The Power of the Nervous System and Somatic Therapy
Our nervous system is the link between how we feel about ourselves, our experiences, and the world around us. It helps us live through each moment, guiding our sense of aliveness and helping us understand what feels right or good for us. We often notice this through natural reactions, like feeling drawn toward something or wanting to avoid it. These responses, combined with our ability to think and interpret, help us make sense of our experiences. This ability to feel, interpret, and respond is a crucial part of being human. For those dealing with trauma, somatic therapy offers a way to reconnect with these natural processes and heal.
If you're interested in somatic therapy, you can explore both online and in-person sessions to help address trauma and regain a sense of balance.
The Body-Mind Connection in Childhood
The connection between our body and mind plays a powerful role in how we relate to ourselves and others. During the first seven years of life, we are naturally open and highly aware of our surroundings. At this stage, we are deeply influenced by the people around us, and we begin to shape our own understanding of the world, ourselves, and how we’re supposed to behave.
This period of learning helps us decide what’s okay or not okay to feel or express. Unfortunately, these early lessons can sometimes lead us to shut down our natural openness and feeling state, especially in situations of emotional or physical threat. Somatic therapy can help revisit and heal the body’s responses formed during these critical early years.
The Nervous System’s Survival Mode
When faced with emotional, psychological, or physical threats, our nervous system automatically activates survival mechanisms, like fight, flight, or freeze responses. Ideally, a supportive adult is there to help guide us through these moments, making us feel safe and helping us understand our feelings. With this support, we can process our emotions and move forward with a sense of security.
However, many children are left to make sense of these feelings on their own or grow up in environments where adults are emotionally or physically unsafe. When these unresolved disruptions continue over the years, they can build up, leading to trauma. Trauma can cause the nervous system to remain stuck in a state of imbalance, making it difficult for a person to feel safe or express themselves fully. This is where somatic therapy becomes essential in breaking the cycle and restoring balance to the nervous system.
Healing Through Somatic Therapy
Our nervous system's imbalances often show up as symptoms like anxiety, depression, panic attacks, fatigue, or chronic stress. This disconnection can also impact relationships and cause physical symptoms like pain or illness. Healing this disconnection requires us to reconnect with our body’s natural awareness, allowing us to feel, sense, and experience the present moment fully.
Through somatic therapy, we can learn to feel safe within our bodies again. This approach helps us release the tension and stress that has been stored in our nervous system, bringing us back to a place of balance, safety, and aliveness. By reconnecting with our body and mind, somatic therapy enables us to reclaim our sense of self and engage more fully with the world around us.
For those seeking to overcome trauma, somatic therapy offers a powerful path toward healing, allowing the nervous system to return to its natural state of flow and regulation.
To experience somatic therapy for trauma, consider booking an online or onsite appointment.