Somatic Experiencing® (SE) is a therapeutic modality that relieves symptoms of trauma and experiences of chronic stress and anxiety by addressing the responses held in the body and in the mind.

Somatic Experiencing® was first developed by psychologist and biophysicist Dr. Peter Levine, when he was studying the biologic responses animals and humans have to trauma.

During high stress and traumatic events our self protective responses are unable to complete and thus restore a sense of safety and well being. We can gently release the incomplete responses which are stuck in their process by exploring associated sensations, feelings, thoughts and images and are then available to support a sense of aliveness and social engagement.  

Cognitive therapy can be very helpful. However, research shows that the re-telling of a traumatic event over and over can actually be re-traumatizing. In order to restore a sense of safety and well-being, trauma must be resolved at the body level through the nervous system.

In an SE therapy session, we proceed slowly in this exploration to allow the body/mind to process step-by-step what was previously overwhelming.