Principles & concept
Somatic Experiencing® does not focus on talking about or reliving the trauma. SE® works at a deep physiological level - where the traumatic activation has become stuck in the body. It is often the case that a client has already undergone therapy to process their trauma, yet their symptoms - whether physical, emotional, or relational - persist. It is also possible that the client experiences certain symptoms but is unaware of the cause. Dr. Peter Levine discovered that by working with the body and guiding the release of the energy stored in it, homeostasis is restored in the nervous system, and symptoms disappear. This seems to be the missing link in trauma resolution, regardless of its severity.
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SE® works in the "here and now," focusing on present body sensations, body memory, and resources. The method tracks the body’s “felt sense” to allow for the safe experience and gradual release of the highly elevated survival energy, which leads to the completion of the defensive response cycle and self-regulation of the nervous system. In terms of body sensations, one might experience warmth, trembling, expansion and contraction, softening, and tension. This helps to "renegotiate" and transform the trauma rather than relive it.
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Stabilization: The client must be in a safe, calm, and stable state before working on any traumatic experience.
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Titration: A term borrowed from chemists, we work in slow, measured steps to best support recovery, rather than triggering overwhelming emotional states or causing painful physical discomfort.
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Pendulation: We help the client discover and expand their internal, external, and missing resources. As activation increases, the client can alternate between working with the heightened, activated state and the resourceful state, avoiding a sense of overwhelm.
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Integration: As the client’s capacity for body sensations increases, they gradually trust their body’s innate wisdom and begin to separate the sensations from the fear and terror experienced during the event. This increases their ability to self-regulate.
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SE® works on the edge of activation. The work begins as far as possible from the most uncomfortable part, or we approach the traumatic event by focusing on events that occurred before and after the core experience. This reduces the associated charge and increases stability, allowing the client to tolerate the strong body sensations and emotions stored at the peak of the event.
Whatever caused the trauma - whether prenatal or perinatal experiences, early attachment disturbances, episodic or chronic traumatic events, or long-term, heightened stress situations - the safe and gradual renegotiation process of SE® helps the individual reconnect with their natural self-healing abilities. Gradually, they regain the experience of aliveness, vitality, and health in the "here and now," with increased self-confidence, entitlement, and effective action. As these transformations occur, the way the client, both consciously and unconsciously, responds to stressful situations also changes.