- Re-experiencing your distressing event through intrusive memories, flashbacks, and/or nightmares
- Finding it difficult to sleep and/ or concentrate
Somatic Experiencing
Unshackle Yourself from the Grips of Trauma.
What is trauma anyway?
Trauma acts as an echo of something you may have gone through that was deeply disturbing, violent, or emotionally distressing. Trauma falls under three categories:
Acute Trauma
A singular situation that was a stressful or dangerous event.
Chronic Trauma
Repeated and prolonged exposure to stressful or disturbing events.
Complex Trauma
The results from exposure to multiple traumatic experiences.
What are some signs that I may have undiagnosed trauma?
- Avoiding certain people, places, and/or activities that remind you of the trauma
- Feelings of agitation and/or anger
- Feeling jumpy and/or skittish
- Emotional numbness
I think I might have some unhealed trauma.
Somatic Experience Therapy with
What can Somatic Experiencing do for me?
SE works upon a foundation that evaluates where a person is “stuck” through any of the fight, flight, or freeze responses. After assessing, your healing journey will then be supported using clinical tools to assist in determining any of your fixated psychological states.
How does it work?
Picture this: You’re an animal. You were just chased by something with sharp teeth and massive claws, and it definitely wanted to eat you. Luckily, you were fast enough to outrun it, but it shook you to your core! You tremble and shake until your body rids itself of the shock and leftover energy that was prepared for any of the fight, flight, or freeze reactions. That energy gets recycled and released. You move about your day because you were able to rid yourself naturally of that built-up charge.
Dr. Peter Levine, the creator of SE, recognized this fascinating pattern in wildlife behavior. Animals in the wild are often cycling between a fight or flight, (or freeze) response, followed by discharge and trembling, and getting back to the business of life. However, for us humans, it is often not like this. We often don’t reach this place of discharge, and so the enormous energies that are generated with fight, flight, or freeze become trapped in the body. This can lead to a state of continual activation, watchfulness, fear, and arousal. It is as though we are always in an unsafe place.
When going through Somatic Experiencing®, the therapist helps your body complete self-protective motor responses, so that the trapped survival energies are released. You will be gently guided to broaden your capacity for holding your sensations and experiences. You’ll be helped to sense your way through the normal oscillations of sensation, but only at levels that you can handle without becoming overwhelmed. This process helps you to develop a greater capacity to handle stress and stay in the present moment.
“I have come to the conclusion that human beings are born with an innate capacity to triumph over trauma. I believe not only that trauma is curable, but that the healing process can be a catalyst for profound awakening—a portal opening to emotional and genuine spiritual transformation.”
-Dr. Peter Levine
I’m ready to take the first step…Who can help ME through it?
Peter has spent seven years learning and deepening in the application of Somatic Experiencing (SE). He is SE Certified and now helps in the training of other therapists. He has witnessed firsthand the powerful and lasting transformation that SE has brought to many of his clients. Phobias, anxieties, and trauma experiences have dramatically changed and shifted in front of his eyes. Through Somatic Experiencing, Peter gently guides his clients into accessing their bodies’ memories. Using both neurobiological and naturalistic methods, Peter works alongside you to reconstruct your truest, most authentic self.
By choosing this method, many have been able to restore a deep feeling of inner peace and self-regulation. You, too, have the potential to reach that place of wholeness and vitality once again.
What Can I Expect in a Somatic Experience Session?
You will learn techniques to become more aware of your body and with that, you will begin to release the physical tension. We do this by integrating:
- Breathing Exercises
- Sensation Awareness
- Physical Exercise
- Grounding Exercises
- Counselors may sit face to face with you while you describe the traumatic events while simultaneously helping you navigate the feelings both emotionally and physically that may arise.