because they are no longer inhibited by primitive defensiveness they can neither control nor understand. I will guide you through exercises and inquiry that increase your connection to your body and its wisdom.