Somatic Experiencing® is a potent psychobiological method for resolving trauma symptoms and relieving chronic stress. SE™ increases an individuals resilience and capacity to negotiate adversity and traumatic events resulting in feelings of aliveness, wellness and connection.
Dr. Peter A. Levine is the developer of Somatic Experiencing® and holds a doctorate in biophysics and psychology. He devoted 40+ years studying and researching the physiology of stress response (fight, flight & “freeze) and asked the burning question: Why is it that animals in the wild, who are repeatedly exposed to life-threatening events, don’t develop the symptoms of PTSD like humans? Dr Levine discovered all animals (including humans) are born with a natural inbuilt “immunity” to resolving and healing from long-term, debilitating effects of trauma.
Humans possess regulatory mechanisms virtually identical to those in animals, but are often over-ridden by neo-cortical inhibition (the relational brain). Through focal awareness of bodily sensation, individuals are able to access restorative physiological action patterns that unlock the central nervous system to release and neutralise trapped traumatic survival energy and help the body return to a state of homeostasis and equilibrium.
Dr Peter Levine’s research discovered when animals in the wild are overwhelmed and/or threatened they go through predictable stages of responding to danger via fight, flight & freeze response. In order to optimise chances for survival, the body activates implicit, hardwired survival sequences either mobilising into high levels of energy to defend itself or shutting-down bodily functions to self preserve and protect. Once the threat has passed, animals return to normal functioning by releasing and recalibrating trapped survival energy into the body and integrate any excess activated energy.
SE™ understands stress and trauma is a natural part of life just like the animals in the wild. Trauma is not a mistake, a disease or aberration and the body-mind is designed to heal and overcome intense and extreme experiences. SE™ provides a framework to understand underlying physiological drivers to symptoms and behaviour and resets the nervous system when it is “stuck” in protective responses such as: fight, flight and/or freeze. SE™ equips practitioners with the clinical tools to facilitate a client’s innate capacity to resolve fixed states, transform old patterns of stress and overwhelm and reconnect to strength, mastery, agency and resilience.
