top of page

Somatic Experiencing: Trauma Therapy in Richmond, VA

The lasting effects of trauma can be overwhelming, frustrating, and limiting. At Seeking Depth to Recovery in Richmond, VA we are committed to helping you heal from traumatic experiences and feel safe in your body again. Somatic Experiencing offers a unique body-centered approach to healing that goes beyond traditional talk therapy. Along with EMDR, IFS, and other non-traditional therapy modalities, somatic therapy provides hope for those grappling with emotional trauma, chronic pain, PTSD, and other mental health challenges.

What is Somatic Therapy and How is it Different from Talk Therapy?

What is Somatic Therapy and How is it Different from Talk Therapy?

Somatic Therapy refers to any therapy approach that works directly with the body, or soma, to alleviate a variety of symptoms related to mood and anxiety disorders, trauma diagnoses, chronic health concerns, and many more. This modality addresses the reptilian brain, which is responsible for the execution of our fight, flight, freeze response. Unlike talk therapy, somatic therapy is not designed to consciously unravel thought patterns, but to intercede directly with feelings in the body. By changing the physical symptoms our bodies feel, we can change our thoughts and beliefs.

 

The theoretical framework behind somatic therapy is that our symptoms of mental health are better understood as ways in which our energy has gotten stuck in a fight, flight, or freeze response.To release this pent-up energy, we drop out of the mind and into the body by noticing physical sensations. Once in the body, the client begins to notice impulses that are being constricted (usually a sense of tension). Instead of forcing the body to relax, the client learns to listen to the instructions that the body sends. For each emotion or thought we experience, there is a corresponding physical sensation that serves as a window for where these experiences live inside our bodies. This shift to body work over talk therapy can be challenging, as the brain associates the discharge of survival energy with the negative emotions of the original event(s) that elicited the energy in the first place. Because of this, humans begin to associate healing sensations with threat. Unconsciously, we can avoid the discharge of survival energy because we misinterpret the experience.

Lisa Parise, LCSW - Somatic Therapist Richmond, VA

Hi, I'm Lisa - A Somatic Experiencing Trauma Therapist in Henrico, VA.

I help guide individuals safely back into their bodies, and away from dissociative states, chronic muscular tension, and stuck fight/flight/freeze patterns. With the use of somatic experiencing, we can rewire trauma echoes so that you can live a more peaceful and present life.

What is Somatic Experiencing?

What is Somatic Experiencing?

Somatic experiencing is the process of releasing physical tension which holds within it specific emotions and thought patterns. Developed by Dr. Peter Levine, this body-oriented approach offers profound insights into trauma resolution. The theoretical framework behind somatic therapy is that our symptoms of mental health are better understood as ways in which our energy has gotten stuck in a fight, flight, or freeze response.To release this pent-up energy, your somatic therapist will guide you to drop out of the mind and into the body by noticing your physical sensations. 

 

To illustrate, think about the urge to sneeze. If we're seated in a restaurant, we may attempt to avoid sneezing so that we do not appear rude or disgusting. We may be able to hold it off temporarily, which requires energy and attention. However, we eventually will be forced to sneeze, which then eliminates the impulse from the body and allows us to redirect our energy and attention back towards our company, our food, or whatever else interests us. 

 

Pent up fight, flight, and freeze energy can be thought of like resisting a sneeze. Because these energies are tied to our mammalian threat response cycle, if they're not allowed the opportunity to complete, they remain trapped inside. This diminishes our sense of safety and makes us feel on-edge, plagued by traumatic memories, and unsafe in our physical body.

What do Pent-Up Fight, Flight, and Freeze Energy Feel Like?

What do Pent-Up Fight, Flight, and Freeze Energy Feel Like?

When our bodies are trapped in the energy of a fight, flight, or freeze response, it can feel to us like a wide range of uncomfortable symptoms. 

 

Latent flight energy can feel like:

​

  • Anxiety

  • Avoidance

  • Intrusive Thoughts

  • Hyper-Vigilance

  • Perfectionism

  • Obsessions

  • Preoccupation

 

Latent fight energy can feel like:

​

  • Irritability

  • Aggression

  • Emotional Reactivity

  • Resentment

  • Anger

 

Latent freeze energy can feel like:

​

  • Lethargy

  • Depression

  • Laziness

  • Boredom

  • Apathy

 

The nervous system can be stuck on "on" in multiple places. SE aims to renegotiate these nervous system responses by tapping into the natural flow of our life energy. By releasing or redirecting this energy that was never meant to stay "on" for so long, we can change our thought patterns and emotional cycles and begin to rewire our trauma symptoms.

What Does a Somatic Experiencing Session Look Like?

What Does a Somatic Experiencing Session Look Like?

Somatic Experiencing sessions aim to alleviate stress sometimes associated with therapy by keeping the focus on the present sensations in the body rather than the story we're telling. Instead of coming into the therapy room prepared to process events that have happened in between sessions, SE, like other somatic therapies, is interested in what is happening in real time – What does the client notice in this very moment as he talks about something that was upsetting? Is there a sense of constriction or tension in a muscle group? Is there an awareness of the rhythm of their heart or of their breath? Is there an impulse to do something with their hands or their eyes?

 

As the client goes back into their story, sharing about a traumatic event or other emotional experiences, the therapist will gently guide them back to noticing what is happening within their bodies. As clients become accustomed to the nature of this body-based modality, they begin to attune to their own nervous systems and learn to feel safe instead of defaulting to fight, flight, or freeze. Overtime, clients become more in-tune with their body's physical responses and can feel through emotional distress without getting stuck there.

"I’m much calmer, more present, greatly reduced symptoms of ADHD and PTSD."

- Therapy Participant with Seeking Depth

What Conditions Can Somatic Experiencing Help With?

What Conditions Can Somatic Experiencing Help With?

Somatic Experiencing offers a powerful therapeutic approach for addressing a wide range of conditions and symptoms of trauma. These include:

 

  • Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

  • Symptoms of emotional trauma

  • Chronic pain

  • First responder trauma

  • Effects of natural disasters

  • Panic attacks

  • Chronic stress

  • Emotional abuse recovery

Who Supports Somatic Experiencing as a Therapy?

Who Supports Somatic Experiencing as a Therapy?

The effectiveness of Somatic Experiencing has been recognized by various scientific and therapeutic organizations:

​

 

Extensive research continues to explore the unique approach of SE, with randomized controlled trials providing increasing support for its effectiveness in trauma resolution.

Sirena Pangelinan Somatic Therapy Trauma Specialist Henrico Virginia

Hi, I'm Sirena - An EMDR Trauma Therapist in Henrico, VA.

My specialty areas include complex trauma, intergenerational trauma, substance use disorders, eating disorders, adult attachment disorders, and neurodivergence. Ready to book your first appointment?

Considering Somatic Experiencing (SE) Therapy in Henrico County, Virginia?

Considering Somatic Therapy in Henrico County, Virginia?

For Richmond residents seeking a holistic approach to healing, Seeking Depth to Recovery uses a therapeutic model that prioritizes a whole-self approach. Over time, Somatic Experiencing provides a gradual transition from being absorbed in one's unresolved trauma symptoms to feeling more safe and at-home in your body and mind. SE is a gentle approach that actively resists the re-traumatization process that unfortunately frequently happens in trauma therapy.

 

We will help you work with the body's innate ability to process and heal to help you find a new way forward. Whenever you're ready, we'll help you move beyond survival mode to true emotional regulation and well-being. Schedule your first Somatic Experiencing session with us below.

More Somatic Experiencing Resources:

More Somatic Experiencing Resources
bottom of page