“What’s the Difference Between Talk Therapy and Somatic Therapy?”

Salt City Bodyworks Will Soon Be “Salt City Somatics”

 

Why the Name Change?

Why the name change? When I started my private practice in 2010, I was a recently licensed massage therapist. I only offered bodywork and massage therapy but I wasn’t educated or trained in somatics yet. I used the word “bodywork” in my title because it is a general term that encompasses traditional massage but other forms of body-centered therapies as well (e.g., craniosacral therapy, lymphatic drainage, Thai Yoga massage, etc.). That word reflected the range of services I offered at the time.

Enter Somatics

Then my focus started to change. I started a graduate program in somatic depth psychology at Pacifica Graduate Institute in 2012. From 2015-2021 I trained to become a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and NARM Master Practitioner. During that time I gradually incorporated somatic sessions into my private practice. I still offered massage therapy and bodywork but less and less as time passed. Over the years, my attention and interest became increasingly focused on somatic work to the point that I eventually stopped offering massage and bodywork all together. The only services I currently offer are Somatic Sessions in person or via Zoom and Somatic Bodywork. Anymore, all the continuing education and training I engage in is only somatic. It was a natural transition, therefore, to go from using the word “Bodywork” in my business name to “Somatics”. That is the sole focus of the work I offer.

Does Anything Change Besides the Name?

No. I have only been offering somatic services for more than a year now. If you’ve been with me during that time, you won’t notice anything is different. However, if you have any questions or feel unsure about what the name change means, don’t hesitate to reach out.

Is A Somatic Approach Right for You?

If you’ve been considering a somatic approach to your health, now may be the time to find out if it’s right for you. Let’s connect! I offer 25 minute consultations via Zoom and would love to meet with you.

What Is Somatic Therapy?

I really love this question. Why? Because the answer will help you understand how to find the best somatic approach to meet your unique needs. It will also help guide you through all the options out there with a discerning eye. Read on to learn more.

“Therapy” is in a Licensed Domain

In it’s true meaning, therapy is “the treatment of disease or disorders, as by some remedial, rehabilitating, or curative process”. In the state of Utah, one must have a valid license to be able to “treat” a sickness or disorder. For example, only licensed health care providers (i.e., doctors, nurses, nurse practitioners, etc.) can treat disease. Only licensed mental health care professionals (i.e., psychotherapists, psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners) can treat mental illness. I think you get the point.

There are also forms of therapy that are not treatments but still require a license. My license in massage therapy is a good example. I am licensed to offer massage but it is not a treatment since 1) it is not intended to cure disease and 2) it is not administered by a licensed medical health care provider.      

“Therapy” Has Become a General Term

It’s important to be clear on these technicalities to discern which kind of service you need and which kind of provider is qualified to offer it. It’s especially helpful because the term “therapy” is used so casually in contemporary language we can easily forget it’s a term designated for use within the a professionally licensed domain. For example, we often say “retail therapy’ when referring to shopping as a mood-booster. We do that because the word therapy has come to mean anything that helps us feel better.

So What is Somatic Therapy?

Somatic therapy is another example of using the word “therapy’ in a general way because somatic therapy does not actually exist. Wait, what? It’s true. There is no accredited school in the United States that offers education toward licensure in somatic therapy. Somatics is still an unregulated and unlicensed field. Anyone can say they are a somatic professional without having even looked up the definition of “somatic”. Really. More on that later.

For now, let’s summarize with this: when people use the term “somatic therapy” they are almost always referring to somatic psychotherapy. A licensed mental health care professional who has taken certified somatic trainings can claim to offer somatic psychotherapy as a “treatment”. Why? Because they have a license and have been trained to do so. If you are vetting someone for somatic support who claims to be a somatic therapist or to offer somatic therapy but does not have a valid license in healthcare (with actual somatic trainings to back it up), keep looking.

Hot tip: the word “therapist” means the provider has a state-regulated license (e.g., physical therapist, massage therapist, occupational therapist, etc.). The word “practitioner” means they don’t.

