How Does Somatic Healing Work?

Somatic Healing: The Body’s Wisdom

In our busy world, many people are disconnected from their bodies to some extent. This can be due to a variety of reasons including the pressures of work, the pressures of home life, social expectations, and the constant influx of information we receive from social media, can create a sense of disconnection from the physical sensations and emotional cues that our bodies are constantly sending us. Additionally, mental health struggles, unresolved traumas, and issues with body image can cause disconnection. Being disconnected from our bodies can lead to a range of physical, emotional, and psychological issues. This is where somatic healing steps in – a holistic approach that bridges the gap between body and mind to improve overall well-being.

What is Somatic Healing?

Somatic healing is a therapeutic approach that emphasizes the intricate connection between the body and mind. Derived from the Greek word “soma,” meaning “body,” somatic healing explores how physical sensations and bodily experiences influence and reflect our emotional and psychological states. The goal is to help individuals develop a heightened awareness of their bodies, recognize the impact of stress and trauma, and find ways to work with the body and mind for effective healing.

The Science Behind Somatic Healing

Our bodies are constantly processing experiences, and healthy processing involves the mind and body. We are intellectual beings who often want to resolve problems with thinking, but this approach can often lead to further struggles. Trauma, stress, and emotional experiences can manifest physically such as with different body aches and pains, feeling heightened, headaches, stomach aches, skin rashes, and other physiological symptoms. Somatic healing taps into this mind-body connection, aiming to address and integrate these experiences at both physical and emotional levels.

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a crucial role in this process. The ANS regulates involuntary bodily functions and consists of two branches: the sympathetic nervous system (SNS), which governs our “fight or flight” responses, and the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), which promotes relaxation and recovery. Somatic healing techniques often focus on activating the PNS to bring on a number of benefits.

The Benefits of Somatic Healing

Somatic healing offers numerous benefits and has helped many individuals overcome a wide range of challenges. Some of the key benefits of somatic healing include increased body awareness, stress reduction, trauma processing, emotional regulation, and improved physical health. By tuning into physical sensations and cues, individuals develop a deeper connection with their bodies.

Increased body awareness helps in recognizing and responding to bodily needs, which can lead to better self-care and a more intuitive understanding of one’s physical and emotional states. Good self-awareness is often associated with better mental health. For some people it can be overwhelming to know where to start with developing self-awareness, but it can be a simplified process that works at your pace.

Somatic practices often involve techniques that involve stress reduction. Through mindful breathing, movement, and relaxation exercises, individuals can lower their stress levels, leading to a calmer, more balanced state of being. For healing to occur, it is important for the body to receive signals from us that we are safe and that we are healing.

Somatic healing can be particularly effective for trauma processing. By focusing on the body’s response to past and present experiences, individuals can work to resolve their trauma. Some people question whether their experiences can be classified as traumatic. It’s crucial to remember that only you can determine whether a situation was traumatic for you and whether it caused you harm and how much harm.

Emotional Regulation is improved with body awareness, which leads to individuals’ better managing emotions. By understanding emotional states in the mind and body, people can develop strategies to regulate their responses, leading to greater emotional stability, resilience, and success. Emotional regulation not only improves personal growth that aids with our mental health, but also strengthens our relationships.

As individuals become more attuned to their bodies, they often notice improved physical health. Practices such as mindful movement and body-focused therapies can enhance physical well-being, alleviate certain pains and ailments, and promote overall health. This can lead to an increase in energy levels, motivation, and daily activities becoming more enjoyable and rewarding.

Getting Started with Somatic Healing

Somatic healing encompasses a diverse array of techniques and practices designed to help us reconnect with our bodies and enhance overall well-being. Key approaches include mindful observation (increasing self-awareness), breathing exercises, movement practices, various somatic therapies, mindfulness, and meditation. While some individuals may have experimented with these methods without success, working with a therapist who specializes in somatic healing can unlock a broader range of techniques tailored to individual needs. The great news is that there is a wealth of somatic healing tools available, offering multiple options to find what truly works for you. The various somatic tools introduced in counselling sessions are valuable lifelong resources. Even after therapy ends, these techniques remain useful for individuals to continue processing and managing their experiences.

Interested in learning how to implement somatic practices into your life?

Stay tuned for updates about a somatic workshop being held through Virtual Connect. If you are interested in individual somatic counselling click this link to fill out our quiz to get connected with a counsellor today!  

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Blog Post written by: Caroline Tarkowski

Thank you Caroline for sharing your understanding and expertise on somatic healing. Caroline works with Virtual Connect and offers somatic counselling. Check her profile out here.