[9874]

I consulted with a psychotherapist who recommended I find a T who does some kind of body-based work, not sure exactly what she meant. Anyone here have an inkling? Otherwise I'll give her a call this week and ask for clarification.
The reason for the recommendation is cuz of physical/psychological abuse in childhood is still having a big impact on me today. Traditional psychodynamic therapy has done a lot for me but I need something more.
Thanks!

OK, just recalled, she called it 'somatic experience', to do psychotherapy while also working on having an awareness of what's going on in my body. If you know of a good practitioner in NY please pm me.

LOL sorry but that really helps when the word somatic is just another name for body work but does not tell what that is.

and what is body work - it is another name for massage therapy. Remembering through stimulating sense of touch. Some people go the expensive way by going to a masseuse (person who specializes in massage) others like me who do not have that kind of money do things like get into a warm - hot bath and rub my own legs and and arms and so on while remaining aware and noticing how my body feels at the same time, take time to put on body lotion paying attention to how it feels and so on.

Basically your therapist wants you to find someone who will touch various areas of your body putting oils and lotions on and rubbing and you tell the person what you are feeling as they are touching you.

As for who to go to well here I know the phone book has many spas massage parlors and so on with massage therapists. so making a guess Id say op[en the phone book under Massage and you will have a few to alot of options. Since this is your therapist suggestion how about having her help you with the search, being a professional she can kind of do a bit of background stuff about the places you and her find so that you can get the masseuse that fits you and your needs.

[9874]

I hear what you're saying, Myself.
I actually asked her if she was referring to body touch and she said not at all, simply an awareness of one's own internal experience, hence the term 'somatic' experience.
I have given the matter some thought, and I believe I have some clarity on it now. Here's an example: One time my T told me to do something (some kind of behavioral intervention). She then asked me 'How does that make you feel?" And I was able to access the experience of feeling 'controlled', her telling me what to do felt controlling to me. I believe this is an example of getting in touch with my internal/visceral experience in a given situation.
I think I will ask my current T if she would be ok to provide this kind of frequent checking in with my somatic experience, so that I may gain greater self-awareness.

I see. its what i call awareness therapy and checking in with myself. Basically my being aware of what is going on and how I am feeling instead of dissociating.

[Evangelista]

I do both psychotherapy and work with a T that does somatic and traumatic work, I suffer with Migraines, pelvic pain, stomach problems, and recently stuttering and ticks, which have been almost 95 % diagnosed, after exclusion of serious illness, as psychosomatic in origin. This is not to go without saying that the symptoms and pain is not real, it just is based on experiences which are psychological in origin. The work I have been doing with this Trauma specialist is really amazing, and has cut down on my trips to the Emergency room and regular physician, as I can center on what it is my body is trying to experience as the pain is occuring. I have been in session with him with some serious physical symptoms, and together with focus and body work (no touching here), but mindful examination of what it is I am feeling as the symptoms exacerbates, and then express it, verbally or emotionally which has assisted in the physical symptoms completely withdrawing or subsiding to a tolerable level, allot of it is breathing, relaxtion, focus, and expression of the pain which has embedded itself somatically in the system.

It is really amazing stuff, and has helped me to focus into on what it is I am emotionally feeling when I am starting to physically feel say queezy, chest pain, pain in the stomach, pelvic, limbs, or wherever is occurs. This "old stuff" as my Trauma T states, is just that old stuff, which the body remembers at some level and really is just trying to get the attention of the owner/operator. There are various forms of somatic therapy work, I was very fortunate to find the Therapist thru online research in my area, and then going in for an interview. He is Certified in certain specialties, including Breathing and Hypnosis, and is a Ph.D, so I was very blessed to find him, and I wish you the same luck on your quest too. By the way, I was really very wary of starting this type of therapy, really had little clue how much mental issues effect the body, but after a few months of work, it really has opend my eyes on how much the body really does remember and pack away, at so many levels which medical science is just beginning to break thru to.

Eva

[Rapunzel]

I found a lot of information searching for "somatic therapy." "Energy therapies" also might be a good search. I found a website some time ago by a psychiatrist who does energy therapies in addition to traditional mental health treatment, and offers training to other clinicians http://www.energyhealing.net/links.htm That could be another place to start. I would bet that he would be able to recommend some therapists near you that he has trained (He's in North Carolina - I only know of him through finding his website).

Does the therapist who made this recommendation to you do this kind of work? Or have any referral sources?

[(JD)]

Well, if you can't find that, I think someone who uses CBT would help too!

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[9874]

Oh no, don't talk to me about cbt! It's stored body experiences I need to access and express, not change my thinking and behavior! (Sorry about the exclamation marks; I have very strong feelings against cbt...it just doesn't work for me, and it only helps to perpetuate the suppression...can anyone relate?)
I googled 'somatic experience' and came across an informative site called 'IBP'.
Thanks to you all for your responses!