Somatic Trainings Are for A Wide Variety of Professionals

Somatic trainings often accept professionals from a wide variety of fields, including psychotherapy. Psychotherapists are probably best known for it because they commonly work with clients who have a trauma history. This is especially true because trauma has historically been viewed as a disease of the mind. Increasingly, however, it is understood that trauma dysregulates the nervous system which weaves its way throughout the entire body. That is why more and more, professionals outside the field of psychotherapy are taking somatic trainings. These are people working up close and personal with bodies and traumatized nervous systems—medical workers; addiction counselors; spiritual directors and clergy; teachers and public educators; yoga instructors and other bodyworkers, etc. Somatic trainings educate these professionals on the nervous system’s threat-safety responses so they can become trauma-informed and ultimately be more effective at what they do.

So, Different Kinds of Professionals Offer Somatic “Therapy”?

Not exactly. I know this may be confusing but hang with me for one more paragraph. The best summary of what somatic “therapy” is is when the given professional is explicitly working to improve the regulation (a.k.a. “performance” or “autonomic function”) in your nervous system. They are supporting your nervous system in enhancing its tone, capacity and resilience. In some ways, it’s like personal training for your nerves in the same way that traditional personal training is available for your muscles and bones.

Some professionals (e.g., teachers, dentists, nutrition counselors, etc.) who have completed somatic trainings do so to become “trauma-informed” because they work closely with people who have compromised nervous systems. But they are not offering somatic “therapy” as a way to help their clients improve regulation in their nervous system. They take somatic trainings to be trauma savvy and work more conscientiously with their given populations.

Does Salt City Bodyworks Offer Somatic Therapy?

No. That’s the short answer. Why? Because I am a psychologist but not a licensed clinical psychologist. Remember, there is no advanced degree toward licensure for somatic psychology. The graduate school I went to had a somatics program but licensure in the field was (and still is) non-existent.

So what do I offer then? I provide one-on-one somatic sessions to help you improve regulation in your nervous system as described above.

How do I claim to be qualified to offer somatic sessions? Apart from my master’s degree, I finished a three-year program to become a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner. I also completed an additional three years of training to become a Master Level NARM Professional. Both Somatic Experiencing and NARM are the most recognized somatic trainings on a global level. It’s not therapy because I do not treat trauma—I help your nervous system recover from it.

Are Somatic Sessions Right for Me?

I would love to explore that question with you! A somatic approach can be helpful for many different reasons. If you’re currently in psychotherapy, somatic work can improve strength in your nervous system so you get the most out of your sessions. You may be interested in trying somatics because you feel like you’ve exhausted the benefits of psychotherapy. As a stand-alone, it can strengthen your mind-body connection in general so you feel more present in your life. My other blog entries explore many facets of a somatic approach and reasons you may want to try it. You can also click here to schedule a 25 minute consultation if you’re ready. I look forward to connecting with you.

Summary

Somatics is still an unregulated field that does not offer or require licensure to practice. Anyone can say they are a somatic practitioner without one bit of education or training. Buyer beware.

Professionals from varied fields may take somatic trainings. They do so to serve the populations they work with in a trauma-informed way. Some of these professionals take it one step further and offer services to directly help their clients enhance regulation in their nervous systems. They often advertise the title of “somatic practitioner”.

If a provider is advertising somatic “therapy” in the state of Utah, they need to have a license in mental health care to back it up. In this case, somatic therapy is short for somatic psychotherapy.

What Does a Typical Session Look Like? Part 1

This is probably the most common question I get from new clients. Somatics is still an emerging field and is practiced in many different ways. It makes sense that you’d want to know what my approach is and what to expect from a session together.

The truth is there is no “typical” session since each one is tailored to your individual needs, capacity and desired results. Your nervous system has its own characteristics and history which are all taken into consideration as we customize our approach.

Having said that, what I’ve written below will describe how I work and the central philosophies that inform my perspectives. For a more comprehensive context, read my other posts “What Does Somatic Mean?” and “What Does Somatic Mean? Part Two”.

The First Session

Our first session together will mostly involve deep listening on my part so I understand what you want from our time together.

I may ask you some of the following questions:

• “What do you hope to get out of somatics that you haven’t been able to experience with other healing modalities?” 

• “How would your life be different day-to-day if somatics works for you the way you hope it will?”

• “How do you want to feel as a result of taking a somatic approach to your well-being?”

• “If you could wave a magic wand, what changes would you make to your life?”

