Welcome to Premier Family Counseling

Takes 7+ minutes

So what is SE anyway?

Somatic Experiencing is a body-oriented therapy designed to treat trauma and PTSD. SE approach concentrates on our instinctual biology and physiology to addresses what happens in our bodies when we’re exposed to extreme threat. At the core of the approach is the assumption that trauma, PTSD symptoms, and mental health issues related to anxiety/depression are most often the result of the nervous system being overwhelmed by the intensity of a perceived threatening event.

Any event from a single incident or involve chronic exposure; the nervous system simply cannot process the experience and gets “stuck” in two possible patterns: hyper-arousal (fight or flight response), or immobility response. When the “stuck” energy does not get released, the affected person may experience all kinds of symptoms—not only the classic symptoms of PTSD such as flashbacks and nightmares, but also physical symptoms, including chronic pain, stiffness, or tension in different parts of the body. Because of the neurological impact of these perceived experiences, resolving trauma or life challenges related to trauma must first happen at the physiological level before the person can begin to process emotions or thoughts about the experience.

One reason for this is that a traumatized person’s ability to read people’s emotions is compromised, making it difficult for them to interact at an emotional level, or even benefit from the empathy and support provided. I would focus on facilitating this re-regulation of the nervous system by guiding you to become aware of and experience his bodily sensations.