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3.

Somatic Experiencing

Somatic Experiencing is a therapeutic approach designed to help process and heal trauma by focusing on the body's internal felt sensations. It emphasizes interoception, allowing clients to become more aware of their physical responses and stored trauma. Through gentle, guided techniques, individuals can release stored tension, promoting a sense of safety and grounding. This holistic technique fosters resilience, helping people reclaim their lives and navigate their experiences with greater ease and understanding.

Developed in the early 80's by Dr. Peter Levine, Somatic Experiencing addresses stored somatic trauma through "bottom up" techniques rooted in neurobiology. Dr. Levine noticed that animals naturally discharge stress following life-threatening events, whereas humans often remain physiologically “stuck” in survival states. Drawing from ethology, neuroscience, psychophysiology, and body-based therapies, Levine conceptualized trauma as a dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system rather than solely a cognitive or narrative phenomenon. Somatic Experiencing is a bottom-up, titrated approach that helps clients safely track internal sensations, build nervous system capacity, and gently release incomplete defensive responses without re-traumatization. Through techniques such as pendulation, resourcing, and interoceptive awareness, SE aims to restore self-regulation, resilience, and a felt sense of safety in the body.

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