Research has confirmed the critical role the body and our nervous system play in healing trauma that is held in the body. Much like our minds tell a story of the past, our bodies also tell a story of trauma and resilience. Sometimes our unresolved past experiences show up as pain, emotions of anger, fear, confusion, stomach pain, headaches, body stress, sleep difficulties, and other somatic distress. Very often somatic experiencing helps people to reduce stress in their bodies and find more ease and capacity in their lives. SE supports people in learning how to attend to uncomfortable sensations in their body and gently release them through conscious attention. SE is particularly useful in managing stress and trauma because so many of the symptoms are physiological.
SE can help people with various experiences of trauma such as:
– stress/trauma related to social identities
– severe childhood emotional, physical or sexual abuse
– violence or witnessing violence
– rape or assault
– catastrophic injuries or illness
– loss of a loved one
– abandonment, especially for babies and young children
– war