People who have had traumatic experiences such as sexual abuse, molestation, or natural disasters may experience prolonged trauma. The trauma can last for a long time and trigger other mental health disorders, such as PTSD or anxiety disorders. One of the treatments that can be used to help you deal with trauma is somatic therapy.

What Is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy, also known as somatic experiencing therapy, is a type of therapy that helps with post-traumatic stress, past trauma, and other mental health issues. This type of therapy connects one's mind and body, applying psychotherapeutic approaches and specific body-centered treatment techniques.

Somatic therapy applies the basic principles of somatic psychology, which is a form of treatment that focuses on the body and the emotions that arise within the body. It is believed that one's inner feelings can affect the body, and emotional problems can manifest as disorders in the body.

Somatic therapy involves training the mind to release trauma and emotional issues that are buried in the mind and body. By releasing these sensations, somatic therapists seek to engage the body to heal the trauma from the inside out.

Read more: Benefits Of Providing Physical and Mental Health.

Types of Somatic Therapies

Unlike other mental health therapies, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, this treatment not only encourages patients to discuss their problems but also to feel the sensations physically. Mind and body exercises may include breathing exercises, meditation, dance, massage, and grounding.

In addition to standard somatic therapies, there are several subgroups, such as:

• Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP): A holistic approach to healing trauma or unhealthy attachment patterns formed in early childhood.
• Hakomi Method: Psychotherapy that integrates scientific, psychological, and spiritual sources, focusing on four core concepts of life such as gentleness, non-violence, compassion, and mindfulness.
• Bioenergy analysis: A therapeutic approach that focuses on the mind, body, and the energy that flows between the mind and body on the basis that the mind and body function as one.
• Biodynamic psychotherapy: A combination of medication-focused therapy and holistic therapy involving physical massage.
• Brainspotting: In addition to mind and body exercises, this therapy also incorporates eye positioning to retrain emotional reactions.

Read more: Is It True That Impulsive Attitudes Including Mental Diseases?

Somatic Therapy Techniques

Somatic therapy believes that what happens to you in life is not only stored in the mind but also in the body. Combining therapy that focuses on physical sensations in the body and discussing your problems can turn somatic therapy into a comprehensive therapy. Some commonly used somatic therapy techniques are as follows:

• Develop more awareness of your body and feel its physical sensations
• Earthing or grounding is a therapeutic technique where your feet or body are in contact with nature, such as walking barefoot, immersing yourself in water, or lying on the ground.
• Encourages detailed explanations
• Channeling emotions through physical movements or expressions
• Learn to calm down
• To learn to switch focus between what triggers stress and what doesn't to release tension
• Relieving emotions
• Strengthening boundaries

Is Somatic Therapy Effective?

Somatic therapy can be an alternative to conventional psychotherapy. This type of therapy can be used to treat a variety of mental and physical health problems. Some of the mental health problems that can be alleviated with somatic therapy include:

• PTSD
• Anxiety disorder
• Addiction
• Protracted grief/sorrow
• Depression

Somatic therapy can also address physical issues such as:

• Chronic illness
• Indigestion/Digestive disorders
• Sexual dysfunction

In somatic therapy, patients are not only encouraged to discuss their thoughts and feelings. Still, they are also encouraged to feel the physical sensations experienced and also receive physical touches such as a massage or hug to release tension. This combination of methods is considered effective for slowly releasing trauma in individuals. If you have mental health issues, you shouldn't hesitate to see a doctor or psychologist. You can also use our consultation feature on the Ai-Care app.

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