Somatic Experiencing

Somatic Experiencing  was developed by Dr Peter Levine who studied how animals in the wild process stressful life and death situations. He observed animals moving through fight, flight and freeze responses without becoming traumatised. (Although in recent years the pressures on climate and habitat may be changing this).

Dr Levine discovered that trauma is not in the event, but in the body of the traumatised person. He developed a practice which allows us to process trauma in the body in a similar way to animals in the wild. We learn to discharge trauma through our bodies and to develop the skill to regulate our nervous systems.

In a session, you will be guided to attend to your bodily sensations and experiences as you navigate the theme you wish to work on. This may be a sympton (see below), a precise traumatic event like an accident, an ongoing situation such as chronic illness, or simply a lack of ease in life.

Somatic Experiencing is practised in individual sessions lasting an hour which involve talking, noticing and sometimes moving. You can work with me in person in Canterbury, or online. In person sessions may be held indoors, or outdoors in my large garden if this is your request.

I draw on both Somatic Experiencing and Feldenkrais Method in my work in response to your needs.

List of symptoms SE is effective for:

Anxiety & panic attacks.

Toxic shame, low self worth, depression.

Unusual reactions to everyday life.

Hyper-vigilance, catastrophizing.

Addiction.

Sleep issues: insomnia, nightmares.

Persistent or chronic pain: headaches, migraines, neck and back problems.

Exhaustion, chronic fatigue and associated conditions such as fibromyalgia, ME.

Heart palpitations, breathlessness.

Immune-mediated disease eg. psoriasis.

Digestive issues.

Avoidance behaviours.