Somatic Emotional Processing is an approach that addresses unprocessed emotions and trauma through sensory awareness. It is based on principles such as deep listening, surrendering and non-doing, which aim to tap into the body’s wisdom to promote healing of the body and mind.
During therapy, the focus is on body sensations, as they allow us to access implicit memories in our subconscious. This process enables us to release stored emotions and energy, while creating new neural pathways.
Emotions and trauma can become trapped in our bodies when we lack the ability or sense of safety to process them fully. This happens when as a child we something happened and we felt misunderstood, invalidated, or unappreciated and because that was overwhelming to be with and there was not a supportive witness, the safest choice was to dissociate, numb ourselves, or distract ourselves from discomfort and pain and so the energy got stuck there. This stored energy remains in our bodies and can be triggered by similar memories, potentially resulting in health issues and limitations.
The goal of this therapy is to soothe the nervous system, cultivate self-awareness, and develop a sense of safety within the body. By meeting our stored emotions with presence, neutrality, compassion, and trust in the body’s innate intelligence, we can witness as it unwinds and releases in its own appropriate way.
Through this process, we expand our capacity to feel safe in our bodies while processing our feelings. This leads to a greater tolerance for life’s challenges, ups and downs and increased resilience. With repeated sessions, we can comfortably experience the full spectrum of our emotions.