Somatic Practices
What happens in the body?
The term somatic comes from the Greek word soma, which means “body”. In a heightened state of anxiety or those who have had exposure to past traumatic situations one might experience hypertension, increased blood pressure, elevated heart rate, disassociation, chest pains, stomach aches, headaches, pins and needles, difficulty sleeping, exhaustion, or nausea to name a few. According to the NIH, the brain areas associated with "stress responders" include the amygdala (part of our limbic system which plays a pivotal role in our behavior, the amygdala is an emotional response system, regulator of our autonomic and endocrine functions, & activator of our fight/flight responses), the hippocampus (part of our limbic system which contributes to the process of learning and the formation of new memories, as well as, the functions of feelings and reactions), and our pre-frontal cortex (this area of the brain is fully developed around our 25th year of age and plays a part in our executive functions like decision making and stress controlability. It regulates our thoughts, actions, and emotions).
Over time, studies show, that those of us who live with unrelenting or constant stress/anxiety could actually experience functional connectivity issues and structural changes in these brain regions. It can keep us stuck and out of balance, reactionary and in fight/flight mode which in turn affects us physically.
Somatic practices can potentially calm the central nervous system, the limbic system.
Totalsomatics.com has a short well written breakdown of how our nervous system responds to somatic practices if you are interested in more information.
Here are examples of Somatic practices to potentially explore:
​
A therapeutic style of whole-body integration
​
This is a mind-body therapy, using somatic interventions, developed by Peter Levine. the link provided to positivepsychology.com has a plethora of information on this modality.
​
Forms of Breath work have been used in many ancient cultures. This modality involves the manipulation of the breath. The study of benefits of breath work in Western medical circles has gained traction over the last 40-50 years.
An ancient somatic technique tracking back 40,000 years, sound healing or sound bathing is a form of focused awareness type meditation. Psychology Today shows that research finds strong evidence that sound healing can contribute to the reduction of stress, physical pain relief, and can improve mental wellness.
Emotional Freedom Technique is a somatic intervention that can significantly reduce physical and mental distress through self-stimulation of acupressure points on the body.
Inspired by the Japanese practice of "forest bathing", nature bathing encourages the participant to be present in their body and focus on the sensations around them. The benefits of this practice can boost the immune system, decrease ones heart rate, and elevate the participants mood.
​
Aromatherapy is the practice of using essential aromatic plant oils to support mental wellness through inhalation, impacting the nervous system.
​
Asana is a Sanskrit term often translated as "pose" or "Posture". It is one of the 8 limbs of Yoga.
​
Tai Chi is a physical practice involving slow movements and postures.
​
Qigong is an ancient part of traditional Chinese medicine. It involves exercises to boost energy within the mind/body.
​
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing is a psychotherapy to help heal from trauma experienced.
​
Sensorimotor Therapy integrates movement and talk therapy as a holistic approach to mental wellness.
​
Acupuncture is a component of traditional Chinese Medicine involving very thin needles places in certain "energy point" throughout the body. Commonly used to treat pain and overall wellness.
​
Is the practice of kneading or manipulating a persons muscles in order to promote physical and mental wellbeing.
​
Sensory Motor Arousal Regulation Therapy is a modality geared toward children and teens who have experienced complex trauma.
​
Self-expression through art, dance, music, writing, or theatre to strengthen mind-body connections while creating a narrative of past traumatic events.
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​
​