Have you been in “talk therapy” for years and feel stuck?
Maybe you always feel on edge or startle easily.
You feel there is something deeper inside you that you can’t access.
Somatic Therapy in Ventura and online in California can help.
What exactly is somatic therapy? Somatic comes from the Greek word “Soma”, which means “the living body”. In therapy, somatics refers to paying attention to physical sensations, body states, movement, posture, tension, breathing, and nervous system responses. Importantly, this awareness can support the therapy process and lead to symptom reduction, greater embodiment and wellbeing. Additionally, Somatic Therapy is an important part of trauma healing. You might not consciously remember everything that happened to you, but the body remembers. Working with a somatic therapist in Ventura can help. We also support clients online throughout California.
Emotions and nervous system states show up in the body in the form of sensation. Maybe you’ve felt a knot in your stomach, or tension in your shoulders. Maybe you often feel buzzy or floaty. Or maybe, you feel numbness in your body. Therefore somatic therapy can benefit people with:
Tension Patterns
Chronic Fatigue
Headaches
Stomach Problems
Overwhelm
Numbness or Emptiness
Poor Breathing
Strong Startle Response
Most people are not aware of what is happening in their body and only notice it when there is pain or discomfort. The somatic therapist will invite you to get curious and ask- what are you noticing in your body? You might notice tension, tingling, heaviness, or other interesting sensations. Basically, body awareness can help you to be more self aware, and through the body, insight and knowings may show up.
The therapy Somatic Experiencing teaches two basic somatic skills- grounding and orienting. The somatic therapist might invite you to notice your legs meeting the couch, or your feet touching the ground. This is the basics of grounding. Then the therapist might guide you through an orienting exercise. Orienting is slowly looking around your environment at objects and details. Importantly, this tells your subcortical brain that there are no tigers or bears in the room and it supports you in coming back to the present moment.
Trauma research suggests that interoceptive awareness (paying attention to what’s happening in the body regarding breath, muscle tension, feelings of activation) connects to deeper parts of the brain involved in emotion, threat detection, implicit memory, and nervous system states. Basically, many people with childhood trauma histories have spotty memories, no memories, or a few key memories. Even if you do not remember what happened, your deeper brain remembers, and your body often responds as if the past is still happening in the present. Overall, through the body, we can tap into the deeper parts of the brain where survival patterns live.
Our therapists are trained in a variety of somatic therapies.
Somatic Experiencing (SE), by Dr. Peter Levine, helps to discharge energy that gets stuck in the body from traumatic events. SE supports clients in completing protective responses such as fighting back, running away, or coming into empowerment. Importantly, SE helps to release thwarted survival energy. Additionally, Somatic Experiencing supports clients in learning nervous system regulation, helping people to feel calmer, more present, and less overwhelmed by stress, anxiety, and life’s challenges.
Deep Brain Reorienting (DBR), created by Dr. Frank Corrigan, aims to clear shock energy that gets stored in the subcortical brain after trauma. DBR utilizes a very specific sequence that helps clients access shock through the deep brain and body. In session, a client might experience trembling, shivers, electricity, or other sensations.
Yes! Anxiety and panic attacks very much show up in the body. Learning tools to rewire your brain by working through the body can help relieve anxiety and panic.
Many aspects of somatic therapy are gaining more support by scientific research. Studies are finding that approaches that include the body can help reduce symptoms of trauma, anxiety, stress, and nervous system dysregulation.
Many people with trauma histories, especially histories that involve physical violence, can result in not feeling much in your body. This is an adaptive protection response that the brain takes on. In somatic therapy, you will learn to gradually build body awareness at a pace that feels safe and manageable.
Reach out to go deeper with a Somatic Therapist in Ventura. We offer somatic therapy in person and online all over California. Our office is close to Ojai, Oxnard, Santa Barbara, Camarillo, and Thousand Oaks. Contact us to connect with a therapist and learn about becoming a new client.
