Somatic Training
Somatic training is a type of therapy for trauma, and its practitioners believe that there is a definite link between the traumatic experience and its long-term effects. They believe that psychotherapy may not help every patient who has undergone such an experience, because that type of treatment does not address the lasting effects that the experience caused. If you are in need of somatic training, there are practitioners in almost every part of the world.
The therapy was introduced by Dr. Peter Levine in 1997. He based somatic training on studies he'd done on wild animals; he'd noted that they could undergo trauma and recover quickly. Levine believed that humans had the same type of resiliency, even if they couldn't easily tap into it. He also believed that any kind of trauma would activate the automatic nervous system- an ingrained physiological response born from millennia of self-preservation. However, with certain people, that system may not exist in a natural state, meaning that the person lives in constant physical tension from trauma and stress. Somatic training is intended to relieve that tension so the automatic nervous system could do its job.
A somatic training session can be performed by a bodyworker or a psychotherapist who has had the mandatory three-year training course, and who has fulfilled all continuing education requirements. Sessions are done on a one-on-one basis, much the way conventional psychotherapy is administered. The chief difference is that with somatic training, the therapist and patient work in tandem to increase physical awareness. More than one somatic training session may be required in order to achieve the desired effect- as a therapy, it is very gentle so as to avoid putting the patient through any additional trauma.
Somatic training is indicated for a variety of mental issues, such as physical and emotional trauma, stress, and post traumatic stress disorder. Therapy for these conditions can be difficult, and somatic training may not work for every patient. If you or someone you care about is seeking therapy, you should meet with more than one practitioner in order to find the one whose style best suits your situation.