• “Even if it’s not realistic, what would you hope to gain as a result of our work together?”

Discovering the answers to these questions will create the framework for our work. It sets the “north star”, so to speak. Every session thereafter will unfold within the context of your goals and intentions.

Subsequent Sessions

If you are coming to see me, it’s likely something is off in your mind-body connection. You’re tired from having to use techniques and practices to calm yourself. You wish you didn’t have to work so hard to manage triggers. You just want your nervous system to operate smoothly in the background so you can get on with living. You want your mind and body to work smoothly without having to try so hard.

The good news is that’s also the kind of relationship your mind and body want to have. They are biologically wired to work together seamlessly. More good news: that know-how is already in you. In other words, your nervous system comes with its own operational intelligence. A mechanical blueporint, if you will. That being the case, our job is to discover what is getting in the way of your mind-body doing what it already knows how to do. This forms the philosophical foundation to my work.

Why is That Important To Know?

For two reasons. First, it means that we will be looking to you for your answers and not the other way around. I don’t see myself as the authority you consult for the answers. You need to know this up front to decide whether or not we’re a match. If you’re in an urgent situation and need answers or solutions fast, I am not the somatic professional best-suited to support you.

Second, in order to uncover the answers in your mind-body, we will need to get to know its own unique language (more on this later). In each session we will engage in deep listening to learn where the disconnects are.

As they come to light, a reorganization in your nervous system happens. The gaps in are bridged and your system moves towards greater connection and efficiency. This happens organically and spontaneously. They don’t come about by me telling you to move, breathe, tap, stretch, think or effort in any particular way. The mind-body’s know-how is responsible.

When these moments occur, you might observe, “I feel more solid”, “I notice I’m more settled now”, “I feel lighter”, “I’m more like myself” or “I’m not as worried”. Your life haven’t suddenly changed but when your mind and body are integrated, you are more resourced to handle life.

So how do we get there? Read on in Part 2 to find out.

Summary

While there is no “typical” session, I work in reliable ways that are informed by my knowledge of the nervous system and certain philosophical principles. I believe your mind and body innately know how work together. The know-how is in you. Our work involves listening to your mind-body and learning its language so we know what it’s telling you. By following its instructions, we can discover where the disconnects are to support spontaneous reorganization toward wholeness. You will know in real time when this is happening by how you feel: lighter, less afraid, more solid and settled.

What I’ve Been Up to Lately

This could be the most boring blog entry ever. Why? Because you’re about to read about the continuing education courses I took last year. Boh-ring. But I’m going to do it anyway. Why? For two reasons: 1) if you’re thinking about scheduling a session with me, this could help you decide if we’re a fit. 2) it’s important that my clients know my level of commitment to my profession. As I’ve shared before, there is no licensure tract to become a somatic therapist. Only licensed professions require continuing education credits, but I complete them anyway. This is in part because I’m a naturally curious human and love learning. More importantly, it’s to stay current in my field and to keep my skillset fresh and relevant. Here we go…

What is Spiritual Direction?

How I Got Into Somatics

Most “helping professionals” come into their careers by searching for answers to their own issues. I’m no exception. I grew up in a religious culture that put me at odds with my body. So when I had my first massage, a new world opened to me. I connected to my physical self through touch in a way that felt safe, healthy, and nourishing. From then on I was hooked. I enrolled in massage therapy school but through life’s twists and turns, I didn’t actually get licensed for ten more years.

Massage Therapy

As a massage therapist, it wasn’t long before I became aware of the different kinds of pain my clients experienced in their bodies. Some of it was straight forward. I could link it to things like repetitive use, postural misalignment or injury rehabilitation. Quite often, however, my clients had physical pain with no apparent cause. Moreover, they reported feeling the pain in their muscles yet it remained elusive to pinpoint. I believed their experiences were real, so then where was this pain coming from?

I didn’t know it then, but that question ultimately led me into the field of somatic (or “body”) psychology. Its focus is on how psychological, emotional or spiritual experience manifests in the physical body. A common example that showed up on my massage table were tight shoulders from chronic stress.

