Specialists in trauma healing & recovery | T: 0118 978 6149 | reception@rdphysio.com
Somatic Therapy
Felt experiences in the physical body
Somatic Therapy
Somatic therapy is a form of body psychotherapy which examines the traditional psychological approaches and also works with the body and its experience. If we talk about something or remember then we may experience sensations, images, physical body effects (like heart racing, flushed face), emotions and perhaps meaning. All somatic therapy approaches have a strong emphasis on a mindful awareness of body responses in addition to cognitive / thought processes.
There are many forms of somatic therapy and Rodger has worked in this field for 20 years of his career so far. Somatic Experiencing (or SE as it is often abbreviated to) which is the work of Peter Levine, is perhaps the most known and considered the gold standard of somatic and trauma therapy approaches and Rodger is proud to have had some of his training in this field directly from Peter himself. He uses somatosensory psychotherapy too (the work of Babette Rothschild) and other mindful approaches to mention a few.
Allowing emotions to live and flow
It is important to work with both the cognitive processing and the sensory integration – so working to process not only the thoughts but how they play out in the body. This may be necessary to change how the nervous system might respond and avoid trauma-based fight-flight-freeze responses which might be causing pain, illness or relationship/life difficulties. It is well understood in the research now that, talk therapy alone rarely resolves trauma in the system and in fact can make it worse. It is important to be skilled in tracking the whole mind and body responses and create a safe environment in order that the body is able to safely resolve the responses of a traumatised person.
How we allow the sensations and emotions to “live” and flow through the body is important. Early years development, attachment to caregiver, parenting, abuse, neglect, generational patterns of parenting or overwhelm from events in later life can disturb how we process emotions.
Anything which overwhelms our nervous systems ability to cope will lead to problems. Working with mind and body together can allow lasting changes at many levels – resolving chronic illness, pain, mental health difficulties, relational difficulties, deep resolution of grief and much more.
A somatic therapy session
Everyone is unique but the session will flow naturally and slowly. Generally, we will encourage a slowing down in order that the felt sense is available to you. Feeling subtle changes within as we talk or even sit together. Space and distance can be enough to create changes for people – especially if physical boundaries have been breached. Movement, sounds and breath work can be included.
Touch is often important, in a very appropriate skilled way to help regulate and manage difficult sensations. It really is hard to explain how far and wide this work can reach. A former patient of mine wrote a beautiful poem early on in her journey that describes her experience eloquently.
Meet our Somatic Expert
RODGER DUCKWORTH BSc(Physio) MCSP MHPC MAACP MACPEM
Practice Principal | Trauma Physio
Our expertise - your peace of mind
