Somatic Experiencing

Somatic Experiencing is a body-oriented form of trauma therapy. Peter Levine (USA), she founded in the 70s. Their particular approach lies in the orientation of biological mechanisms. The post traumatic stress disorder is seen here as incomplete process of passed a general, cross-genre survival strategy. The initial reactions to the experience of acute danger to life are seen as natural and their sense of survival after locking, problem is only their incomplete degradation after the traumatic experience.

Biological basis

Since activated during a traumatic event reactions are significantly controlled by the brain stem, they are not crucial influenced by volition and intellect. This explains Levine, why cognitive approaches and work with emotions in traumatized indeed provide symptom improvement and better control of trauma reactions, but no complete resolution of trauma reactions. The biological reaction follows an autonomous scheme; this scheme is not completely traversed, the organism remains in the traumatized state. Herein Levine provides the biological basis for trauma disorders. However succeed through an entire life of this natural scheme, then the system recovers spontaneously and completely.

The basic biological responses available to the organism for situations available, which are experienced as life-threatening or hopeless, are fight, flight and freezing ( the so-called play dead reflex or the Immobilitätsreaktion ). These reactions can occur in many different ways and can not be prevented by the person concerned. In most trauma, even if it is for one-time events are initiated in the course of the event all three categories by the organism, usually also dive elements of all three categories during treatment for. Thus, in a rear-end collision like the pulse appear to beat the opponent in the accident ( the fight ), after the recording of the accident, you will immediately go home and maybe into his bed like ( equivalent of safe cave, escape ), often the need is there, in going on holiday ( flight) and at the approach of the other party has felt may be stiff and powerless ( solidification ). If you have a bleeding wound, you probably will not feel pain, but the injury register only when the blood is seen ( dissociation, another aspect of the solidification reaction). All of these reactions can persist in different ways in lifestyle or keep popping up ( afraid to try driving again; feeling of helplessness when something happens quickly in life; rage when a someone comes too close when shopping ). This means that some of the people affected is still in the trauma situation and reacts from this perspective on the future life. The ongoing reactions to the traumatic event must be picked up and led to a subjectively experienced solution to get back to a unimpaired experience base.

Principle

As with other modern methods of trauma therapy is centrally paid to the development of supporting resources, which can carry ( the actual work on the traumatic event ) trauma exposure ( see also resource orientation ). The Somatic Experiencing seeks particularly to the very specific, tailored to the elements trauma resources. The stabilized and brought into a kind of dialogue between resource and trauma event, so that a new inner experience may form and degrade the bound in the nervous system energies. Also central is the exact dosage of the load during the therapeutic process. On the one hand it is necessary to affect aspects of the trauma, to release the bound energy, on the other hand, too much energy is a repetition of the excessive demand which is in the trauma, which is a traumatization. The client is trained in the perception and control of the intensity, so that the client and companion to work on this to stay in the range of reasonable load.

Memoirs

Explicit memories of stressful events, the formation of which is often blocked during a traumatic event, are not necessary for this form of treatment because body and basal brain structures implicit memories form ( " body memories "). The dip in the therapeutic process by itself to eg by moods, feelings, body states, reactions of the nervous system and approaches of movements or changes in posture. The therapist draws on them, they come into consciousness and you possibly works with the help of the resources individually to dissolve them.

Mono trauma and trauma systems

Traumatic events are in different severity and frequency in the lives of almost all people present, from a reduced supply in the womb through birth complications, neglect in childhood, medical procedures, to cancer, accidents, loss experiences, violence or natural disasters. Therefore, the so-called mono trauma, the single traumatic event rather the exception. Traumatic events form in the subconscious of human trauma systems whose connection is established via similarity of aspects of the traumatic experience. In Somatic Experiencing makes you look these connections advantage. By working on the process, not the event can be processed simultaneously by solution of trauma reactions different but unconsciously related events.

Methodology

The therapy is usually performed over the conversation. Similarly as in focusing the language of sensation is used and the perception of the body followed to involve brain and nervous system as a whole in the solution process. Awareness, mindfulness, and slowness allow a very detailed and targeted trauma processing, which reacts immediately in feel, awareness and balance of the autonomic nervous system. The regulation of the nervous system in turn affects, among other things on muscle tone of the whole body, blood circulation, the endocrine and the clarity of consciousness.

Objectives

Goal is the resolution of the various trauma symptoms. Both the affective reactions to certain stimuli (trigger ) and the excessive and the presence of non corresponding reactions of the nervous system are degraded; cognitive interpretations or evaluations that are no longer appropriate to be restructured. A sense of relief is typical to have survived the consciousness prevails at all levels of the organism, the positive side of life can be readmitted; Ideally, the person lives in every way back to the present.

Academic recognition in Germany

Academic recognition of the method and thus its dissemination are held back in Germany that the designs are not limited to academic psychotherapist. In the training groups to call Therapists (rather verbally and cognitively oriented ) and body therapist ( trained in body awareness and processes) complement each other and learn from each other.