Somatic Psychology

I started Pacifica Graduate Institute’s graduate program in somatic psychology in the fall of 2012. I chose this unique program because I wouldn’t come out on the other side as a licensed mental health care professional. This was perfect for me. I didn’t want to become a psychotherapist—I wanted to be a somatic practitioner. That meant I could keep the emphasis of my work on the body, not the mind. I knew I was taking a chance because (as is true today) there is no licensure tract to become a somatic therapist. There would be no guaranteed work placement come graduation. I followed my heart anyway and graduated in 2014.

To make a long story short, it was during my studies that I figured out the most likely source of my massage clients’ pain: accumulated stress and unresolved trauma. Both cause dysregulation in the autonomic nervous system. Dysregulation generates all sorts of physical issues—chronic muscle tension being just one.

Somatic Trauma Healing

After grad school, I decided to get more specific training in somatic trauma healing. In 2017 I became a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner and in 2019, a professional in the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM). My private practice slowly grew from offering only massage therapy to what I do today: somatic trauma healing. To learn more or to find out if a somatic approach is right for you, click here to schedule a consultation.

What is Somatic Bodywork?

The purpose of somatic bodywork is to address the impact of trauma using the added element of physical touch. The appointment proceeds in a similar style as a “non-touch” Somatic Support session except with two main differences. First, as the client you are comfortably dressed while lying on the massage table as opposed to being seated in a chair. Second, as the somatic practitioner, I use still (non-moving) touch with light pressure to facilitate the trauma healing process.

Using touch in this way can be helpful for three main reasons.

1) It brings mindful awareness to the areas of your body impacted by trauma. These may be places that carry a surplus of energy (i.e., chronic tension, lack of mobility, constriction, pain, etc.). There may also be a notable lack of energy that you experience as diminished mind-body connection, sluggishness, decreased physical sensation, “stuckness”, impaired mechanical function, etc.

2) It can provide you with an added sense of safety and connection. Many people choose somatic bodywork over a dialogue-based somatic session for this very reason. “I’m very responsive to touch” or “Touch is my first language” are comments I often hear from clients for whom this is a good fit.

3) I have developed palpation skills over years of education and training as a touch professional. This allows the me to perceive activity in your nervous system through the tactile experience of vibration, temperature, texture, contraction and expansion. It also provides another way of connecting to the rhythms of breath, heart rate, muscle tension—other indicators of nervous system activity.

Using touch does not necessarily make the session more or less effective than Somatic Experiencing® and/or NARM alone. It just makes it more customized to your preferences and needs, especially if you respond to touch with an increased experienced of safety.

Somatic Bodywork is not massage therapy. Somatic Bodywork is not psychotherapy. Jenny Winkel is not a licensed mental health care professional. If you have any questions as to whether or not Somatic Bodywork may be right for you, scheduling a consultation may be a good place to start.

The Link Between Childhood Trauma and Adult Health

I have worked with many clients over the years who came to Salt City Bodyworks feeling discouraged and confused. They had been living with significant health problems and had seen countless doctors and medical health professionals with little or no change in their symptoms. “I’m in chronic pain but my tests always come back ‘normal’” is a phrase I’ve heard countless times. Quite often this means the cause of the physical symptoms is not genetic, congenital, mechanical, bacterial/viral or from toxic environmental exposure. If it were, the traditional medical model would have made that determination since these are all measurable inputs. Instead, the root can likely be traced to a long-term accumulation of toxic stress (aka trauma) which is much harder to detect in standard tests.

Nadine Burke Harris is a Canadian-American pediatrician currently serving as the Surgeon General of California. She is well-known for founding Center for Youth Wellness and her public efforts to bring attention to the negative health effects of toxic stress. In this TED Talk, she highlights the connection between “adverse childhood experience” (trauma) and poor outcomes in adult health.

Follow this link to learn more about the Adverse Childhood Experience Study (ACES) and even take the quiz to find out how you score: https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/03/02/387007941/take-the-ace-quiz-and-learn-what-it-does-and-doesnt-mean

What “Somatic” Means and Why You’d Want to Know

Years ago, when I was a newly enrolled massage therapy student, I noticed the word somatic in a class titled “Psycho-Somatic Principles.” Like most people, I’d heard that psychosomatic meant an illness that was “all in your head.” But beyond that, I didn’t know much. And I had no idea then that my passion for bodywork would eventually lead me to a degree in somatic psychology.

