About Somatic Experiencing

“Trauma is in the nervous system, not in the event.” ~Dr. Peter Levine

Somatic Experiencing is a body-oriented therapy for healing trauma and the effects of chronic stress. The S.E. approach supports a return to resilience and regulation: the ability to adapt and respond to life’s circumstances in ways that are healthy and appropriate. S.E. recognizes that trauma is stored in the brain stem, not in the neocortex. Thus talking or thinking processes often don’t lead to trauma resolution. S.E. addresses trauma by gently facilitating the completion and renegotiation of the body’s self-protective and survival responses to traumatic events and circumstances.

In my work, I weave Somatic Experiencing into movement, yoga asana, and breath practices. This may be attending to trauma as it arises during an asana sequence, or an entire session focused on trauma resolution through the Somatic Experiencing model.