When lower animals like antelopes face the danger of a predator, they respond naturally by running away or fighting their way through. Such an antelope may escape the imminent danger and continue living without experiencing any trauma after the incident.
On the other hand, humans are complex and have a more developed brain. They often bypass the natural responses and trap trauma in their body. After some time, this trapped tension may develop into anxiety, stress, depression, and other physical and psychological health issues. However, worry no more! Somatic therapy is a unique tool you can employ to properly heal.
Somatic therapy works with the belief that the human body can trap trauma on a cellular level. It can help release stress and anxiety from your body. It does so by helping you manage triggers and modifying your body’s responses to stressors. Uncover more benefits of somatic therapy below.
Improves Your Body Awareness
Somatic therapy is different from other therapy types because it makes your mind conscious of your body. It targets and frees you from any trauma trapped in your nervous system.Â
For instance, grounding (a somatic therapy technique) helps you focus on the present moment and everything around you. If you suffer from anxiety and flashbacks, grounding keeps you calm by helping you focus only on this moment and current events. A somatic therapist may run water over your hands or make you play with something. This helps you keep your awareness of what you feel now and takes your mind off traumatic events.
Body scans are another way somatic therapy can improve your body awareness. Here, you assess your body to determine where you suffer pain or discomfort. Then, it helps you determine a position in which you feel most comfortable. Never rush this process, and pay attention to how your body and mind respond to triggers as you assess your body.
Resolves Stress and Trauma
One of the best advantages of somatic therapy is that it resolves trauma and reduces stress.
As explained earlier, as the human body tries to defend against a traumatic event, the defense mechanism may become dysregulated. This means that the human body may not return to its natural state even when there is no more danger.Â
As a result, such a person may experience some post-trauma body reactions. You may start to feel anxious, irritable, and exhausted. If these symptoms are not treated promptly, it may lead to insomnia and other psychological disorders.
In this situation, somatic therapy will help your body to return to its natural state. It does so by guiding your body system to move past its defense mode (freeze, flight, and fight reactions).
To do this, a somatic therapist may help you identify where you feel uncomfortable in your body and the triggers of your trauma-related responses. However, you must exercise patience as you move from a state of pain to one where you feel less discomfort. With your patience, somatic therapy will guide your mind to gradually locate, accept, and let go of traumatic memories.
Improves Your Life
One of the reasons you must overcome stress and trauma is that it can hinder you from leading a fulfilling and happy life. Somatic therapy can be your healing solution. Somatic therapy will arm you with tools to overcome every emotional, physical, and mental problem that may stop you from unleashing your potential.
Embracing somatic therapy will empower you to understand and control your mental and physical responses to your unprocessed emotions. You can employ techniques like grounding, mindful movement, body scans, and breathwork to manage your responses any time you encounter triggers. Doing so will enhance your self-confidence, mental health, and cognitive functions.
Moreover, somatic therapy will remove all negative thoughts you nurse. Remember, whatever you plan to be comes from your mind first. Somatic therapy takes you out of the survival mode activated by traumatic experiences and puts you in a conscious state of mind. Here, you can begin to think positively and set your mind toward achieving your goal.
Overall, somatic therapy will equip you better to handle stressors, improving your self-efficacy.
Relieves Pain and Promotes Sleep
Was there any time you felt pain in your body but couldn’t trace it to any event? Understand that unresolved trauma can cause physical discomforts like ingestion and unexplainable aches. Since somatic therapy addresses the root causes of trauma, it can help relieve your unexplainable physical discomfort.
With its many techniques, somatic therapy can help you forget chronic pains like stressed muscles and strained joints. Being a body-centered technique, somatic therapy can help you identify the source of the pain in your body and release the tension there. You are about to say goodbye to those headaches, muscle tightness, stomach discomfort, and back pain as you embrace somatic therapy.
Somatic therapy will gently and progressively nudge you back to a balanced state while relieving your physical pain.
Additionally, somatic therapy will help you relax and sleep better as it releases the stress, tension, and trauma stored in your body. Here is your chance to sleep better and recharge for the following day.
Improves Your Resilience
Another major significance of somatic therapy is that it builds resilience. Somatic therapy will help you survive any adversity and heal. Also, it helps you overcome setbacks as you recover.
Managing your body’s responses to traumatic experiences is a practical skill now and in the future. It prepares you to better navigate future challenges and stressors. With somatic therapy, you can gain confidence to fearlessly face and overcome anything life throws at you.Â
Embracing Somatic Therapy to Overcome Stress and Trauma
Somatic therapy is a safe and progressive approach to returning your body to its natural state after a traumatic experience. It gradually guides you to mental stability and resilience. However, you must be patient and not expect answers overnight to leverage its potential fully.Â
Abandon negative thoughts and embrace a refreshing distraction as you journey to healing. Focus on your body and release all stored stress and trauma. Nevertheless, understand that what works for others may not work for you. Therefore, contact a somatic therapist to guide you through your healing.
