Through a
somatic
mindfulness lens, patients will learn skills to reset their nervous systems, gain control over negative thought patterns, and roll with difficult emotions.
I specialize in treatment of the long term effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences, excessive stress and other traumas in their emotional, behavioral and physical manifestations. These include anxiety, depression and PTSD, as well as an array of chronic diseases that are the outcome of long-term nervous system dysregulation. My approach is
somatic
and holistic with emphasis on resetting the nervous system and assisting clients in returning their brains and bodies to the place where we function at our best capacity for dealing with the challenges that life brings.
“Healing is restoring the body’s natural rhythms”
Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a naturalistic approach to the healing of trauma developed by Dr. Peter Levine. I have received extensive training with the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute and have received the SEP certificate (somatic experiencing practitioner). Components of SE are incorporated into my therapeutic approach. Somatic Experiencing can increase tolerance for difficult body sensations and emotions while encouraging body awareness and regulation. Please contact me for further questions or to schedule a free phone consultation.
WHAT IS SE?
- SE employs awareness of body sensation to help people heal.
- SE’s guidance of the bodily “felt sense,” allows the highly aroused survival energies to be safely experienced and gradually discharged.
- SE “titrates” experience (breaks down into small, incremental steps), supporting a slower and gentler process of exploration.
WHAT CAN BE BENEFITS OF SE?
- Increase confidence that you can handle intense emotions
- Learn skills to strengthen your capacity for emotion regulation
- Enhance your sense of security and vitality
- Relief of traumatic stress symptoms
- Strengthen your connection with the body’s natural resources of wisdom and power
- Increase the frequency of feeling calm, relaxed and stable in daily life
Levine, P. (1997). Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.Levine, P. and. Kline, M. (2007). Trauma Through A Child’s Eyes: Awakening the Ordinary Miracle of Healing. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.Levine, P. (2010). In an UnspokenVoice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness. Berkeley, CA: North Atlantic Books.
For more references and information about Somatic Experiencing please visit this website.
It’s also important to note that trauma is not bound by linear time. Traumatic symptoms can manifest weeks, months, or years after an event, or rear its head after multiple difficult situations compound to the point where our normal coping methods and resources become maxed out. Stress and trauma can occur from a one event or from cumulative stressors.
The extensive science done on resolving PTSD continually points to the need for the body to be involved in the healing of trauma. The Somatic Experiencing approach facilitates the completion of self-protective responses and the release of hindered survival energy bound in the body, thus addressing the root cause of trauma symptoms. Somatic Experiencing helps clients attune to what’s happening in their bodies by slowing down and noticing fast energies, and balancing the fight, flight, and freeze responses in the nervous system. By learning how to consciously dip our toe into difficult sensations or emotions, a somatic therapist gives clients a boost in self-awareness, and confidence in their capacity to heal and experience something new, maybe even joyous. These innate and natural somatic practices and tools help clients re-enter a traumatized or dissociated body slowly, at their own pace, and gradually feel more safe in their own skin. Increasing ones ability for difficult body sensations and emotions and tracking the nervous system is not a skill resigned for someone who has experienced trauma. Gaining the tools and skills to do this and expand our nervous system capacity increases our ability to move through the world able to show up for others, perform difficult jobs without burning out, and increase our empathy.
If you can learn to speak your body’s language, and change trauma into positive even empowering experience, your world shifts. You begin to understand intimately your true embodied self. By YOU changing, your relationships change. How people relate to you also changes. Your ability to care for others expands. Sex gets better and feels more fulfilling. You can make decisions with confidence and self assurance instead of doubting oneself or be bound in social conditioning. You begin to use your voice more freely and speak out on things that matter to you.
