Are Somatic Experiencing Sessions for You?

I talk about the nervous system a lot. It has been getting more attention recently, but it’s not something that we are taught much about. Yet, it is working automatically for us all the time. Every single day. If you want a refresher, you can read a blog I wrote about the nervous system here.

A regulated nervous system supports physical as well as emotional health. I think we should all understand what a healthy nervous system feels like, and ways that our nervous system works as well as ways it can get stuck and create patterns that — while at one point in time might have been helpful — are not currently helpful. 

Somatic Experiencing (SE) helps us develop and maintain a healthy nervous system. I’ve just finished Somatic Experiencing Practitioner training, and an SE session could be for you if you have chronic fatigue, chronic pain, gastrointestinal issues, trouble sleeping, migraines, a history of trauma, anxiety, find it hard to relax, or want to feel more present and embodied in your life. 

SE is a body-based model of working with trauma and nervous system dysregulation in a way that allows any stuck energy to move out of the body. This stuck energy can show up in what we would call symptoms: chronic pain, chronic fatigue, anxiety, migraines, etc. can all be related to nervous system dysregulation, or dysregulation can make these symptoms worse. SE involves tracking sensations in the body and noticing yourself in a different way.

I’ve just learned touch work, which is done seated or on a massage table. This gentle touch work is not like a massage, but instead involves gently touching joints, diaphragms and other areas of the body while fully clothed. Offering the body this type of support helps to regulate the nervous system, supports moving stuck energy out of the body and can feel very relaxing. 

I can’t say enough good things about SE, so if you are interested, please reach out to schedule  a session. SE can be a great complement to Pilates and can support you physically and mentally.