Why turn to the body for resolution?

When I first came across the book "Waking the Tiger" by Dr. Peter Levine, the creator of Somatic Experiencing (SE), I was struck by the inherent simplicity of his premise: Lingering trauma is a result of the body's inability to complete natural survival responses given the makeup of our nervous system. As a lifelong lover of animals, his ethology-based explanation that animals in the wild do not end up with post-traumatic stress disorder because they naturally release survival energy struck a deep chord.

For me, this process can be encapsulated by the sequence of a cat stopping in its tracks to determine if there is a threat (defense orienting) then responding accordingly (selecting fight: hissing then swatting at an intrusive sibling pet), and proceeding to shake off/out (releasing their excess charge) before resuming their stroll to their favorite spot in the sun. It is of note that if this particular kitty were unable to deter their annoying sibling, they would have cycled through other options, such as running away (flight), crouching low and getting small in hopes they would lose interest (freeze), or rolling onto the ground and showing their belly to demonstrate submissiveness (fawn) to survive this intrusion to their well-being.

When our survival is perceived to be under threat, our autonomic nervous system (ANS) rapidly selects the most effective defense strategy based on the situation at hand, our past experiences, and coping tendencies. As demonstrated so clearly by our animal friends, we can attempt to Fight, Flight, Freeze, or Fawn. Things get more complex when these responses are not fully completed and one finds themself in a state of chronic hyperarousal (manifested in anxiety, feelings of panic, impulsivity, angry outbursts, etc.) and hypoarousal (manifested in depression, feeling numb, fatigue, dissociation, brain fog, etc.) due to compounding responses to stressful experiences.

By learning to recognize our body's defensive strategies, we can dis-identify with the body's response and start to work directly with our sensations, movements, and breath to process trauma gently through our body's natural mechanisms. SE outcomes include feeling an increased sense of functionality, improved energy, and enhanced motivation and connection with our sense of self.

If you are ready to explore this approach or would like more information, please reach out, as SE is one of my passions given the benefits I have experienced and witnessed firsthand.

In the meantime, take such good care,

Michelle

michelle@somaticzencounseling.com