Somatic approaches to trauma recovery
- Getting curious about what my body is trying to tell me
- Turning towards my emotions with compassion and curiosity
- Feeling empowered to feel my feelings without getting blown out
These are some of ideas that have stood out in the past few weeks. I’ve been training in somatic approaches to processing trauma with the Gestalt Centre, and these are some of the core techniques that support trauma recovery.
The impacts of trauma are immense. You might feel like you react to things with high emotional intensity, or you might feel shut down and detached. You might have trouble with trust in relationships, or you might struggle to create boundaries. Trauma can sometimes show up as depression or anxiety as the body’s nervous system tries to copes in the best way it can – by flaring up or shutting down.
We are increasingly aware of the central role of the body in experiences of trauma and PTSD. The mind and the body are interconnected through our nervous system, and this influences how we feel and think in our everyday lives.
Somatic (or body-focused) approaches to trauma recovery offer hope to improve your mental health. Hope to regain a sense of safety in your body and mind. Hope to gain mastery and ease with your emotions. And hope to release the grip of trauma on your life. Through mindful experiences and gentle inquiry within a therapeutic relationship, somatic approaches can support you to widen your emotional range of tolerance.
Somatic approaches align beautifully with my approach to music therapy. They provide a lens of hope, connection and empowerment for people who live with the impacts of trauma.
As I reflect on the transformation that is possible through somatic approaches to trauma and mental health, I am feeling grateful, inspired, assured and hopeful. Despite how it can feel at its worst, better is possible. I have experienced this with clients and at a personal level.
As always, if you would like to explore how somatic and musical approaches could support you, please get in touch.
Dr Kate McMahon, PhD
Registered Music Therapist
Director of Mind Body Music Therapy
Further reading
You can read more about somatic experiencing techniques here.