This post begins a three-part exploration to help you understand what somatic is. That way you can know if a somatic approach to trauma healing is right for you.

• Part One: we’ll learn what the word “somatic” actually means and the elemental role it plays in the mind-body connection.
• Part Two: we’ll revisit the basic definition of trauma and highlight three specific ways it disrupts the mind-body connection.
• Part Three: I’ll show you the particular means by which somatic therapy brings the mind and body back into their proper relationship.

Let’s take a closer look.

The Mind-Body Connection

Let’s consider the word psychosomatic for a moment. The prefix psycho– comes from the Greek psykhē—the invisible animating principle that occupies and directs the physical body. This “animating principle” was originally understood as the life-giving, intangible essence of a human being. In other words, ancients Greeks used psykhē the way we might use the terms spirit or soul today. Our modern understanding of it has come to include mind or conscious awareness as well. Thus, the word psychological means anything relating to or originating from this part of who we are. The Greek word sōma, on the other hand, refers to the fleshy container that houses the psykhē. In short, it is the physical body.

Now we see how the word psychosomatic indicates the intimate relationship between the mind and body. Over time it came to represent theway an imbalance in the mind manifests in the body—essentially a physical ailment with psychological origins. In modern usage, however, the word acquired a negative connotation and so it’s not used as much anymore. These days, the shortened version “somatic” has replaced it. The field of somatic psychology concerns itself with anything related to the mind-body connection.

So what does somatics have to do with trauma healing? To explain that, let’s first examine the critical role the different systems of the mind-body play in your survival. This might feel like high school biology for a minute, but hang with me.

Your Mind-Body Works to Achieve Balance and Stability

The mind-body connection is sustained by the interweaving of complex physiological structures and networks. They work together around the clock to keep your internal systems stable and balanced. Homeostasis is the technical term that describes this state of equilibrium. If the balance in any system tips one way or another, your body will let you know. How? Sensory neurons create a sensation that tells you something’s wrong. Next, you get an urge to fix the problem. This urge signals motor neurons that some kind of action is needed.

For example, when you’ve used up all the calories from lunch, you feel hunger pangs that tell you it’s time to eat again. If you hold your breath for too long, a powerful need to breathe hits you. After a large Diet Coke, you feel the inevitable urge to visit the restroom. Or if a car swerves into your lane, you instantly react to avoid it.

In short, your mind-body provides the means of sensing danger and the actions to protect against it that ensure homeostasis. Why does this matter? It matters because homeostasis is the way your body achieves its number-one goal: survival.

But when you experience trauma, all of that changes.

Trauma Disrupts the Balance and Stability

If survival is threatened, trauma happens when the actions you take to protect yourself aren’t enough to keep you safe. With this in mind, my next post highlights the main defenses your mind-body has against threats to its survival. All of them involve a dramatic reduction in your ability to perceive and process sensation. Now that you know how essential that ability is, you can imagine the kind of internal chaos this creates.

Summary

Psykhē (-psycho) means spirit, mind, or conscious awareness. Sōma means the physical body. Psychosomatic (or somatic for short) refers to the mind-body connection.

Homeostasis is stability and balance in the systems of the mind-body. Homeostasis is maintained by the ability to feel something is wrong via sensation. The sensation is followed by an urge to take action that will fix the problem. Why? To ensure the mind-body’s number one goal: survival. Trauma happens when survival is threatened and the actions taken to protect yourself are not enough to keep you safe.

Does Somatic Experiencing Really Work?

In this TED Talk, speaker and trainer Monica LeSage shares her experience with Somatic Experiencing. It was instrumental in the long road of her recovery from a major automobile accident over ten years ago. It’s true there is no “one size fits all” approach to trauma healing. At the same time, Monica’s story illustrates how well-positioned Somatic Experiencing is to treat the resulting symptoms of shock trauma. Her story may help you decide whether or not Somatic Experiencing is right for you. Take a look.

What Is Somatic Experiencing?

Creating Lasting Change: Part Two

4 Ways to Create and Examine Lasting Change, Continued.

Certain types of change cannot be efforted

As New Year’s Day draws closer, I’m sitting down again to consider more aspects of creating personal change. In the post Creating Lasting Change: Part One, I explored how lasting change happens incrementally. It’s also more likely to occur when motivated by authentic desire as opposed to an external agenda. 

