What is Somatic Therapy and How Does it Relate to Psychotherapy?
The Greek word Soma or Somatikos translates to “of the body”. In English, when we refer to the word Somatic, we allude to “a characteristic of the body”. When studying somatics, we are truly beginning to explore the understanding of the body.
As shared by Livia Shapiro in her book, The Somatic Therapy Workbook, “Somatic therapy is the application of somatic (body-mind) techniques for repair, integration, and healing at the biomechanical, psychological, neurological, and motor coordination levels.”
When therapists integrate somatic therapy into their therapeutic practice, the client will experience a holistic approach to health through body and mind intervention and connection. With body-centered techniques that support physiological and psychological health, the client will begin to experience the repairing of wounds that have been rooted in emotional distress, trauma, relationship wounds, and more. The goal is to assist the client in regulating their nervous system and working alongside them to create healthy responses and otherwise distressing situations.
Knowing that relationships with bodies can be complicated, somatic therapists take great care to work alongside you to create the relationship with your body that you’d like to have. As you explore the needs and desires of the body, you will also be working to navigate your story through various forms of expression – whether that be through talk therapy or beginning to integrate acknowledgment and movement into your sessions slowly.
The body experiences sensations, desires, and movement. It has impulses and provides instant feedback to its everyday functioning and experiences. The body holds knowledge and information, it speaks without ever having to say a word. The body has boundaries and incredibly natural and inherent power. The body aids in whole-person healing.
Knowing that bodies are so complex, as are our emotions, our internal and external relationship with our mind/body can become complicated. Somatic therapy helps increase individuals’ capacity to rewire their nervous systems and create healthy reactions and responses to stimuli, which in turn helps the clients have new experiences responding to their everyday lives.
Interested in Exploring How to Integrate Somatic Therapy Into Your Life?
Movement Exercises
Have you ever felt like you have had an unbelievable amount of energy stored up in your body? Almost like you could run a marathon but then remember you don’t run? Gift yourself the opportunity to turn on your favorite song and quite literally shake it out.
- Start Small: Begin with wiggling your toes and fingers. Make small motions with your wrists, your elbows, and your shoulders. As you become familiar with these small movements begin to take note of how your body feels.
- Explore Movement: As you begin to grow in your movement, allow yourself to take up more space. Sway, spin, shake, and more. Incorporate your head and your torso and allow your full body to experience movement.
- Grow In Your Process: Give yourself 3-4 minutes to truly get your energy moving. Let it travel to places within and outside of your body to begin to feel relief. Be encouraged by what you experience here. You may feel overwhelmed with emotion in this release of energy. You may feel a total sense of peace and calm. When we shake it out we give our mind and body the opportunity to connect through the inherent wisdom it already holds.
Workbooks & Literature
Here are a few great introductory books and workbooks to help you build out a foundation for understanding and experiencing somatic therapy.
- The Somatic Therapy Workbook by Livia Shapiro
- The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel Van Der Kolk
- In An Unspoken Voice by Dr. Peter Levine
Connect with the BTRC and their therapists to experience different elements of somatic therapy in your own individual and/or couples sessions.