Somatic Therapy
How Your Body Can Heal You
Somatic Therapy is becoming a much sought-after method of therapy, tracing its origins to the 1880s and gaining significant traction since the 1960s. As it became more understood how trauma is stored in the body and is expressed through both our personality and behavior, the somatics movement entered the scene. Somatic therapy explains how the body holds trauma as engrained neural patterns, that healing begins with awareness of body sensations, and that functioning can be brought back to a normal range through a sensory approach to therapy—that is, the body as perceived from within.
The wonderful work of Dr. Bassel van Der Kolk observed how trauma alters brain chemistry, showing that the stored memories of the event were actually stored, not in the conscious mind, but in the body at the neurobiological level. To remove the experience from the body, somatic techniques are needed to reshape the neural networks.
Key aspects of Somatic Therapy
An emphasis on the body’s role in storing trauma in the tissues and neural networks
Stress and trauma alter neural function resulting in undesirable emotional patterns and behaviors
Because of the neuroplasticity of the brain, somatic techniques can change brain chemistry and function, bringing it back within a normal range
Learning first occurs in the body (imprinting) before it manifests in our thoughts and behaviors
Healing begins by becoming aware of body sensations and "felt senses" — our internal experience
As a result of Dr. van der Kolk’s work and Dr. Porges’ Polyvagal Theory, within the last decade somatic therapy has been finding its way into the offices of many counselors. While traditional talk therapy can accomplish a great deal, the stimulus-response patterns established through emotional disturbances can remain very active and strong despite cognitive processing of the issues, keeping unhealthy emotions and behaviors in place. For example, we might be very defensive and distrustful or dissociate in order to escape a perceived threat. We may even have angry outbursts, controlling behaviors, or defensive reactions that we simply can’t control. These are imprinted, neural patterns that may be the result of sustained distress from repeated assaults on our nervous system, a one-time trauma, painful developmental experience as a child, or family history (epigenetics).
We may also experience some types of illness as a result of sustained stress or trauma (read The Foundations of Somatic Healing — Healing the Body for an example of this). Somatic methods of therapy can be very helpful for both physical and emotional situations as it focuses on the body itself to release stored stress. The techniques utilized during a somatic session reprocess and metabolize the distressing experiences by recalibrating the neural networks and unlinking the stimulus/response mechanisms. This dramatically changes how the nervous system responds to certain stimuli. When this happens, we can experience the energizing and motivating aspects of the sympathetic nervous system instead of the older, primitive reactions of fight or flight. Likewise, our parasympathetic system can now rest, relax, and rejuvenate instead of shutting down or immobilizing. We experience the energetic equilibrium and balance of a healthy nervous system.
Almost immediately you will realize how your body, not your thoughts, has been coloring how you see the world and that it has been your body reacting from a deeply-held neurophysiological pattern—not “you.” How liberating: this takes away guilt and self-recrimination! As you integrate this neural change, which at times can be quite dramatic, you’ll feel and perceive everything in life differently. Old neural patterns are now gone, allowing your brain, nervous system, and body to function within the normal range. This is real growth.
Complementary Therapies
I have found that a combination of cognitive and somatic therapy can be a powerful, holistic approach for some people. Cognitive processing (talk therapy) can be very helpful in understanding what has happened to us, for gaining new perspectives and skills, and expanding our self-understanding. It brings clarity and a different awarenesses to the situation and to ourselves. This increasing knowledge changes how we experience ourselves and our sense of identity and is very necessary for healing.
Yet more is often needed because the residue of stress and trauma may still remain in the body, making somatic therapy an effective part of the healing journey. Through various techniques, the physiological imprints of trauma are released and the neural system is recalibrated, bringing it into the normal range of functioning. This process results in a huge change in how we respond to people and events in our life and how we think about ourselves. We experience ourselves and the world around us very differently. The body is now responding from equilibrium and balance instead of reacting from deeply held fear, defensiveness, confusion, or guilt. As the old imprinted neural patterns are released and we gain clarity and a new sense of self, the body and mind can begin to function in a more natural rhythm.
The Highpoint Method
The Highpoint Method of somatic therapy utilizes specifically designed movements, touch points, and gentle, manual manipulation to stimulate the nervous system directly. It is based on a specific framework for change: the Five Step Balance Process which opens the targeted neural networks and assists in connecting to deeper, related networks. This allows for a broad rewiring of multiple neural patterns in one session. Each subsequent session then builds upon this to expand and strengthen the new neural networks created. Once the neural system is changed, the neurobiological organization of stress and trauma is released — and once the change takes place, it is permanent.
“My body just exhaled!”
—AO
Whatever the somatic method and techniques utilized, body-centered therapy releases the neural networks of trauma and rewires them, resulting in new emotional patterns, new beliefs and perspectives, and new behaviors. Our bodies can heal us by releasing anxiety, distress, trauma, fear, and confusion at the physiological level. We can experience true emotional health and well-being, and a sense of freedom.
Somatic Practices
Try a few of these somatic practices at home — just a few minutes each day can make a significant difference.
