Somatic Psychotherapy
Somatic Psychotherapy was Developed by: "Contemporary somatic (ie body-oriented) psychotherapy has evolved considerably since its origins in the bodily-based work of Janet, and the Freudian drive based theories developed by Wilhelm Reich in the 1920's - 40's. Reich's energy and character models of somatic psychotherapy have been extended by therapists such as Lowen, Pierrakos and Keleman in the USA, and have been substantially modified by the outstandingly creative work of Boyesen and Boadella in the UK and on the continent." ~ Excerpt from www.somaticpsychotherapy.com
Overview of Somatic Psychotherapy: "Contemporary Somatic Psychotherapy embraces a comprehensive and holistic approach to personal growth and development. This approach acknowledges that all facets of human experience are interrelated: that the processes of the body/mind not only affect and reflect each other, but are interfunctioning aspects of a person's whole being, and that each person's individual history, their cultural/biological context and somatically-based subjective reality are all inextricably interconnected.
Contemporary Somatic Psychotherapy is very different from conventional forms of 'body-work' in that the focus of the work is very clearly psychotherapeutically based; it is a psychotherapy that involves the potential for working not only verbally but also bodily. Unlike most systems of 'body-work', the way in which both therapist and client organize their individual and their relational experiences in the therapeutic relationship is an important feature of contemporary somatic psychotherapy. This work recognizes that central to each person's sense of Self are fundamental somatic action and sensing/feeling patterns developed from early childhood as well as throughout the life cycle and that the organization of these patterns in the body/mind needs to be included in any comprehensive therapeutic work. The Self, according to this way of constructing human experience, is a body self. This way of working is not antagonistic to verbal systems of psychotherapy but is instead supportive of including the body in the psychotherapy encounter.
Contemporary Somatic Psychotherapy is based on the assumption that if we think of a person as having a 'body' and a 'mind' (quite a usual way of thinking in western culture), that we create distortions in our understanding of the complexity of interconnections out of which the process of 'embodied experience' arises. These distortions are played out in both the theory and practice of most verbally based psychotherapies, to such an extent that many aspects of somatically based human experience that could enter the psychotherapy encounter are ignored or dismissed as being irrelevant. This also means that certain toxic cultural practices remain unexamined while individuals are pathologised. By including critical reflection on toxic cultural practices, as well as including the body in its field of awareness and practice, contemporary somatic psychotherapy maintains the radical tradition that has been central to the work of body-oriented psychotherapy since its earliest beginnings.
'Embodied experience' interweaves biology and culture in a dynamic interplay and the psychotherapy work engages both therapist and client in a process of change that places primacy on this conjunction of biology and culture, where the concept of individual 'pathology' is replaced by the concept of 'appropriate adaptation' to cultural contexts. Thus the somatic psychotherapy process becomes one of experiencing and critically reflecting upon these culturally adaptive patterns within the context of new experiences that emerge within the therapeutic encounter. It is out of the emerging process of these new somatically based experiences that fundamental changes are initiated. The changes are not simply cognitive changes but deep somatically experienced and somatically anchored transformations to action/feeling/thinking patterns from which the organization of being with oneself, of being with self and others and being in the world, arise. In other words the somatically based experience of the person and the orientation to their social context is profoundly reorganized.
Contemporary Somatic Psychotherapy is ethically based practice in that in a consideration of what is appropriate behaviour and practice within the psychotherapeutic context the issue becomes one of what is in the best interests of both the client and the therapist in the process of change on which they have embarked. It is also acknowledged that all psychotherapy theories (including somatic based theories) invoke particular ethical practices, either explicitly or implicitly, and we need to ask ourselves, as Foucault suggests, whose interests are best served by these practices; who gains power. Thus Contemporary Somatic Psychotherapy moves away from the idea of ethical rules to a position of negotiated relationships based on the individual and cultural contexts in which therapist and client are embedded." ~ Excerpt from somaticpsychotherapy.com
Resources Related to Somatic Psychotherapy:
Official Website for Somatic Psychotherapy - United States Association for Body Psychotherapy
Bodynamicusa.com
Wikipedia's Page about Somatic Psychology
European Associate for Body-Psychotherapy
Energy & Character (Magazine Subscription)
http://www.asaseraizes.pt/docs/energy.pdf
Books Related to Somatic Psychotherapy:
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This research is fantastic. I think there are probably too many times in the past where people have been able to fake their way through their sessions because of a lack of attention from a therapist or a counselor. It is crucial that these physical cues are picked up on, because as we all know, body language is a silent language that speaks volumes about what is really going on inside. I have noticed these same things in people who may say for example that everything is fine as they are nervously pacing or doing something else that they perceive to comfort them. I hope that there are others who get clued into this and take this to heart at each of their next therapy sessions. I think that it is this kind of research and work which will be the saving grace for many people and will once again allow therapy to be an essential and helpful tool for many to utilize and make better sense of their lives.
