When one thinks of therapy, they often visualize the typical scene. A desk, two chairs, a potential lounge sofa, and quotes hanging on the walls reading, “Thoughts are not facts.” Traditional talk therapy, such as CBT, assesses and corrects maladaptive thought patterns. This modality traces how thoughts turn to emotions and manifest as behaviors (Beck, 2021). However, for some people, this thought correction may not dive deep enough to move through their past experiences (Salamon, 2023).
Somatics is a broad term that focuses on body movement as a means to improve mental health. Somatic therapy is a form of treatment that focuses on the body and how emotions and experiences can be stored within it. This therapy explores the idea that each individual experiences and stores trauma in different ways. Some serious traumas can be buried into the body on a cellular level (Salamon, 2023). With most traditional therapies focusing purely on the mind, how can a person reach those deeply embedded emotions and memories?
Harvard University conducted research on somatic therapy and found evidence of its effectiveness in treating trauma. This form of therapy aims to achieve healing by starting with the body. The person’s attention is honed in on bodily sensations and teaches them how to feel physically safe, all while exploring emotions, thoughts, and memories. Particularly those memories and experiences that may be uncomfortable or even life-threatening (Salamon, 2023). There is a wide variety of somatic therapy practices. Yoga, breathwork meditation, repetitive movement of areas that have discomfort for the client, and physical tissue manipulation (Psychology Today, 2022). These are only a few examples of the interventions and techniques somatic therapists can apply.
There are an enormous variety of therapeutic modalities a person can choose from. It is up to the individual to find what works best for them. Some of these techniques can be implemented at home and in the meantime, keep exploring what might work best for you.
References
Beck, J. S., & Beck, A. T. (2021). Cognitive behavior therapy: Basics and beyond. The Guilford Press.
Salamon, M. (2023, July 7). What is somatic therapy? Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/what-is-somatic-therapy-202307072951
Sussex Publishers. (2022, June 2). Somatic therapy. Psychology Today. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapy-types/somatic-therapy