Somatic Experiencing® (SE™)

Somatic Experiencing® (SE™) is a body-oriented awareness practice to help treat people who have experienced trauma, nervous system dysregulation and the physical/emotional symptoms that manifest from these experiences. The SE™ Practitioner helps the client restore nervous system regulation by helping them process felt sensations within the body and connecting them with meaningful experiences in their life; the client is able to release the stuck holding patterns that have manifested as a result of the trauma, bringing a sense of ease, relaxation and vitality back to the person. Learn more about SE™ here.

Trauma can occur in many ways and isn’t limited to just major adverse events. Trauma can occur from such things as motor vehicle incidents, surgeries, physical/emotional abuse or neglect, and it can manifest with varying degrees of intensity. Trauma is not in the event that happened to you; it exists in your nervous system as an attempted response to process what happened to you.

Symptoms of trauma and nervous system dysregulation can include:

• Unresolved physical pain

• Bracing or tightening of the body

• Headaches, brain fog, vertigo

• Digestion issues, sleep disturbances

• Anxiety, excessive worrying/panic attacks

• Difficulty communicating or expressing yourself

• Fear of taking action/making decisions

• Mood swings

• Sensitivity to lights, sounds, or touch

In SE™, we learn to draw our awareness and attention inward to the felt internal sensation that we are experiencing. Without going directly into the traumatic experience, we approach the sensation in a slow, intentional, and gradual way so as not to overwhelm the client.