Somatic Experiencing
Somatic Experiencing (SE™) is a powerful and transformative approach to resolving the effects of stress, shock, and trauma that accumulate in our bodies and nervous systems. Unlike traditional methods that focus solely on thoughts or emotions, SE addresses trauma where it often resides: in the nervous system. By working directly with the body, SE helps individuals release unresolved survival energy, recover from patterns of fight, flight, or freeze, and build resilience for a life of greater ease and balance.
Trauma, through the lens of SE, isn’t just about the events we experience—it’s about how those events disrupt the regulation of our nervous system. When we’re stuck in cycles of stress or immobilization, this dysregulation impacts every aspect of life, from emotional well-being to physical health. SE offers a path forward by gently guiding individuals toward restoring balance and unlocking their innate capacity to heal.
Developed by Dr. Peter A. Levine over four decades of research and clinical application, SE combines insights from physiology, psychology, neuroscience, ethology, biology, indigenous healing traditions, and medical biophysics. It is a body-first therapeutic model that has been embraced across diverse professions, including psychotherapy, medicine, coaching, teaching, bodywork, and physical therapy. Its versatility makes it a valuable framework for healing trauma and stress-related conditions in various professional settings.
Why Somatic Experiencing?
SE is unique in its ability to address the root cause of trauma symptoms. It focuses on releasing the energy trapped in the body after a traumatic event—energy that, when unresolved, can manifest as PTSD, chronic stress, or developmental attachment trauma. By helping individuals complete the self-protective responses of fight, flight, or freeze that were interrupted during trauma, SE restores regulation to the nervous system. This resolution leads to profound shifts, transforming patterns of stuckness into greater resilience and well-being.
SE also equips healing professionals with clinical tools to identify where a person is “stuck” in survival responses. These tools are tailored to a variety of fields, including mental health, addiction treatment, education, first response, physical therapy, and more. Practitioners use SE techniques to help individuals and groups safely navigate the healing process, applying these skills within their professional scope of practice.
The Science Behind SE
Trauma often begins as acute stress from a life-threatening event or accumulates over time as chronic stress. Both types of trauma can impair an individual’s ability to function with ease and resilience. SE is highly effective for addressing trauma from diverse sources, including accidents, medical procedures, assault, neglect, war, natural disasters, loss, birth trauma, and systemic or intergenerational stressors.
Dr. Levine’s groundbreaking work was inspired by the animal world. He observed that animals, despite living under constant threat, rarely suffer from lingering trauma. The key difference? Animals instinctively complete their survival responses. For example, after a near-death experience, they shake or tremble to discharge the built-up survival energy. In humans, however, these responses are often interrupted. When fight or flight isn’t possible, we freeze—a natural response designed to keep us safe in the moment. But without completing the freeze cycle, the survival energy remains trapped, leaving the nervous system stuck in a state of threat long after the danger has passed.
SE helps individuals gently and safely release this stored energy. Through body awareness, clients learn to tolerate difficult sensations and suppressed emotions, allowing the nervous system to complete the healing process. This restores balance, turns off the internal alarm, and resolves the root cause of trauma symptoms.
A Path to Wholeness
Somatic Experiencing is more than a method; it’s a gateway to lasting healing and resilience. People who work with SE often describe feeling lighter, more connected, and more at ease in their lives. Whether you are seeking to overcome trauma, manage stress, or support others in their healing journey, SE offers an empirically backed and deeply compassionate approach to transformation.
By addressing the nervous system first, SE doesn’t just help people recover—it empowers them to thrive. Whether you’re an individual seeking healing or a professional looking to deepen your practice, Somatic Experiencing can provide the tools and insights to unlock profound change.