Part Two looks more closely at the difference between change that relies on effort and the kind that doesn’t . Knowing the difference can spare you from unnecessary shame or disappointment if your goals meet with frustration.

Task-oriented goals are based in a step-by step effort.

Consider the nature of a task-oriented New Year’s goal. These include taking guitar lessons, organizing the garage, or planning a trip to Paris. Achieving this kind of goal depends on completing a series of tasks that lead to a final outcome. Take organizing the garage, for example. You might need to schedule time to do it, purge unwanted items or purchase shelves to store what’s left. I’m not saying it’s necessarily easy. My point is that achieving this kind of goal is a matter of completing steps that can be efforted.

Personal transformation cannot be efforted.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at a New Year’s resolution focused on personal transformation. This might include letting go of a grudge, being less judgmental or loving with an open heart. Contrary to some self-help philosophies, these kinds of changes do not come about from positive thinking, daily affirmations or exerting will power. These may support the change but when it comes to the actual shift, they don’t play an active part. “Emotional, spiritual and physiological processes are not subject to human will.” This powerful statement came from NARM founder Dr. Larry Heller at a symposium in Berkeley, CA I attended this past summer that explored the interplay of psychology and spirituality.

Approaching change from a NARM perspective assumes that these internal states are possible, of course, but they may be inaccessible due to a variety of reasons. These include environmental factors, the biorhythms of our timing, misinformation or a diminished awareness around the issue to begin with. Furthermore, because of the somatic nature of each of the processes Dr. Heller named, efforting is the wrong tool for the job. The part of the brain that’s responsible for rational, controlled action has no direct influence over the part that runs the autonomic functions of the body (including emotional experience). When we consider the variety of complex contributing factors of our inner experience, it makes sense that any simple approach will fall short.

Then why try to make lasting changes?

When you understand the complexity of these contributing factors you can avoid unnecessary self-blame or discouragement that might show up if you’re not able to effort your way into states like forgiveness, joy or compassion. It doesn’t mean it’s pointless to desire them. It means it’s helpful to be clear on what parts of those experiences you have influence on or not. This kind of clarity comes from patience, non-judgment and acknowledging you have the right to change or not (and that this choice matters).

NARM is a powerful clinical model that supports these kinds of complex processes, but this isn’t a plug for NARM. The kind of support that facilitates personal transformation comes from a variety of sources like a trusted spiritual leader, a true friend, communication with the divine or from your own intuition. 

When you know the difference between short term, task-oriented goals and the delicate, nuanced path to inner transformation you can approach the new year from a wiser perspective when it comes to personal growth.

Creating Lasting Change: Part One

4 Ways to Create and Examine Lasting Change

Dietary supplements, self-help books promising lasting change, gym memberships, storage containers… the list could go on and on. These products grab for our attention each January and with good reason. If it isn’t the excess of the holidays that creates a momentum toward change, then it’s the turn of the calendar to a new year that prompts you to consider areas of your life that could stand a bit of improvement. I’m not opposed to taking personal inventory, setting goals, or cultivating personal growth. After all, the hallmark of my professional field is change and transformation. However, I do think it’s worth pausing to reflect on the dynamics and motivation for change. Doing so helps you proceed in a more deliberate and therefore satisfying fashion. In making change, here are some thoughts on what to watch for and consider.

Lasting change happens incrementally and often at a subtle level.

One of the critical facets of the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM)—the modality I use when working with developmental trauma—is to reflect back to my clients when change is happening. For example, a client may share an exchange with a friend in which they’ve set and held a good boundary. We pause to reflect on how that’s different from a month ago, six months ago, a year ago, etc. We do so to allow the difference to marinate at an emotional, somatic and intellectual level. Why take the time? The reality is that when it comes to our own process, we may be too deep in the forest to see the trees. In other words, we’re not likely to notice subtle shifts when they occur. Add to that the common cultural expectation for instant or dramatic gratification and we’re even less likely to register the difference as change.  

Just as we use tools like a scale or a ruler to measure small fluctuations, objective observations from a therapist, friends or family can help us internalize the sense that we’re achieving what it is we say we want.

