Somatic EMDR Therapy: What it is and how it helps

Somatic Therapy | Faith-Based Somatic EMDR | Somatic EMDR Orlando, FL

Have you ever found yourself wanting to tell your friend, mentor, or counselor about a traumatic event only to feel overwhelmed and not be able to find the words?

Or maybe you don’t have an event, that comes to mind, but you feel jumpy, anxious, have trouble relaxing and other symptoms that are consistent with trauma.

Perhaps a more helpful definition of trauma is anything that is too much, too soon, or too fast for our nervous system to handle.

When we are in a situation where our brains registers danger (whether it is real or perceived) our body’s first goal is survival.To focus more efficiently on surviving, our language access goes “off-line” until the body recognizes the danger is over. The portion of the brain that signals danger is activated, the logical and meaning making portions go off-line.

Since trauma is not a logical wound, it does not heal by simply talking or changing your thoughts. Later when the event comes up in your mind (triggers, flashbacks, dreams, anniversaries of the event), your body will try to “help” by shutting down the language area again. This protective brain cycle can leave us feeling stuck, helpless, and weary.

Basically, the way our system (mind-body) is designed to survive trauma is to sense and survive the danger and not necessarily make sense of it.

The mechanism that enables us to get through a painful moment also compromises our ability to access words, describe and make meaning of our experiences. That’s part of why we have difficulty in therapy when recalling or verbally processing traumatic events. We cannot fully heal if we are disconnected from our bodies.

This is why talking only cannot provide whole person healing. We need to connect with, listen to, and help the body find safety so that the internal alarms can be reset.

This is where Somatic or body-focused approaches are foundational to lasting, holistic healing.

Through somatic therapies we can help the body register that the traumatic event is over/in the past and help the body release the stuck survival energy and reset your central nervous system. The body is AMAZING!

Somatic therapy honors that:

  • Our bodies are designed for survival and keep us in “survivor mode” until it is convinced danger has passed.

  • When our body perceives danger (real or imagined), safety mechanisms are activated.

  • When we are in survival or safety mode (fight, flight, fawn, freeze), our brain shuts down areas such as the language center to focus on surviving the moment.

  • When we try to talk about the experience and our language center continues to disconnect, this can lead to feeling stuck, overwhelmed, anxious, or hopeless.

  • If we shift to focusing on safety in a way the body can register, our language and time stamp portions of the brain come back online.

  • When our language & time stamps are accessible, our bodies can shift out of survival mode and move toward regulating the nervous system and getting unstuck.

Here is a key take-away: Danger disconnects and safety reconnects.

Safety restores the connection between the brain, body, language, and a sense of time. It is best and most effective practice to establish (or re-establish) safety before talking about a traumatic event. When the body feels a sense of safety or grounding, the portion that holds logic, language and makes meaning reconnects, and we regain access to words and the ability to make meaning of our experiences.

Somatic Therapy FAQs

  • When the portion of the brain that signals danger is activated, the logical and meaning making portions go off-line. We lose language access when we are in an overwhelming or dangerous moment so our system can focus on surviving.

    It’s part of how our body is designed to survive…Think of it this way, if you were being chased by a bear, it would not be helpful to stop to think and think about how the bear got there, what species of bear it was or what you were going to have for dinner. Your our body would be on a mission to get you out of danger and it would automatically activate your fight, flight or freeze mode to help you getting out of danger.

  • I get it; the term "Somatics" might sound a bit out there, but it's actually a legitimate and evidence-based therapy. It's all about the mind-body connection and how physical sensations and movements are linked to our emotions and mental well-being.

    When we talk about Somatic Therapies, we're referring to approaches that recognize the importance of bodily experiences in understanding and addressing mental health. These can include things like mindful movement, breathwork, or simple exercises designed to increase body awareness.

    Now, the cool part is that there's solid research backing up the effectiveness of Somatic Therapies. Studies have shown that integrating the body into therapy can be super beneficial for conditions like trauma, anxiety, and stress. It's not just about talking; it's about tapping into the wisdom your body holds about your well-being.

    So, while the term might sound a bit unconventional, Somatic Therapies have earned their stripes in the world of evidence-based practices. It's not all "woo-woo"; it's about recognizing that our bodies have a lot to say about our mental health, and paying attention to that can be a key part of the healing process.

  • Absolutely! It’s my personal favorite.

    Combining Somatic Therapies with EMDR for trauma healing is like having a dynamic duo in your therapeutic toolkit. They complement each other in addressing both the mind and body aspects of trauma.

    EMDR works wonders in reprocessing memories and untangling the emotional knots associated with trauma. Now, add Somatic Therapies to the mix, and you're bringing the body into the conversation. Somatic approaches recognize that trauma isn't just stored in your thoughts but can also reside in your body, showing up as physical sensations or tension.

    Somatic Therapies might involve exercises or techniques that help you become more aware of bodily sensations, promoting a mind-body connection. When paired with EMDR, it's like tackling the trauma from multiple angles. EMDR helps rewire those challenging memories in your mind, while Somatic Therapies assist in releasing physical tension and promoting a sense of safety in your body.

    The combination can be especially powerful because trauma often impacts both our mental and physical well-being. It's like a holistic approach to healing, addressing the full spectrum of how trauma can affect us.

  • Great question! While Somatic Therapies share some similarities with yoga or body movement, they're not quite the same.

    Yoga and body movement are awesome for physical health and flexibility, right? They often focus on specific postures or sequences to enhance strength and balance. Now, Somatic Therapies might involve movement too, but their main purpose is the mind-body connection and the emotional aspect of it.

    Think of it this way: yoga and body movement are like going to the gym for your muscles, while Somatic Therapies are like going to therapy for your body. Somatic approaches often use movement and awareness exercises to help you tune into the physical sensations tied to your emotions. It's about understanding how stress or past experiences might show up in your body and working through that.

    So, yoga and body movement are fantastic for physical fitness, and Somatic Therapies bring in the psychological and emotional piece, using movement as a tool to enhance overall well-being. It's like a tag team for your mind and body!