Photo Credit:robert-pearce-unsplash
Intro
Somatic sessions are about focusing on the wisdom of your body, or soma. Some of the different layers we look at are your body sensations, impulses, and emotions. We are generally not analyzing these by using your mind, but we are just curiously observing them without a story attached and without an agenda.
Talk therapy and psychotherapy generally do not focus too much on the body, but look at the cognition and the mind and how to challenge and change the thoughts and behaviors that are causing a problem for the client’s life. It views the thoughts and mind as the “root cause”.
Somatic work generally does not focus extensively on the cognition, but looks at the dysregulated nervous system states, the burdened and disconnected parts of the subconscious, and the past emotional pain. It views these as the “root cause” which are primarily driving the difficult thoughts, patterns, and behaviors.
I’ve found somatic work to be more logical and holistic, and to bring more effective and lasting results.
I am a certified somatic practitioner. I am not a therapist, and I do not accept insurance.
Sessions
I currently offer 2 main types of somatic sessions.
- TRE Session
- Embodied Processing Session
TRE
- TRE is a powerful RESOURCE that can also help us to PROCESS.
First, I go over some intake questions with you to get to know you and see what might be helpful for you.
In TRE, we talk about the TRE process, how it developed, and how the body’s natural ability to tremor or shake is innate in all mammals, This shaking helps us to regulate our nervous system. It also helps us to build a bigger capacity so we can handle current life stress, and also start to work through past tensions, nervous system patterns, and traumas that the the body is holding on to or gets stuck in.
Then we go through some basic warm-up stretches to help build a little fatigue and tension in the muscles to help the shaking process to happen more easily. We tune into the body throughout these warm-ups. Then we check in with the nervous system to see how it is doing before we tremor. Then, I will help lead you through activating your body’s tremoring response and help you to regulate, or pace the process, so it is not too much for you. Finally, we will talk about how the experience was for you, check in with your nervous system again, and go over any other questions you may have, and some aftercare tips.
Future sessions involve continuing to build your body’s ability to tremor. I can also provide some education on the nervous system, by the model of Polyvagal Theory, and we can explore other ways to regulate your nervous system by breath, movement, or other practices, if you would like. The TRE process can eventually be expanded, as your body is ready for it, into increased time in tremoring, shaking in different positions, using props like pillows, bolsters, etc, and exploring breath or movement or vagus nerve work before or during the tremoring.
Embodied Processing
- Embodied Processing uses a variety of RESOURCING options and also more specific PROCESSING when the client is ready for it.
Embodied Processing is a blend of different somatic approaches such as Somatic Experiencing, IFS, Gestalt, NARM, and others.
Again, first we go over some intake questions and some trauma education.
In Embodied Processing we talk a little and see how you are doing. Then, we find what helps you to resource, or regulate to a more grounded place. We explore a variety of options to help you regulate your nervous system. We find what works best for you. Having a variety of practices to choose from is helpful, because what each client needs can change from session to session, or even within the same session. After taking some time to relax and soften the body, we will anchor this into the body, perhaps into the wrist or the chest. This resourcing phase helps us to build a solid ground. We do not want to dive deep into the “waters” of the body and its emotional content, without knowing we have a good, solid piece of ground that we can always come back to. We continue resourcing every session in different ways. This helps us to expand more and more places in our body that feel safer, neutral, strong, pleasant, etc.
- If the client is sensitive, has a complex history, or has been very disconnected from the body for years or decades, we may just primarily resource for many sessions. Some of us require many months to several years of connecting to the body and resourcing before we can go into the memories, triggers, and emotions. This cannot be rushed.
- In my opinion, TRE can be a very helpful resource that the client can use in-between EP sessions to help expand the nervous system capacity and places of safety within the body.
Whenever the client’s body, mind, and nervous system is ready, we can start to explore more deeply into his or her triggers, life patterns, life challenges, etc. What we are triggered by today is usually rooted in early experiences we have had growing up. We listen to what the body organically brings to the surface. This could be emotions, memories, stories, images, colors, sensations, symbols, textures, and other things. A client may also get the impulse to run, to punch, to scream, to curl into a fetal position,etc. This process of witnessing and being present with whatever comes up from the body automatically starts to shift things, open things, bring us clarity, and continues to help us build more capacity to hold what is heavy and difficult from our past or current experiences. Throughout the session and also in closing the session, we bring attention to any sense of positive shifts, resolution, and completion. We check in with the nervous system and perhaps make an intention for the next session.
I also try to weave in the principles below into sessions. I will talk more about that in a future article.
- Titration
- Pendulation
- Education
- Creation
- Regulation
- Support inside and outside of sessions
- Processing
- Growth
Are you curious to give a somatic session a try? Contact me, or book a discovery call if you would like to learn more! BOOK HERE
*Notice: I’m glad to provide these resources to empower your personal health journey, not as a substitute for professional medical care. While I encourage sharing links, please respect the intellectual property of Mountain and Meadow Health, LLC. You are responsible for your own health outcomes. Consult with your trusted health advocates before making significant changes. Contact Evan Ritter for professional licensing.”