Wow, the work you have put forth here is amazing. It makes me appreciate the work I do with my therapist all the more. The attention and thought that goes into our sessions is not just one-sided!
I agree with Maggie and Lisa Marie. I am glad that people are starting to pay closer attention to not only the words coming from patients but also the nonverbal ways that they are communicating as well. I am sure this is going to help many patients be more successful with therapy than ever before.
Great article! I also agree that body language will give off some clues when there are not verbal language to pick up on. This research I believe is very needed.
Does this mean that good old fashioned talk therapy has been thrown to the wayside and that therapists now have to be mind readers too? Come on people! If you need help say what you mean and mean what you say so that these people who are trained to help you can do their jobs!
I applaud the therapist who can recognize the non verbal language. We need many, if not, all therapist to practice this and help the people who are afraid to verbalize their emotions and act upon the body language they are giving off.
There are so many people out there for whom communicating verbally is a threat yet they can never seem to hide their emotions and what they really have to say when it comes to non verbal communication. They do things like wring their hands, develop nervous facial tics, even roll their eyes and sigh. These are things that we all need to be on the lookout for. It is not always easy to get someone to talk about what is going on inside but you can typically get a good read from them based on their expressions and other forms of non verbal communication. I hope that more therapists can find a way to get in tune with their patients in this manner.
Thank you for a beautifully written article that can appeal to both the practitioner and the client- those familiar and unfamiliar with this topic.
Wow... this seems like a good and holistic approach at solving a difficult problem. We as humans are not designed to express everything completely through our vocal senses... more of it can be expressed through other mediums and our body is such a medium. And a therapy technique that observes the body seems like a very good way forward.
Body movements and body language speak more than what a person can verbally and it is only right that this is incorporated in therapy to have a deeper understanding of the problem and in the faster search of a solution.
Pat and Katie, thank you for your comments. You are both so right on, the body has such a powerful way to communicate and express. In this months article, we begin to explore why this is so, from a neurological perspective. Stay tuned!!
It is no doubt that what we do regularly and more repeatedly becomes who we are and quite often what we are too. We can use this to our advantage and be involved in activites that will actually make us better people. Its like having a bag of goodies that we can use to our benefit...
Always glad to see more research being done in areas that are going to be so worthwhile to all of us in the very near future. Kind of gets frustrating sometimes when I see and think that research dollars are going to waste, but this is one where I think they have hit the needs right on the mark.
Shaun, you are so right. The brain is plastic, it can grow and change. This is why mindfulness is so powerful, becuase it actually grows cells in the brain (neurogenesis) in areas that are connected to empathy, compassion, etc. Keep in mind that while the certain parts of the brain as plastic throughout life, many areas are only so during those first few years. This is why the environment into which a child is born, the quality of nurturing, is so incredibly important. It will determine our character structure, our personality, our way of being for the rest of our lives!
Georgia, yes!!! Very important and useful research!! I've also found that the more we come to understand about the neuroscience of various mental illnesses, the greater amount of compassion and tolerance people seem to have for individuals with those issues. Maybe it puts mental illness more on par with other diseases like cancer? The phrase "it's all in your head" begins to fall apart doesn't it?
I am a doctor by profession and I strongly believe in Core Energetics...the one and only reason that drew me to Core Energetics is the second point that you have mentioned in this article, the ability to heal being within a person. Although I have myself prescribed meds to many patients throughout my career, I have come to realize that a person does not cure until and unless he actually wants to...a person, no matter how many meds are given, cannot cure against his own will.
Strongly believe that the body has the ability to heal itself- the trick is getting the mind to buy into that as well.
i agree that mind and body are inseperable...while the body cannot even move without the permission of the mind, the mind also depends on the body... both of these constitute the whole perspective of being the person that each one of us is.
All of those public service announcements from years ago that preached that a mind is a terrible thing to waste had it right all along!
Sometimes all that study and training does not work but simple things can! This sounds like one of those incidents... A loving embrace can do wonders for a troubled individual, and it has been proved by your description.
Yes, sometimes all one needs is for them to know that there is someone for them and that sense of security...the little boy mentioned here, Tony, has never had a real family and has not even had a long time foster care relationship...maybe he was able to connect with you and hence needed you to be by his side...love and care will often help such people a lot.
What a sad beginning to this little boy's life but in the end shows how a meaningful relationship can develop with someone who cares. But boy can it take effort to create those relationships in cases like this! I applaud the energy and the giving spirit that one must have to champion through this and to bring light to this little boy who had missed that for so much of his life.