When a desire for change is genuinely our own, motivation goes up and the likelihood of success improves.

Consider one of the goals you may have for 2020 and then look at what’s driving the desire. The more honest you can be, the better. Is it social trends? Parental expectations? Job demands? If so, the motivation is coming from an external agenda. You’re probably familiar with the somatic characteristics of these kinds of pressures. They may show up as a headache, a weight in the stomach or tightness in the shoulders. If you give them some mindful attention, you may even notice the sensations carry a “rule” you learned growing up. Some examples are “authority knows best”, “trusting your instincts is bad” or “beauty guarantees acceptance.” To make it more complicated, these introjects (ideas and attitudes unconsciously adopted from others) may have been at work for so long, you might simply take them for truth and not see them for what they are—outgrown identifications subject to change.  

The bottom line is that outside agendas aren’t well received by our authentic Self and tend to garnish some resistance. On the other hand, if our motivation stems from an inner-sanctioned source—a place within us we know we can trust—then the outlook for lasting change is better. 

Defining Trauma: What is Trauma?

Defining Trauma: What is Trauma?

As a trauma specialist, I’m often asked, “How do you define trauma?” Trauma is a word we hear and use often, but what does it really mean? Before defining trauma, it’s important to acknowledge that while tidy definitions are helpful, the essence of trauma is anything but. 

Trauma is often explained through many lenses. My own understanding is influenced by the leading voices in the field of trauma theory and somatic psychology. These leaders include Peter Levine, Bessel van der Kolk, Larry Heller and Donald Kalsched.

Now let’s take a closer look.

Trauma happens when something is “too much”

Consider that at any given moment your mind, body and psyche are processing innumerable pieces of information. It makes use of what it needs and gets rid of the rest. Take your gastrointestinal system, for example. When you eat an apple slowly, you’re giving your body time to take in what’s useful and discard what’s not. Taking the time allows you to absorb and metabolize the fruit. Imagine what would happen if you hurried through not just one apple, but four or five. Or what if you swallowed a whole bushel of apples all at once? Not only is it impossible to digest, but all the organs involved would suffer serious damage and collapse. 

This last scenario obviously couldn’t happen in real life, but the dramatization helps get us closer to defining trauma. An experience that is “too” anything for you to process (rapid, intense, terrifying, unexpected, prolonged, etc.) and that carries a direct threat to basic safety and survival is considered traumatic. The resulting effect is a fragmentation and shut down of your internal systems on a variety of levels.

To understand more about different categories of trauma, please read the next blogpost: “Defining Trauma: Understanding Types of Trauma.”

Defining Trauma: Understanding Types of Trauma

Defining Trauma: Understanding Types of Trauma

The next step in defining trauma is understanding types of trauma. Trauma categories make it seem like trauma can be neatly analyzed, which simply isn’t true. The reality of trauma is far more complex. An important part of trauma healing is psychoeducation. This means using our brain to understand the process that our body, mind and psyche are going through.

To understand trauma, it’s important to recognize the three categories or types of trauma:

• Shock trauma results when our self-protective responses (fight, flight or freeze) fail to protect us against a one-time event that threatens our safety and survival. Such events might include: an earthquake, hurricane or other major natural disaster; car accident, physical or sexual assault, acute medical intervention like a surgery, intubation or being placed on life support; and witnessing a violent act, to name a few. The impact of shock trauma is mainly to a person’s physiology (circadian rhythms, appetite, mood, etc.) and may even result in a diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

• Developmental trauma is significant impact to the development of the personality during the critical stages of human development (conception to young adulthood). This includes chronic exposure to abuse or neglect, suffering debilitating loss (e.g., forced migration or the death of a loved one), being teased and bullied, living with a chronic medical condition, or experiencing war-time conditions during the critical stages of human development. The main impact of developmental trauma is primarily to a person’s identity, sense of worth, ability to engage with others and maintain healthy relationships. If developmental trauma is severe enough, it can result in a personality disorder diagnosis.

• Complex trauma is the combination of the first two categories and may include a diagnosis of Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD).

If you’ve experienced any of these three trauma types, you may be a good candidate for somatic therapy. Please reach out directly for more information and help.