"Our body is a source of truth"
Albert Pesso
“Somatic awareness is at the cutting edge… and represents a way to truly empower individuals in their efforts to maintain or restore good health. Somatic awareness constitutes innate wisdom that people have about their psychobiological health… Somatic awareness represents the next stage of evolution in holistic care.” - Donald Bakal.
What is Soma?
The Greek word Soma means the body. Psyche means the mind. Therefore Somatic Psychotherapy is the study and treatment of the mind-body interface.
What is Somatic Psychotherapy?
Somatic Psychotherapy is an integrative approach to treating the whole human body. A person’s thoughts, feelings, emotions, attitude, temperament, and beliefs, all have an impact on bodies physiology and therefore wellbeing of the person.
Overcoming problems with cognitive reasoning alone aligns with the outdated theory of the Cartesian split of the ‘mind and body’ that is dominant in Western culture and therapy.
Incorporating the body, and its sensations into therapy recognises the intricate connection between the mind and body, bringing a deep awareness of the impact of physical experiences on emotional health and wellbeing. Unlike cognitive therapy alone, which primarily focuses on thoughts and beliefs, somatic psychotherapy embraces the importance of bodily sensations, movement, and expressions in understanding people's presenting issues.
The benefits of somatic therapy over cognitive therapy alone lie in its holistic approach to healing. While cognitive therapy addresses mental processes and thought patterns, somatic therapy recognizes that emotions and traumas are also stored in the body. By integrating physical experiences into the therapeutic process, somatic therapy allows individuals to explore and release tension, trauma, and emotions that may be deeply rooted in the body.
Somatic therapy techniques can include mindfulness, breathwork, movement, and body awareness exercises. These approaches help clients develop a greater sense of self-awareness, promoting the release of stored emotions and fostering a more comprehensive understanding of their mental and physical well-being.
Ultimately, combining cognitive and somatic approaches can offer a more comprehensive and effective therapeutic experience, addressing both the cognitive and physiological aspects of mental health. This integrated approach is particularly beneficial for individuals who may have experienced trauma or emotional issues that manifest not only in their thoughts but also in their bodily sensations and expressions.