When my friend and colleague, Carmen, told me about gaining her qualification in somatic guidance I have to admit I didn't have a clue what it was. I had never heard the word somatic before and didn’t understand what it was that she was offering.
Since then I’ve had a case of the Baader-Meinhof phenomenon, where you learn a new word and then suddenly start seeing it everywhere. And the more I hear the more intrigued I become and the more convinced that this really could be the missing piece of the recovery puzzle for many people dealing with all sorts of issues.
According to dictionary.com Somatic = Relating to the body, especially as distinct from the mind
That is, that the body holds things of which we are not always consciously aware. And that increasing awareness of what’s going on in the body and working with the body can help with mental well-being.
To understand why this approach can be so effective it’s important to understand a little about the way the nervous system functions in the body. We have 2 types of nervous system function: sympathetic and parasympathetic.
The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS), sometimes referred to as the autonomic nervous system, keeps our bodies working in equilibrium - slow, relaxed heart rate and breathing, relaxed muscles and effectively functioning digestive, reproductive and immune systems, amongst many other functions. When the PNS is active, this is often referred to as ‘rest and digest’. The body’s systems are quietly functioning in the background as we go about our lives.
On the other hand, the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) is what activates our fight/flight/freeze response. When there is a perceived danger or threat, the SNS is activated to protect us. Heart rate and breathing increase and digestive, reproductive and immune functions are slowed and muscle tension increases, again, amongst many other things. These changes are designed to prepare the body to fight, run away from or avoid danger. Once the danger passes the PNS kicks in again to restore equilibrium in the body once more.
The SNS is very useful in actually dangerous situations. However, as it is activated not only by real-life dangerous situations, but also perceived danger and threat, this means that these systems can become easily triggered, overactive, or even stuck in some cases, with the PNS failing to kick in and restore the body to a state of rest.
So, imagine that a person experiences a traumatic event in their life and as a result develops anxiety, depression and PTSD (post-traumatic stress syndrome) which are negatively affecting their everyday life. These conditions mean that this person's nervous system is in a constant state of arousal. The sympathetic nervous system is overactive. This can lead to increased blood pressure, feelings of breathlessness, chronic muscle tension, digestive issues such as constipation and/or irritable bowel syndrome, reduced libido, irregular menstrual cycle and susceptibility to illness amongst many other symptoms.
Somatic guidance seeks to acknowledge the sensations associated with an overactive nervous system and teach tools to help soothe them.
Designed to work hand-in-hand with other forms of trauma therapy, somatic guidance offers a gentler approach to dealing with trauma, in that it’s not necessary to relive or evoke memories of the traumatic events that have lead to the person suffering in the first place. Instead, it involves noticing and acknowledging difficult body held sensations and working to support the body to create conditions for increased states of parasympathetic restoration. It's about enhancing sensations of calm, peace and relaxation and switching on the body's innate intelligent healing. This allows the body to begin to naturally unwind and release trauma or stress related tension in a safe and gentle way.
Sessions are different depending on each individuals’ needs and can include tools which help to re-activate the PNS such as breathing exercises, stretch and/or movement, guided visualisations and meditation.
Take our example from before of a person suffering with depression, anxiety and PTSD. They may come to session with a tight, nervous sensation in their chest and work to acknowledge the sensation without judgement, before being guided through a breathing exercise designed to activate the parasympathetic nervous system and reduce stress hormones in the body. They then work together to visualise a place where the person feels calm and safe, filling in as many details as possible so that next time the tight, nervous sensation arises, this person can use the breathing and visualisation they learned to bring themselves back to a more balanced and relaxed state.
This is just one example of many different exercises and tools that can be used and learned in this type of work and I can’t pretend to know what all of them are as I’m not myself qualified.
It’s important to note, that whilst research shows that Somatic Guidance has been shown to reduce symptoms of PTSD, anxiety and depression, it can also be of benefit to those who aren’t specifically seeking to work with mental health conditions. As all people experience stress, the tools taught in somatic guidance sessions can help anyone to understand the subtle messages their body holds and learn to create positive practices for dealing with stress in everyday life.
Carmen offers appointments at Urban Oasis Therapy Collective on Thursdays from 10:30am -4pm. If you want to find out more, Carmen offers free discovery sessions, where you can discuss your personal circumstances and find out if somatic guidance would be right for you.
Do you have experience of Somatic Guidance? We'd love to hear your thoughts and experiences.
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