Somatic Experiencing

Somatic Experiencing (SE) was created by the physiologist and psychiatrist doctor Peter Levine, SE aims to reduce or erase trauma from the body. I write ‘from the body’ because, thanks to the developments of the last fifty years in neurology, especially the discoveries of Dr. Stephen Porges, and those in biology, we now understand more deeply how the Central Nervous System (CNS) works and the factors which cause trauma.

Animals rarely develop trauma, except in captivity. Man is more prone to develop trauma due to the frequency of war, family violence, and inhibitive socio-cultural norms. Trauma develops when an event is too much, too frequent and/or too fast for the CNS to assimilate or react to through the natural process of self defense (fight or flight), which can also include the state of ‘freeze’, which occurs when the body is overwhelmed and death seems imminent or the situation is too painful either psychologically or physically to bare.

It all sounds terrible and it can be, but the causes of trauma are vast, from seemingly banal accidents to obviously terrifying events. If you consider the CNS of a baby, who is defenseless, even being left to cry, especially if this occurs frequently, can lead to psychological trauma. Then more obviously traumatic events such as experiencing war, catastrophic natural events (earthquakes or tsunami), automobile accidents or psycho-physical violence can lead to panic attacks and serious impediments to leading a ‘normal’ life.

SE works to shut off the button of the CNS, which has gotten stuck on ‘ON’ leaving the person in a constant state of excessive vigilance as though the traumatic event were still occurring. By developing the ability to sense the body, allowing the CNS to complete the physiological gestures of the self-defense mechanism, by bringing awareness to the client and the knowledge of how they, themselves can self-regulate can extinguish the fire of trauma.

SE has further developed by ability to work more in depth and more efficiently to develop my clients’ awareness of their bodies. Working with the voice, which implies developing body awareness, fits perfectly with the techniques of SE. SE and all the colleagues I have had the pleasure of working with, reflect my work ethics and personal objectives, emphasizing the positive in each one of us, finding the personal resources, which we all have and helping the client to develop new tools to face life. To be more ALIVE!