Using Somatic Therapies in Luxury Treatment

What is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy focuses on how emotions and trauma are stored in the body. The goal of somatic therapy is to release unresolved trauma and reclaim emotional regulation and heal the nervous system. This is done within a gentle and supportive framework. According to Ariane Resnick, CNC, “the most common and straightforward form of somatic therapy is known as such or as Somatic Experiencing (SE™). Somatic therapists guide patients to focus on their underlying physical sensations.”

Mind-body practices are offered at Carrara to complement this modality and improve prognoses. At Carrara treatment, we incorporate all aspects of healing within somatic therapies including but not limited to massage, breathwork, grounding, movement practices, trauma informed yoga, sensorimotor psychotherapy, brain spotting, daily grounding exercises, meditation, and spa services known to calm the nervous system.

Personalized Somatic Treatment

Every nervous system is unique and special.  A personalized somatic treatment plan is required with hand-picked somatic practices to promote pendulation and titration of stored emotions. This leads to discharge thus improving mental clarity, body healing, release of heavy emotions, and more. Somatic Experiencing (SE™) is also known to support chronic pain patients as well as other syndromes.

Per the SE™ website, “Dr. Levine was inspired to study stress on the animal nervous system. He realized that animals’ lives are constantly under threat of death, yet show no symptoms of trauma. He discovered that trauma is related to the third survival response. When life is threatened, the trauma response is to freeze. When fight and flight are not options, we freeze and immobilize, like “playing dead.” This reaction is time sensitive. The massive energy that was prepared for “fight or flight” gets discharged through shakes and trembling. If the immobility phase does not complete, then that charge stays trapped. The body’s perspective is that it is still under threat.

The Somatic Experiencing method works to release this stored energy and turn off this threat alarm that causes severe dysregulation and dissociation. SE helps people understand this body response to trauma and work through a “body first” approach to healing.”

What are some Somatic Therapy Techniques?

Somatic therapy is a body-centered approach that integrates physical sensations into the therapeutic process to address mental health issues and trauma. Here are some common somatic therapy techniques:

1. Body Awareness: The therapist encourages clients to notice physical sensations in their body, like tension, pain, or ease, to explore how emotions manifest physically.

2. Grounding: The grounding technique helps clients connect to the present moment by focusing on their body’s connection to the environment, such as feeling their feet on the ground or hands on their lap.

3. Breathwork: Controlled breathing exercises help regulate the nervous system, reduce anxiety, and bring awareness to how breathing patterns reflect emotional states.

4. Movement and Gestures: Clients are encouraged to move or use gestures to express emotions or release stored tension from the body, sometimes through simple exercises like stretching or shaking.

5. Touch Therapy: In some forms of somatic therapy, a therapist may use gentle touch to help clients become aware of areas of tension or disconnection in the body.

6. Somatic Experiencing (SE): Developed by Peter Levine, SE focuses on helping clients gradually release the energy stored in their bodies from traumatic events, often through slow and mindful bodily movements.

7. Emotional Release: Therapists guide clients through processes where emotions are physically expressed, such as crying, laughing, or even shouting, to release pent-up feelings.

8. Visualization: Clients use mental imagery to focus on healing or altering their physical sensations, promoting relaxation and emotional balance.

These techniques help individuals heal trauma and stress by tuning into their body’s responses and using the body as a pathway to emotional healing.

Somatic Therapy at Carrara

Somatic therapy is at the heart of Carrara’s clinical programming. Clients will be provided with ample education about somatic therapy and the process of recovery through this approach. It is important that our clients understand that this is a universal experience to reduce shame and normalize the process. Somatic therapy focuses on how emotions and trauma are stored in the body. The goal is to release unresolved trauma and regain emotional regulation, within a gentle and supportive framework.

Our dedicated team of somatic practitioners guide our clients to release “trapped” emotions and/or trauma to regain safety within the body. When trauma recovery is delayed, it is very common for clients to report health issues including chronic pain, autoimmune disorders, migraines, and other affectations. At Carrara, our clients learn about sensory coping skills, boundaries, resiliency, self and body awareness, resourcing, pendulation, titration, grounding, mind-body connection, somatic tracking, and nervous system self-regulation. They will learn about early body cues that may be utilized as part of their relapse prevention plans.

At Carrara treatment, we utilize our luxurious facility to offer services specially designed to aid in trauma healing and addiction recovery. Every Nervous system is unique and requires our personalized approach to meet each patients’ specific needs. Call Carrara at (323) 302-9650 and learn more about our integrative approach to healing from addiction and co-occurring disorders. Let us create your personalized plan today!