Somatic experiencing, developed by Peter Levine works with the body in the healing of trauma. After a traumatic event, even though the stressor is gone, the body can continue to stay in the stress response. Cortisol may continue being produced as if the event is still occurring, changing the physiology of the body. You can read more about that here. In fact, early childhood trauma has a strong relationship to developing diseases later such as heart disease, cancer, chronic lung disease, skeletal fractures, and liver disease. The body continues to respond to a threat that is no longer there and somatic experiencing can explore the sensations or lack of sensations felt with this response.
In my own work with somatic experiencing I have realized it is not a quick solution but a gentle practice that works with where the body IS and being present with it, just to observe it and other movement in the body. Through this observation rather than focusing just on the story of an event, processing may occur.
I gave an example in my blog here, however this had some work with parts also, which is a different therapy called internal family systems. In somatic experiencing by itself, the goal is to just be present with the sensations.
Another experience I had was around some practice work I was doing around car accidents. As I retold a story of trying to drive after an accident, I had my hands up and brought my attention to one . It was frozen and feeling very heavy. I felt like I could not move it to put it down. I then noticed the hand began to tremor and thumb stretched backwards. I knew that this was either a discharge (a release of stagnant energy)Â of some remnants of an event or my body wanting to complete something I “did not get to do” in the past. For example, if one is frozen as a fear response during a traumatic event, the body did not get to run and may “get stuck” in this freeze with the desire to run.
In the next few days anytime I lay down or sit still my body would begin to shake staring with my hand, moving to arms and my other hand and eventually legs. It began as a twitch, but just bringing my awareness to it seemed to give my body permission to shake. I observed it and allowed it to do what it needed trying only to be present with it and not interfering. I also noticed that when at the gym, I began to listen to music I had not in many years. I seemed to naturally go towards this music even though I had not listened to it in years. And, one day remembered a bit more vividly a memory of a traumatic event connected to “cars” but not the same accident I had been working with. My mind began to make meaning of the shaking I was experiencing by attaching this memory.
This memory was much more hard to witness than the original one I was retelling. I noticed emotions stirring and with it more shaking in my shoulders , arms and hands even as I walked at times. This continued for a few days. I found my arm, wrist and shoulders in pain, and often when just sitting still twitching would begin and eventually shaking. Within a few days the tremoring subsided. In the memory, I had been frozen in fear and without getting into specifics, had wanted to run away from what was happening. Maybe, the tremoring of my legs and arms and hands was my body trying to complete what it could not do in the event I had recalled, or it could be a discharge of stagnant energy. I have not revisited this specific memory as it hasn’t really called me, but perhaps in another somatic tracking exercise it will.
It is very important in somatic experiencing not to try to get any result, but just to allow it to do what it would and notice it. Often when beginning a personal somatic tracking practice or working with a somatic experiencing practitioner the work begins with just getting familiar with the body and its sensations. From my own experience after being in fight or flight for a long time, noticing my body and staying present with it was something I had to titrate. Titration is working in small amounts and building up to a longer experience. Often, I would get stuck in emotion about how I felt about these sensations. Years of chronic illness symptoms was frustrating and I saw my body as something I was trapped in, rather than me. If this happens it is ok. Notice the emotions and where they are found in the body, notice the thoughts that came up, but don’t get stuck on any of these. Allowing the sensations, emotions and thoughts to move as they would is beneficial.
Somatic experiencing is a modality for working with the body that I feel is best done with another who can witness and point out what could be missed. Somatic tracking however can be done alone and there are plenty of resources available to guide you. Here is an example.
I have created a journal that has some somatic tracking practices (along with other practices) and you can find that here. You may have received it in another post, if so disregard. If there are any issues with downloading feel free to contact me. This is a cover if you choose to print it out. Here are some other resources you may find helpful.
With these practices, time, patience and consistency is beneficial and as always be gentle with yourself and remember to stay within your window of tolerance. Although it is a gentle practice , it is also a powerful one. If done alone, I have found that cues can be missed of over stimulation.
Please be kind and patient with yourself.
