The state in our body has a profound impact on the stories we tell ourselves about our experiences and the world around us via our thoughts. It is our nervous system state that dictates how we perceive our reality; if we're in a fear state we will interpret the world as scary...if we are in a relaxed state we will interpret the world as safe and welcoming.
Do you ever feel like you're stuck in your own head, constantly thinking and worrying about the future? Or perhaps challenging emotions and physical pain leave you feeling disconnected?
You might have tried some sort of talking therapy like counselling or CBT, or tried changing your mind with positive thinking but still can't shrug your symptoms... that's because these techniques miss out our biggest source of healing...our body.
I truly believe that a 'somatic' (that's body based) approach is key to healing; + I am humbled and honoured to watch people transform their symptoms through somatic therapy The field of somatics is changing the way we understand mind-body conditions like stress, anxiety, depression, trauma, chronic pain and auto-immune diseases and new research shows us science is recognising the body as our greatest tool.
Please read on to dive in to the transformative world of Somatics.
What is 'Somatics'?
'Somatics' is an umbrella term which includes techniques and practcies which focus on the connection between the body and the mind. It's based on the idea that our thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations are all interconnected, and that we can use this connection to improve our mental and physical health.
The word somatics comes from the Greek word soma, which means "the living body in its wholeness." Somatics involves a range of practices, including movement, breathing exercises, and mindful awareness of bodily sensations. It's a way of becoming more attuned to our bodies and learning to listen to the signals they're sending us.
Quick Navigation:
Types of Somatic Practices
Why the Body is so Important in Somatics
References and Resources
Types of Somatic Practices
There are many different types of somatic practices, including yoga, breathwork, Mindfulness, Somatic Experiencing, Body-Mind Centering, and more. Each of these practices has its own unique approach, but they all share a common goal: to help us connect more deeply with our bodies and use that connection to improve our overall well-being.
Yoga. Did you know that the word 'yoga' means union? Union between the mind, body and soul? Yoga is the original somatic practice. It's a real bug-bear of mine that yoga is so often twisted in to an exercise class to transform bodies, tone up and gain greater flexibility. These may be the outcome of some yoga practcies but they are not the aim; yoga was designed to help the yogis in to a deeper state of meditation or 'Samadhi'. True yoga is all about connecting with the experience in our bodies; movement and sensations. By focussing our attention (mind) on the body we can use movement, sensation and the breath alongside attitudes of acceptance and non-judgement to help release tension in the body (the side-effect is greater flexibility). Focussing our mind on our body has a calming effect, which promotes healing and integration, making it a powerful tool for working with anxiety and other stress-related conditions.
Breathwork is a powerful somatic practice because it helps to regulate the nervous system, and alter our neurobiology (e.g. recusing cortisol and toning the vagus nerve) and our energy. Our breathing has a profound effect on the way that we feel so making changes to the breath changes our feelings, which also changes the quality of our thoughts. When we experience stress, our breathing can become shallow and rapid, which can exacerbate feelings of anxiety and tension in the body and worried thoughts in the mind. By learning to regulate our breath and bring awareness to our breathing patterns, we can shift the body into a more relaxed and grounded state.
Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a therapeutic approach designed to help people recover from trauma and other stress-related conditions by focusing on bodily sensations and experiences. It was developed by Dr. Peter Levine, a somatic psychologist and expert in stress and trauma.
The central idea behind Somatic Experiencing is that traumatic events can cause a kind of "stuckness" in the body, where the nervous system gets stuck in a state of fight, flight, or freeze. This occurs when our instinct to run or fight are 'thwarted' e.g. we are trapped or helpless in a situation. This stuckness can lead to physical symptoms like tension, pain, and fatigue, as well as emotional symptoms like anxiety, depression, and numbness.
Through Somatic Experiencing, people are taught to gently tune in to their body's sensations and turn towards any challenging sensations - as these are the gateway to healing. By bringing attention to these sensations and learning to work with them in a safe and supportive environment, people can release the energy that has been trapped in the body and move towards greater healing and resilience.
