Somatic Experiencing

Healing Trauma

“Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness” - Dr. Peter Levine

Traumatic experiences are normal part of human life. Some traumas may be from big events (such as extreme natural disasters), some may be from rather small events (such as getting lost in a parking lot). These experiences trigger the fight, flight, or freeze response, impacting the nervous system. When not properly worked through, these impacts linger in the memory of the body.

For many, traumatic experiences persist as a chronic state of disconnection. A traumatized person often feels disconnected from memories, activities, relationships, or parts of themselves they used to know and enjoy. Trauma often involves a disconnection from the felt sense of the body, and present-moment experiencing.

Somatic Experiencing is a multidisciplinary methodology for healing developmental trauma, persistent stress, and shock. It was developed by Dr. Peter Levine. It draws from physiology, psychology, ethology, biology, neuroscience, medical biophysics, and indigenous healing practices.

Somatic Experiencing has been used for many decades by practitioners in clinical settings to resolve fixated states associated with trauma. Psychotherapists, medical professionals, bodyworkers, emergency responders, and other human service providers train in Somatic Experiencing to help hurt people heal from the devastating effects of trauma.

SE is often referred to as a “bottom up” approach because it prioritizes the signals and sensations of the body. It is person-centered, kind, gentle, yet powerfully effective.