Somatic exercises to release trauma can be a powerful tool in the healing process, as trauma often resides not just in the mind but also in the body. Working on releasing these physical and emotional grips can support recovery and help you heal from a traumatic event.
It is possible to heal from trauma, even if it is challenging. Somatic therapy can help.
If you are working to resolve trauma, consulting a mental health professional who specializes in somatic therapy can help you heal. But if that is not possible at the moment, you can also practice some exercises based on this therapeutic approach at home.
By tuning in to your bodily sensations, you can release traumatic energy.
Somatic Exercises to Release Trauma : Can somatic therapy help heal trauma?
There are several therapeutic approaches to healing trauma.
Somatic therapy is a body-centered approach that can be particularly helpful if you are experiencing symptoms of chronic stress or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Somatic therapy, or somatic experiencing, was originally developed by Peter Levine in the late 1970s. It was designed as an alternative to other trauma-focused therapies that, while effective for some people, did not work for everyone.
When you practice these body-centered exercises, you focus on physical sensations, rather than thoughts and emotions, as you would in talk therapy, or on your fears, as you would in exposure therapy.
According to Valerie Candela Brower, a licensed professional counselor and certified somatic experience practitioner in Southbury, Connecticut, trauma occurs when the nervous system has too much trouble digesting it, as if you ate a big meal and didn’t digest it completely, then ate another one, and another one. “The body doesn’t digest what happened, and instead we repress our feelings, numb ourselves, or deny reality.”
In some cases, talking about trauma without adequate support or with a therapist who is not trained in trauma can traumatize you again, according to Candela Brower. “Somatic work gives the body the time and space it needs to accomplish what it needed to do at the time and was unable to do.
Somatic experience also helps you realize if you are ‘stuck’ in the fight, flight, or freeze response. One of the main goals of somatic experience is to develop a connection between the body and mind and increase your ability to regulate your emotions. This can help you manage some of your most distressing symptoms.
New research suggests that somatic therapy may be effective for people who have experienced trauma:
-A 2017 study of 63 people found that somatic experiencing helped relieve symptoms of PTSD and depression.
-Another 2017 study of 91 people with low back pain and PTSD suggests that brief somatic experience (in addition to other treatments) can reduce low back pain and relieve some symptoms of PTSD.
Somatic Exercises to Release Trauma : Impact of trauma
If you have experienced trauma, you may experience some of these symptoms or difficulties:
-Excessive crying
-Irritability, anger, or fear
-Flashbacks or replaying the experience in your mind
-Nightmares or sleep disturbances
-Using alcohol or drugs to cope with the situation
-Physical symptoms such as stomachaches or headaches
-Chronic fatigue
-Hypervigilance
-Mood swings, excessive sweating, or a rapid heartbeat
Une vaste étude d’échantillon représentative au niveau national réalisée en 2019 suggère que les risques de développer un ESPT après un événement traumatisant peuvent être plus élevés pour les femmes blanches, noires et afro-caribéennes que pour les hommes appartenant à ces groupes.
Ces différences entre les sexes ne sont pas observées chez les Latinos ou les Asiatiques. Des recherches supplémentaires sont nécessaires pour expliquer les facteurs culturels et contextuels.
Can you practice somatic experiencing on your own?
It is strongly recommended that you begin somatic therapy with the help of a qualified therapist. This can help you tailor your approach to your trauma, emotions, and symptoms. According to Peter Levine, a therapist is trained and focused on creating a safe space for you. However, when you practice somatic exercises for a long time with a therapist, you may become attached to them and feel that it is the only place where you feel completely safe.
This is why Levine believes it is important for therapists to teach tools and exercises that can help you feel safe on your own.
With the above in mind, here are some somatic therapy exercises you might consider practicing at home:
Somatic Exercises to Release Trauma : Grounding
Grounding exercises help you center yourself and anchor yourself in the present moment. This can help you forget past events that cause you distress.
Grounding exercises can be particularly helpful if you suffer from flashbacks, anxiety, and symptoms of dissociation.
