BUSINESS
Somatic Healing
DISCOVERING
Somatic
Healing Practices
Rochelle Calvert explains why somatic healing practices can help improve health and wellbeing…
S
OMATIC healing is based in somatic experiencing- a trauma informed therapy. This approach teaches one how to be increasingly present to body sensations, thoughts and emotions that are related to trauma and through various practices learn to allow the trauma to transform, release and leave the body. Somatic therapy approaches trauma from the perspective that trauma is stuck in the body- as the body never had a chance to heal and find regulation and restoration from the traumatic event. With unhealed, or stuck trauma in the body, the nervous system experiences dysregulation causing challenges in life with physical, mental and emotional well-being, which ultimately can cause strain in our relationships and engagement in unhealthy behaviors. With somatic healing you learn to develop a sense of being “embodied” present to and
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at home in your body, feeling all mental and emotional and physical sensations safely. This sense of embodiment helps to allow us to make healthy and skillful choices. As somatic healing grows, you are able to move towards the stored trauma in your body, able to explore the barriers related to the stored trauma, and find new impulses of healing awakening and healing the body to experience more health and wholeness.
Developing somatic healing practices Somatic healing practices are developed by learning to cultivate clear and kind awareness to the body and sensations associated with trauma. Learning to be present with the body, developing the skills of orienting and grounding, as well as pendulation, which is a somatic healing practice to support skillfully being present with the trauma in the body, one can learn how to release and
transform the stuck trauma. In my book we draw on the support of nature to aid in safety, care, and guidance with somatic practices to help us lovingly and kindly meet the trauma within. Establishing connection to the natural embodied presence of nature herself, we can begin to awaken to this nature within ourselves with the support of various mindfulness and somatic practices that can heal trauma.
Understanding trauma In order to suggest what types of trauma somatic healing practices best support, it’s also important to understand what trauma itself is. Trauma is the response to a deeply distressing or disturbing event that overwhelms our ability to cope, causes feelings of helplessness, changes our sense of self, and diminishes our ability to feel a full range of emotions and experiences. Traumatic events are often unexpected, and if we don’t have the resources to cope and find a sense of restoration and balance after the event, we may go onto have difficulty with our physical or mental well-being, relationships, work or other aspects of life.
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