SOMATIC EXPERIENCING©

A Naturalistic and Scientific Approach to

treat Chronic Stress and Trauma

Presented by Savera Noriega/ TouchStudio

The roots of Somatic Experiencing©

�  Theory of Evolution and natural selection of Charles Darwin

�  Ethology – The Science that studies attachment patterns in animal behaviour – Konrad Lorenz

�  Somatic Experiencing – A naturalistic and scientific approach that explains trauma as a desorganization principle – Peter A. Levine

About Peter A. Levine �  Peter A. Levine, PhD (born 19 February 1942) is an American therapist, author and

educator who specializes in the treatment and understanding of chronic stress and tonic immobility, more commonly known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (or PTSD). Dr. Levine is the developer of Somatic Experiencing® (a body awareness approach to the treatment of trauma) and founder of the non-profit educational and research organization dedicated to the worldwide healing and prevention of trauma, The Somatic Experiencing Training Institute (formerly known as The Foundation for Human Enrichment). He is also an author of numerous books about trauma and post traumatic stress disorder, including In an Unspoken Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness and the New York Times Best Seller Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma.

�  Dr. Levine holds doctorates in both medical biophysics and psychology. He was a stress consultant for NASA on the development of the Space Shuttle program and was a member of the Institute of World Affairs Task Force of Psychologists for Social Responsibility in developing responses to large-scale disasters and ethno-political warfare. Levine’s original contribution to the field of Body Psychotherapy was honored in 2010 when he received the Lifetime Achievement award from the United States Association for Body Psychotherapy (USABP).

Some principles of SE �  It uses different qualities based in the Neuroscience: kinestetic

movement, introception and proprioception. �  It aims to discharge the ‘stucked’ survival life energy and bring coherence,

create stability in the Autonomus Nervous System and renegotiate trauma symptoms and chronic stress.

�  It is a naturalistic, mindful and neuroscientific approach that restores the neuroplasticity in the ‘social brain’ and works with the unconscious material stored as implicit memory in the body and psyche.

�  It uses different tools and techniques trough sensation to treat different categories of shock trauma (1 event): like natural disasters, vehicle accidents, medical interventions and operations, disasters created by humans like terrorism, violence, assaults, kidnapping, etc.

�  It uses complementary approaches of psychotherapy and storytelling for the treatment of trauma created in periods of time like childhood, divorce, disease, a major life incidents, etc.

�  It uses sometimes touch interventions to help contain the experience trough ‘the Felt Sense’

Healthy Boundaries

Resiliency �  Resilience generally means the ability to recover from some shock or

disturbance.

�  There are different meanings for resilience in psychology: it is the internal ability to recover from stress and catastrophes. It also indicates a characteristic of resistance to future negative events.

�  In physics it is the physical property of a material that can come back to its original shape after being stretched or deformed ( it explains the elasticity in the Nervous System)

�  Resilience of a System: the ability of a system to recover from a catastrophic failure.

Possible physicological symptoms of

dysregulation, trauma and chronic stress

�  Shock, denial, or disbelief

�  Anger outbursts, constant irritability, mood swings

�  Guilt, chronic shame, self-blame

�  Feeling frequently hopeless and helpless

�  Confusion, difficulty concentrating, cognitive difficulties

�  Anxiety, fear and panic attacks

�  Feeling disconnected, dissociated, spacey or numb

�  Feeling guarded and being closed off from others,

�  Feeling insecure very often

�  Feeling overwhelmed or frozen

�  Aggression, rages (road rage, tantrums, etc.)

�  Sensations of unexplainable fear, horror, terror

Possible physical symptoms of dysregulation,

trauma and chronic stress

�  Insomnia, restless sleep, nightmares. Being startled easily

�  Nervous habits/ Shaking, trembling

�  Increased respiration / Difficulty breathing

�  Racing heartbeat, increased blood pressure / Aches and pains

�  Fatigue and inability to stay awake / Edginess and agitation

�  Muscle tension, back pain, fibromyalgia / Digestion and bowel problems

�  Perception disorders (tinnitus, hyperacusis, hypersensitivity, blurred vision, etc.)

�  Biting, grinding teeth,/ Migraines

�  Increased autoimmune conditions (hives, psoriasis, Crohn's, rheumatoid arthritis, etc.)

�  Chronic pain

Social Symptoms of Dysregulation

�  Disrupted attachment, such as pushing away and pulling towards the other in a relationship

�  Withdrawing from others; having the tendency for isolating

�  Social fears and phobias

�  Being overly clingy or needy with others

�  Sexual Overactivity/ Underactivity

�  Irritability in relating

�  Having difficulties to set boundaries with others

�  Hypervigilance: fear and discomfort in group situations

�  Difficulties to form sustained and nourishing love relationships

Renegotiating developmental trauma

Signals of a healthy Nervous System

�  You become curious, open and yet alert

�  There is resiliency – capacity to recover from adversity is available

�  Relationships are easy and accessible

�  Embodiment – there is capacity to contain feelings and experiences without becoming overwhelmed

�  You are open to experience more positive feelings and qualities towards yourself and others like love, compassion, solidarity, cooperation, kindness,, perseverance, accountability.

�  You use internal and external resources to support yourself and your closest relationships

�  You experience a Post Traumatic Growth. You have learned that difficulties in life also bring a lesson and an internal growth and possibly it opens you to spiritual venues.

�  You are connected with your life mission and feel inspired.

Recommended literature �  NED. De taal van je lichaam/In an unspoken voice,

Peter A. Levine

�  NED. Ontwaak de tijger/ Awake the tiger,

Peter A. Levine

�  EN. Freedom from pain,

Peter A. Levine & Maggie Phillips

�  EN. Trauma and Memory,

Peter A.Levine

�  EN. The body keeps the score,

Bessel van der Kolk

�  EN. The polyvagal theory,

Stephen Porges

Contact for individual therapy, lectures and social projects:

Savera Noriega

Certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner for individual processes, SENL.2014100029

Provider of Learning Therapy for therapists in training

(Worldwide approved by EASE – European Association of Somatic Experiencing ©)

Tel. +32 (0)484/713.900

info@touchstudio.be

www.touchstudio.be