Somatic approaches to trauma therapy
-Dr Paris Williams
There has been a steady movement within the field of trauma therapy over the past few decades towards the increasing recognition that:
Psychological trauma (i.e., PTSD, acute trauma and developmental trauma) is primarily held within the body and nervous system.
Working directly with the body (via sensations, impulses, breath, posture, etc.) is therefore key to resolving entrenched trauma conditions.
A particular attitude of open curiosity to one’s present experience—i.e., mindfulness—is an extremely helpful component to recovering from these conditions.
As therapist/helping professionals supporting people who grapple with unresolved trauma, we are fortunate that several methods have been developed in recent years that incorporate these principles, and which have been providing tremendous healing for millions of people around the world who have struggled with trauma conditions. Among the most well-established of these methods are Hakomi Mindful Somatic Psychotherapy, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Somatic Experiencing, Internal Family Systems, and EMDR these simple yet powerful universal framework for making sense of extreme emotional and traumatic states, helping to identify where your clients’ experiences are on the spectrum of ANS (Autonomic Nervous System) arousal, and therefore which interventions are likely to be most helpful at any given point in the therapy process.
This theoretical framework is based on the latest research on the psychology and physiology of trauma, outlining the essential stages of the overarching process of trauma-focused therapy.
Helping clients develop confidence working with strong feelings and nervous sytem dysregulation
Helping clients develop a sense of groundedness, presence and orientation
Helping clients to develop a rich and healthy connection with their own feelings and needs
Make the distinction between a beneficial “emotional release” and being “stuck in a trauma response”
Work with flashbacks, intrusive memories, and nightmares
Work with somatization (unresolved feelings/memories held within the body)
Trauma therapy is divided into the 3 main stages – resourcing, trauma, processing, and Integration, By establishing a foundation of resourcing, we prepare ourselves and our clients to venture into the often-challenging terrain of trauma recovery. This will include developing our own mindfulness and self-care skills so that we as therapists/helpers have the capacity to carry out this demanding work; and establishing effective therapeutic alliance with our clients—cultivating the safety and empathy necessary to embark upon more serious trauma therapy.
We then shift the focus to resourcing—supporting our clients (and ourselves) in managing overwhelming emotions and regulating their nervous systems in various ways, with a particular emphasis on mindful and somatic approaches. We often refer to this stage of the trauma therapy process as “establishing a base camp,” an essential prerequisite for moving into the more vulnerable work of trauma processing.
Drawing attention to the methods of mindfulness, Hakomi, Nonviolent Communication (NVC), Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, and Somatic Experiencing, we focus primarily on methods of processing/resolving unresolved trauma. Having the foundation (i.e., “base camp”) with personal self-care/presence/groundedness, with establishing an effective therapeutic alliance with our clients, and with establishing our clients’ confidence in working with strong states of mind and body, we are ready to embark upon the more adventurous work of directly processing the unresolved trauma.
Integrative trauma processing, includes several different processing methods, identifying which of these is most suitable given our clients’ particular situation and experience. Specific trauma experiences such as dissociation, flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive memories, works with parts (i.e., in trauma, especially developmental trauma, parts of the person’s personality can become fragmented in various ways, and healing often requires the re-integration of these different parts).
After having experienced significant personal transformation as a result of working with the methods of Hakomi, Nonviolent Communication (NVC), Somatic Experiencing, Internal Family Systems and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and resolving trauma, many people find that their interests, values, passions and relationships with self and others have shifted significantly. Several ways of supporting our clients in further integrating the transformation that has occurred, and of incorporating these shifts into their lives outside the therapy room.
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