I remembered Kimmydawn had a thread around here about somatic memories so I went looking and here it is - that is if my copy/pasting works. LOL sometimes it does sometimes it doesn't.

Somatic Experiencing Therapy

#395252 - 09/30/06 07:25 am Edit Reply Quote


I've been reading some on this, and find Levine's theory (fight/flight - need for discharge) fascinating and probably applicable to me, as well as the mind/body/spirit work. In an attempt in bringing those closer together, with a clearer understanding of each, for a person who has physiologically been changed by trauma/abuse, I find it very appealing.

The approach doesn't appear one that could as painful for the survivor as some other types of therapies while working through, and attempting to heal from, trauma.

Has anyone participated in this? Does anyone have anything they'd like to share about this particular therapy?

It's personally opening me up to the idea of a more complete healing.

Thanks for any discussion!

KD


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Re: Somatic Experiencing Therapy [Re: kimmydawn]

#395267 - 09/30/06 07:55 am Edit Reply Quote


Hi KD,

I am working with a Trauma Specialist who does somatic therapy, bedside my regular T. Although I have not been working with him long,just a few months, it is very very different from Talk Therapy...but is good for me due to the dissociation, because he is helping me to identify and release the trauma that the "Body Remembers" when my own memories are blocked, until we search from the body inward on what is occurring..it is very amazing therapy..although vey uncomfortable at times because you are dealing with the body responses...the amazing part is actually experiencing the somatic event, and having it dissappear as you work with the emotional energy behind it ..I can only speak of "wow" stuff when discussing it...

Eva


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Evangelista

“emotion and feelings may not be intruders in the bastion of reason at all: they may be enmeshed in its networks, for worse and for better.”

Antonio Damasio “Descartes’ Error: Emotion, Reason, and the Human Brain”



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Re: Somatic Experiencing Therapy [Re: kimmydawn]

#395364 - 09/30/06 09:57 am Edit Reply Quote


It sounds like an interesting therapy KD, especially if not as painful as others. I hope it works out great for you. You deserve it.


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lat. 39.43, long. -76.36 Re: Somatic Experiencing Therapy [Re: wanttoheal]

#395396 - 09/30/06 10:49 am Edit Reply Quote


Really interesting "column" by a psychiatrist about Levine's work: http://www.lightconnectiononline.com/colums.html


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myself
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Re: Somatic Experiencing Therapy [Re: kimmydawn]

#395726 - 09/30/06 06:07 pm Edit Reply Quote


Kimmy got to tell you, you had me there. I had NO idea of what this was so I went looking and found out that without knowing the name this is some of what I have been doing. Its basically connecting mentally to what you are physically feeling by focusing on breathing, how tight my muscles feel and purposely relaxing them. through out the day instead of dissociating take time away from whatever is going on by my going into the bathroom and using my grounding techniqees and noticing where in my body I am tight and upset and purposely taking time to use my relaxation techniques to focus on that area.

Nancy J napeir does alot of this "check in with yourself type work that I have been doing for 5 years now. In fact one of my favorite Nancy J Napier activites is her walking meditations of remaining aware of what your feet are feeling as you walk. you can find more on Nancy J Napiers stuff at http://www.nancyjnapier.com

Amazing what you do without knowing that there is a foot long lable for what you do. I just call it "awareness therapy" because it is focusing on my being aware of my body and what is going on around me. LOL so cool thanks for posting this thread.

Sorry if I missed any spelling mistakes I cant seem to spell even simple words today.


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Edited by myself (09/30/06 06:15 pm)

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ohio, us Re: Somatic Experiencing Therapy [Re: myself]

#395727 - 09/30/06 06:13 pm Edit Reply Quote


Thank you so much everyone for giving your expereinces! Perna, thank you for the link!!! I gave more information than the repetitive stuff I'd been reading so far. Thank you!

I realize as well that my t and I touched on this at the end with fabulous results. He didn't name it as such, but we worked a bit on different approaches.

I really find this theory and work fascinating because I honestly believe it to be the last leg in my healing...getting to know all of me...mind/body/spirit and something I'll work on for the rest of my life.

My goal? To be able to sit with myself comfortably. I kinda like myself.

KD


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[9874]

Myself,
Thank you so much for copying and pasting the above thread; I find it helpful and supportive!
Take care,

you're welcome and hang in there. being more aware of your feelings is hard sometimes but definately worth it.

[(JD)]

NP I can see how one can use CBT to realize how the past is influencing the present, which includes ALL the memories being stored. But not all approaches work for everyone. Good wishes on finding something that helps.

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