SE — Somatic Experiencing
Somatic Experiencing is both an art and a science
that supports our capacity to heal and to thrive.
It’s not about re-living the past, it’s integrating your life experiences by making sense of it, so you can move forward and be able to enjoy your life more fully and freely.
WHAT IS SE?
SE (Somatic Experiencing) is a gentle, yet powerful, body-based method of healing that transforms lives. It helps people settle their nervous system by developing the capacity to experience a greater range of emotions and their accompanying body sensations. This body-oriented, holistic approach fits naturally with my own clinical philosophy and embodied approach to living.
Dr. Peter Levine, Ph.D., developed Somatic Experiencing based on his work in the field of stress and trauma for more than 40 years.
WHEN IS SE USEFUL?
Somatic Experiencing can be used successfully to take the charge out of stressful experiences whether they were acute or prolonged, strong or mild. SE is especially helpful to transform the symptoms of anxiety, stress and trauma - which include accidents, illnesses, medical procedures, abuse or neglect, grief and loss, or cumulative stress – and helps all clients create a better foundation for healthy living by enhancing the mind-body connection.
SE has given me the capacity to experience a deeper and more profound joy, to get back in touch with my body and mind.
HOW DOES SE WORK?
While many methods of psychotherapy work from the outside in − applying coping skills to address or reduce the effects of stressful events − SE works from the inside out.
With Somatic Experiencing, it is not necessary to re-tell or re-live past events. Clients are gently guided to develop increasing tolerance for upsetting emotions and difficult bodily sensations related to stressful experiences. When stuck in the fight, flight or freeze response, somatic work can help the client ‘un-hook’ from the original event, liberating them toward greater peace and vitality.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF SE?
As people increasingly listen to their body and let go of long held emotions, they become more resilient, freed up from the past, and better able to handle life’s events with greater ease.
The body-based skills of SE become integrated into daily life, and people report better sleep, increased motivation, healthier relationships as well greater joy, peace and spiritual fulfillment.
CREDENTIALS
I completed the three year intensive SE Professional Training, and received my SEP (Somatic Experiencing Practitioner) certificate through the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute in September 2014. Since incorporating the principles and methods of this modality into my psychotherapy practice over the years, I have witnessed profound results in my clients.
RESOURCES
Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute is the official website for Somatic Experiencing (SE) based on founder Dr. Peter Levine’s work. It includes a general overview, information on professional training, and how to find an SE practitioner.