What is Somatic Healing
What does "Somatic" even mean?
Well, The word "Somatic" originates from the Greek word Σωματικóς (Somatikòs), meaning "of the body". In ancient Greek philosophy, Soma represented the vessel (physical body) through which experiences, sensations, and consciousness were expressed. All parts of us, not just our body. It is our felt sense...
Somatic healing is a therapeutic approach that explores the holistic understanding and embodiment of the human experience. It focuses on the conscious exploration and integration of the mind, body, and spirit, recognising that they are not separate, as more modern approaches to health and wellbeing often view them today. Through somatic practices and co-regulation, we can to bring all of these aspects back into alignment where they have been separated and we have become disconnected from our authenticity and our body.
Research shows that past emotional and psychological experiences are held in the body. Deep in the memory of the nervous system is every experience you have ever had, whether that feels positive or negative. When we are young children, much like animals, we instinctively know how to release any stress associated with things that may have upset us or caused us distress. We shake it out, we yell or cry or thrash our bodies around having a tantrum, all of this is completely normal, if and when we are supported in the right way by our adult caregivers. However, that for many was not the case and as we get older this way of releasing becomes less acceptable and we learn to suppress our natural expression. As the years pass by, more and more of those suppressed expressions get stored in our system, meaning we haven't used our innate way to process and release. If we don't take steps to clear those unprocessed expressions in healthy ways, our system can become overwhelmed, otherwise referred to as dysregulated and those expressions can start to spill out in unhealthy ways and can lead to an unhealthy body too.
This is where Somatic Healing can help...
Unlike traditional talking therapy, somatic healing involves the body, nervous system regulation and awareness techniques such as movement, breathwork, physical touch (if appropriate), and the voice to release stress, tension, emotional blockages and trauma stored in the body and within the nervous system. Whilst there is absolutely a place for talking therapy, for most people, it can only take you so far. As the body keeps track of all experiences and therefore needs to be involved in the release of those experiences that are incomplete or undigested and keeping us stuck. By working directly with the body and nervous system, we can heal both physically and emotionally, as we know these aspects are intrinsically linked.
Because the nervous system innervates soft tissue and muscles, unresolved stress and trauma can manifest as physical symptoms such as pain, chronic conditions, tension, and dysfunctional movement and breathing patterns. Over time, accumulated emotional and physical stress can leave you feeling heavy, defeated and even numb and depressed. This is why it is so important to bring your nervous system back into regulation.
Most of us navigate our daily lives primarily from our minds, making decisions based on cognitive processes rather than a deeper, intuitive sense. We often ignore what truly feels right for us, even when something "feels off." We can spend hours ruminating about the past as if we can change it and we create elaborate stories about the future, but rarely do we live in the present moment. This lack of presence affects our ability to be truly engaged with our experience and the people we care about. We can disconnect from the body even further, not really feeling what our true "yes" or "no" is, losing touch with our boundaries.
My Approach
As an Integrative Somatic Healing Practitioner, my role is to attune to you where you are and use co-regulation as a means of bringing you back to yourself. When I can create and hold a safe space for you, this allows you to connect with your body and explore its sensations, learning to listen to what it is trying to communicate with you. By identifying where emotional and energetic blocks are present, we can uncover the behavioural patterns that may be preventing you from feeling safe, well, and fully alive.
The somatic healing approach helps release unprocessed emotions and trauma stored in the body's nervous system. In addition to helping people feel more grounded, relaxed and lighter in their body, this process supports the development of a more regulated nervous system. This can improve your ability to cope, enhance your self-esteem, and create a healthier self-perception. By regulating your nervous system, you can experience greater alignment between mind and body allowing you to feel you have the ability to make choices from a place of truth and not fear.
My work is to guide you on your self-healing journey and help you develop greater self-awareness, enabling you to experience life in a more embodied and present way - moving beyond just living in the mind or feeling disconnected.
By integrating physical, emotional, and psychological processes, somatic healing provides a safe, supportive environment for you to explore your experiences at your own pace. Through focusing on bodily sensations and the emotions, thoughts and beliefs that accompany them, we can uncover the unconscious patterns that shape our behaviours and how we relate with others and the world around us.