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An ancient yogic practice that has found its way into today’s health routines Alternative Nostril Breathing is very effective in relaxing the body and quieting the mind. WebMD.com lists it as a technique to lower blood pressure, increase oxygen flow, expand lung capacity, and engage different parts of the brain to calm and regulate the nervous system, thus reducing fear and anxiety.
Breathing through the left nostril activates the energies of the right brain hemisphere, giving us greater access to the present moment, receptivity, and calmness. It stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system for restoration and rejuvenation.
Breathing through the right nostril activates the energies of the left brain hemisphere and the sympathetic nervous system, providing energy, focus, improved cognitive function, and increased metabolism and function of the stomach and intestines.
Alternate Nostril Breathing
If you have any kind of lung issues, please consult with your doctor before doing this practice.
Sit comfortably in an erect posture and place your right thumb against your right nostril with the rest of your fingers pointing to the ceiling.
Inhale deeply and slowly through your left nostril.
Before exhaling, close your left nostril with the ring finger of your right hand and release your thumb.
Now exhale slowly and completely through your right nostril.
Keeping your ring finger on your left nostril inhale again — through the right nostril.
Before exhaling, close the right nostril with your thumb, release the finger on your left nostril, and exhale through the left nostril.
Continue this cycle, alternating between inhaling on one side and exhaling on the other side.
Practice for a minimum of 10 minutes for the most benefit.
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Balance Buttons are a simple sensory motor activity from Brain Gym® that helps to lengthen and restore alignment in the back of the neck and stimulates the semicircular canals of the inner ear to promote equilibrium and balance, allowing the entire body to relax.
Additionally, the vagus nerve comes closest to the surface of the body behind the ears and extends all the way through the body to the intestines. Bringing attention to these two areas — behind the ears and the abdomen — stimulates both ends of vagus nerve, releasing stress and tension.
Balance Buttons
Sit or stand comfortably.
Place your right hand on your abdomen and the fingertips of your left hand at the base of your skull behind your left ear.
Breathe deeply in and out of your abdomen while gently massaging behind your ear.
Very slowly move your eyes in all directions as you breathe and massage.
Continue for about 30 seconds or for as long as you like.
Switch sides and repeat.
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When we move our body in time with music, we bring our brain cells into coherence — functioning in sync with each other. This allows for an easier flow of fluids and energy throughout the entire body, releasing tension and stress. Music has a huge impact on the brain, activating all areas at once and stimulating us at very deep levels to shake up stuck patterns and reactivate sluggish neural pathways. Learn more about how music affects your brain in my blog article Music, Rhythm and the Brain.
Move to Music
Select a piece of music that has a good, solid rhythm with a strong, clear beat.
Stand if you are comfortable standing, otherwise sit upright on a chair.
As you listen to the music, begin to move side-to-side only from your belly button with small, subtle movements following the rhythm of the music.
Allow the movement to expand outward from your belly button until your whole body is involved. Take your time, let it evolve.
Close your eyes and feel the music as you move. Your movements can be small and contained or they can be exuberant and wild—let the beat move you.
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Yes, humming! When we hum the vibrations stimulate the vagus nerve, which runs through the vocal cords and larynx. Because the vagus nerve also runs the length of the body and is connected to the parasympathetic nervous system, humming is very calming, and brings rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation. When we hum for at least 10 to 15 minutes, our heart rate slows, stress is released, tension dissolves, and the body relaxes and finally lets go.
You can sit, stand, or lie down to hum. Do it anywhere, anytime! Humming with others is like singing together and magnifies the effect. Humming is often very helpful when we want to fall sleep – while in bed, find a comfortable position and hum. You can hum a tune or simply hum a steady monotone.
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The neural networks of the face, ears, and scalp are linked to several systems within the body: lymphatic, meridian, parasympathetic, visual, and vestibular. As we massage these areas, fluid in the lymphatic system is stimulated for cleansing; flows of energy are generated along meridians for a sense of openness and ease; tension is released along the length of the spine as the sympathetic system is calmed and the parasympathetic system takes over; and neural connections between the vestibular system, eyes and muscles are refreshed to loosen restrictions and enhance alertness.
Massage
Using a firm pressure with your fingertips, begin by rubbing your cheek bones, your cheeks, and around your mouth and chin. Take your time. Move to your ears, massaging them from the top down to the ear lobes, then behind them, and also gently pulling them away from your head. Massage all around your ears.
Now place your fingers under your eyes near the bridge of your nose and draw your fingers under your eyes and out to your ears. Repeat this 6 to 8 times and then do the same thing above your eyes, just under your eyebrows.
Next, taking your time, massage your forehead and then your entire head. Alternate the head massage with running your fingertips (short fingernails feel great!) over the top and sides of your head from your forehead all the way to the base of your skull. Notice if you are holding your breath — be sure to keep breathing.
Finish by placing your hands on the back of your head and draw them slowly down the back of your neck around the sides and down to your collarbone 4 to 6 times.
Finally, take three deep breaths and drink a little water.
The views expressed in this article belong solely to S. Christina Boyd based on 30 years of clinical experience as a movement therapist. If you would like further reading, please explore the source and related information provided.