The truth is trauma is unavoidable. We all will at some point or another burn through our inner and outer resources and get overwhelmed. There are plenty of collective experiences in the world that are contributing to overwhelm for many of us. Be it the ongoing covid epidemic, climate change, racism, sexism, or economic hardships. Our collective hardships get layered with our individual struggles, further compounding stress. Getting help doesn’t mean that you are weak or that there is something wrong with you. If you are interested in decreasing your stress or healing from the frustrating or difficult symptoms of trauma, it shows a great deal of inner strength. The tools and education you learn within Somatic Experiencing are truly remarkable. It taps into the power of our bodies, utilizing our biological survival mechanisms to our advantage. As a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner, I help people overcome trauma, awaken to their bodies innate ability to heal, and feel at home in their bodies to start living a life they love.
It’s an incredible honor to walk alongside of another on their life journey. Ever since I was young, I was fascinated with learning about other people’s perspective. I’ve come to realize that an occasional shift in perspective has been crucial in my own ever-evolving life experience. I seek to help people establish greater ease and flow in life by gaining new perspectives in their life. Often times, it involves connecting the dots, or creating awareness between internal subconscious and conscious forces. In a bodywork session, it may look like my rotating your arm slowly until you become aware that you’re actually subconsciously fighting against that. You then have access to the choice to release the holding and tension, and the pain that has been living in your shoulder gives way to ease and flow. In a somatic experiencing session it may look different, but the same foundational approach is there. For example, you may want to have the energy to exercise, stop intrusive thoughts, lower your anxiety, stop addictive patterns, or simply enjoy life more. During a session, I will encourage you to explore the sensations that you feel in your body and be present with them. Your deep inner wisdom may burst forth with insights, emotions, and possibilities never before accessible without deep presence. The answers can then come from within you. This approach can literally retrain the nervous system and establish new neural pathways. My recent favorite bumper sticker reads, “if you were in your body, you’d already be home”. I want to help you learn the tools to be more in touch and connected to your body and develop skills to navigate a graceful mind/body experience.
You are likely to feel deeply relaxed, cared for, seen, and appreciated during our session. Whether you are looking for an Esalen massage, body/mind coaching, or to explore how substance addictions are getting in your way, let’s set your transformative experience in motion, and walk the path together.
Call us at 828.348.5372 to schedule a free 10 minute phone consultation with Corey
How To Benefit From Somatic Experiencing (SE) ™
The best way to see how you might benefit from Somatic Experiencing ™ is to book an intake appointment with a provider who can do an assessment with you. You may be clear on how trauma or high stress physiology is affecting your life or you might not have any idea, yet you know something is wrong. People with chronic pain or physical health conditions would benefit. Finding a skilled practitioner whose scope of practice is in alignment with your physical, mental health or relational symptoms would be best. You might see your markers for pain, blood pressure or autoimmune responses decrease. You may feel like you are participating with greater ease in your relationships at home or professional life. Your anxiety or depression symptoms could decrease and you might experience a greater sense of confidence, alignment and creativity as you move forward with treatment.
Who Can Benefit From Somatic Experiencing (SE) ™?
Anybody can benefit from SE ™. Infants, toddlers, children, teens, young adults, adults, aging adults. Couples and families can benefit from being more self-regulated as well as work teams of all kinds and various corporate groups.
In the world today who couldn’t benefit from being better regulated is the question! If all learned self and co-regulation skills, the world would be a much better place. We all have lived through something traumatizing, whether that be personally or socially. Turn on the news and track to see how quickly you go in to high stress physiology. We all can benefit from being more regulated.
It is great to resolve trauma as soon as possible so that it doesn’t fester in the body and create chronic conditions. All NCCR therapists are trained in Somatic modalities individually as a form of self-care and self-growth!
What is the Usual Cost of Somatic Experiencing (SE) ™ Compared to Approaches to Therapy?
The cost of SE ™ is different with every provider, but costs typically range from $90-$150 per session. As many different types of practitioners can get this certification, it will depend on the profession as to whether insurance would cover a SE ™ session. At NC Center for Resiliency, all our staff are licensed mental health professionals and trained in a somatic modality. We are in network with BCBS and out of network with all other insurance companies, but our services are typically covered with a superbill submission.
