Somatic Experiencing® at GW Center for Integrative Medicine
At GW Center for Integrative medicine, we are dedicated to your overall well-being, and that includes helping you heal from the effects of trauma. Trauma can manifest in various ways, affecting both your emotional and physical health. Somatic Experiencing is a powerful approach designed to support you in overcoming the effects of trauma on your physiology.
What Is Somatic Experiencing?
Somatic Experiencing is a therapeutic modality developed by Dr. Peter A. Levine, designed to address the lasting impact of trauma on the body and mind. Trauma can result from a wide range of experiences, from accidents and natural disasters to emotional or interpersonal events. It is not just about what happened but how your body and nervous system responded to it. Not all traumatic events lead to lasting physiological changes; our inherent resilience often plays a sufficient protective role. Nevertheless, there are instances where the intensity or frequency of certain events may challenge the full integration of these experiences. Long-term ongoing chronic stress can create similar changes in the nervous system.
Dysregulation of the nervous system at the level of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS)—which governs survival responses such as Fight-or-Flight and Rest-and-Digest—can often result in the development of psychophysiological syndromes. These may manifest as chronic pain, headaches, insomnia, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), anxiety, hypertension, repetitive injuries, immune disorders, and more.
Somatic Experiencing is a prominent modality among several somatic therapies (EMDR, Hakomi, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, etc) being acknowledged for its focus on safe and organic healing of the autonomic nervous system. Read and watch videos about Somatic Experiencing® on the organization’s website: SE 101.
Here’s how it works:
- Safe and Supportive Environment: In a confidential and compassionate setting, our trained Somatic Experiencing practitioner will guide you through the process.
- Mindful Awareness: You’ll learn to increase your awareness of bodily sensations, helping you reconnect with your body’s innate ability to heal.
- Titration: Somatic Experiencing involves gently exploring your traumatic experiences in manageable “doses,” allowing your nervous system to process the trauma without becoming overwhelmed.
- Resourcing: You’ll develop internal and external resources to help you feel safe and grounded during the healing process.
- Release and Integration: Through this method, you can safely release the stored energy and integrate your experiences in a way that increases capacity of your nervous system to process stress.
Who Can Benefit From Somatic Experiencing?
Somatic Experiencing is beneficial for individuals dealing with various types of trauma and stress and physiological consequences of a dysregulated Autonomic Nervous System, including:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Anxiety and Panic Disorders
- Chronic Pain
- Emotional Distress
- Grief and Loss
- Accidents and Injuries
Our provider:
Angela Gabriel is a certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) and a licensed acupuncturist (LAc). Her unique approach combines Somatic Experiencing with the complementary benefits of various types of bodywork and Chinese Medicine. Angela specializes in working with clients who are typically already engaged in psychotherapy. She brings her expertise in SE touch to enhance therapeutic and trauma work, which creates a significant impact on the healing process. For comprehensive trauma therapy services at GWCIM, please refer to our Integrative Mental Health services.