Eye movement practices. Your eyes are a part of your body too! Have you ever noticed how when you're stressed or anxious your vision changes? It might get very focussed or even go in to 'tunnel vision'? Our eye movements are linked to our autonomic nervous system and so by intentionally moving our eyes (e.g. softening the gaze, bilateral movement and shifting focus) we can help regulate our nervous system state, reduce stress and anxiety, and promote a greater sense of well-being.
Body-Mind Centering is a somatic practice that focuses on the development of embodied awareness, or the ability to sense and respond to our bodies in real-time. This practice can help us to overcome anxiety and stress by giving us a greater sense of control over our thoughts and emotions.
The Link Between Somatics and Mindfulness
One of the key principles of somatics is mindfulness, which involves paying attention to the present moment without judgement. Mindfulness helps us to become more aware of our thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations, which in turn can help us to regulate our emotions and manage anxiety, overwhelm, overthinking, and stress.
By combining mindfulness with somatics practices, we can develop a deeper awareness of our bodies and a greater sense of control over our thoughts and feelings. We can learn to breathe through anxious moments, move our bodies to release tension, and cultivate a sense of inner calm that carries over into our daily lives.
Somatics and the Nervous System
If we look at the parts of the brain that are responsible for different parts of our experiences, we will find the structures relating to conscious thinking (for example the pre-frontal cortex) at the top of the brain and the structures relating to feelings in the body (for example the amygdala) lower down in the subconscious regions. The subconsious mind is actually far faster than the conscious (thinking) mind, so by the time we are thinking about our experience in our mind, we are already feeling it in our body. It is primarily our feelings that give rise to our thoughts.... in other words, the body comes first.
Deb Dana, an expert in the field of polyvagal theory, who I had the pleasure of training with, has a neat phrase to remember this: "story follows state." The state in our body (in particular our nervous system state), has a profound impact on the stories we tell ourselves about our experiences and the world around us via our thoughts.
When we are in a state of safety and connection (ventral vagal state in polyvagal theory), for example, we are more likely to view the world as a positive and supportive place. But when we are in a state of anxiety (sympathetic flight state), anger (sympathetic fight state) or disconnection (dorsal vagal state), we will be more likely to interpret our experiences in a negative or threatening way.
The primary component of our parasympathetic branch of our nervous system is a big cranial nerve called the 'vagus nerve'; we can activate this nerve by creating safety cues with our movement and breath, which helps us enter the ventral vagal state of safety and connection. The vast majority (80-90%) of the vagus nerve's neurons point upwards from the body to the brain, which is why it is much more effective to work with the body to initiate the relaxation response, than it is with the mind alone.
Somatic Therapy with Claire
Somatic Therapy uses a combination of different somatic practices and tools in a therepeutic setting to help you relieve your symptoms, increase your wellbeing and move forwards with a greater sense of balance and resilience.
If you would like to learn more or are interested in tapping in to the profound effects of somatic therapy to help with your own healing journey, please book a free 20 minute consulation with me. I offer somatic therapy both in-person in Salisbury city centre and also online via zoom (click to find out more) and will be delighted to hear from you to help you tune in to the miraculous healing potential within your own body.
References and Resources:
Somatics: Reawakening the Mind's Control of Movement, Flexibility, and Health by Thomas Hanna
The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma by Bessel van der Kolk
The Healing Power of the Breath: Simple Techniques to Reduce Stress and Anxiety, Enhance Concentration, and Balance Your Emotions by Richard P. Brown and Patricia L. Gerbarg
"Somatic Experiencing: Using Interoception and Proprioception as Core Elements of Trauma Therapy" by Peter A. Levine and Mardi A. Crane-Godreau in Frontiers in Psychology
Anchored: How to Befriend Your Nervous System Using Polyvagal Theory by Deb Dana
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