Here are some grounding techniques to try at home:
-Run water over your hands. Start by running cold water over your hands. Focus on the sensation of the temperature on each part of your hand, from your wrist to your fingernails. Switch to warm water and focus on the change in sensation on your hands. Do this for a few minutes until you calm down.
-Move your body in whatever way feels most comfortable. This could be jumping up and down, dancing, jogging on the spot, or stretching. As you move, focus on the sensations in your body. You can do this by performing a body scan: Start with your toes and work your way up to your face, one body part at a time.
-Focus your attention on your breathing while controlling how you inhale and exhale. You can start by inhaling while counting to 4, holding your breath for 3 seconds, and then exhaling while counting to 4 again. You can also repeat what you consider to be a happy word after each breath. For example, safety, peace, easy, or gone.
-Tense and relax different parts of your body. For example, press your feet into the floor as hard as you can for a few seconds. Release the pressure and notice how your feet feel now. You can also squeeze the arms of your chair as hard as you can, then slowly release them.
-Play a game of “categories” with yourself. Think of different categories of objects—for example, dogs, states, or cities—that start with a chosen letter. Don’t move on to another letter until you have identified at least 5 objects that start with that letter.
Somatic Exercises to Release Trauma : Resourcing and visualization
-Resourcing involves tuning in to specific bodily sensations that may be the opposite of what you are experiencing right now. It is usually a long process that a therapist helps you with, but practicing specific exercises at home could help you get started.
-You will want to start these techniques with a certified somatic therapist, but afterwards, you can use these exercises at home to complement your treatment.
-You can use grounding and visualization whenever you experience distressing thoughts, emotions, or bodily sensations. By focusing on creating a “safe” sensation in your mind and body, you can relieve some distress.
-These exercises may take some practice. You can start by doing them when you are not in distress. This way, it may be easier to reproduce the sensations when you need them.
Here are some ways to do this:
Create a safe place in your mind. You can do this by returning to a time and place where you felt safe and happy. You can also imagine a new safe place that you haven’t experienced yet. Think about its colors, smells, and textures. Feel your body in this place and focus on the comfort you feel there.
Think about the people who are dear to you and who make you feel at peace. You can start by looking at photos of them or focusing on specific memories you share.
Self-regulation
In general, emotional self-regulation involves guiding yourself through your emotions so that you can shift gears when they cause you to feel distressed. In somatic therapy, self-regulation concerns the nervous system.
Unresolved trauma can lead to dysregulation of the autonomic nervous system. This can mean that you are constantly on high alert. According to the somatic experience approach, talk therapy is not always able to access this complex bodily process. Instead, working with your physical senses may allow you to release and change these patterns.
You can try some of these easy-to-implement techniques at home to help you self-regulate:
Give yourself a hug. To do this, cross your right arm over your chest, placing your hand near your heart. Then cross your left arm, placing your left hand on your right shoulder. According to Levine, this can make you feel contained, which can make you feel safe. Hold the hug for as long as you need to.
With your hand in a cupped position, pat your entire body, from your feet to your head. You can also try pressing different parts of your body instead of patting them. This will help ground you, but also help your body recognize your boundaries—which can also make you feel contained and safe.
Somatic Exercises to Release Trauma : Body scans
Candela Brower describes body scans as “active meditation” that can help you relax.
Here’s how to practice body scans:
-Start by getting comfortable, possibly in a seated position. Close your eyes.
-Focus on your lower body. Notice the sensation of your feet on the floor. Slowly shift your attention to your ankles, knees, thighs, and then your pelvis. Identify the temperature, pressure, tension, and any other sensations as you move up your body.
-When you feel tension, take a deep breath and exhale as you release it. When you feel that part of your body relax, you can move on to the next one.
-When you have finished with your lower body, do the same with your upper body. Include some of your internal organs such as your stomach, heart, and lungs.
-Finally, finish by focusing on your neck, head, and face.
Let’s recap
Somatic therapy can help you manage symptoms of trauma and chronic stress.
Although some somatic exercises can be done on your own, it is recommended that you work with a trained therapist to truly benefit from this approach.
