How Somatic Therapy Releases Emotions of Trauma

We learned via RecoveryRanch that somatic therapy is gaining recognition for helping victims recover from trauma. Somatic therapy is notable because it can be useful to heal all kinds of trauma, from people who have been in accidents to victims of violence or sexual abuse. 

The article stated that, “somatic experiencing therapy may help move a person forward from the “frozen” image or memory of their traumatic experience.” When a person experiences a traumatic experience, they may fight back or choose to not act at all. In not acting against the experience, this is when emotional damage is done. 

When a person emits adrenaline during a moment of fear or trauma but can’t release the fear by fighting back. the reaction can stay with this person for years. The article stated that, “The pent-up adrenalin and emotion related to the event can cause physical and emotional blockages that somatic experiencing therapy can help release.” 

Releasing the chemicals connected to the trauma is the goal of somatic therapy. 

During somatic therapy, the patient can describe their traumatic experience and then explain the mental images or body senses that arise. The somatic therapist guides the patient through experience tasks that help release stored emotions.

When the somatic therapy treatments are completed, the patient often reports feeling free or more engaged in their lives. Also, patients feel a decrease in physical pain. 

Are you interested in trying out somatic therapy? Community Well’s somatic therapist, Sue Kuyper provides healing for individuals, couples and groups in English and Spanish with a specialty in serving social justice activists and community workers. She has been training since 2010 with generative somatics (generativesomatics.org). 

Try out somatic therapy as a new way of healing. We hope to see you at The Well soon!