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SomaticTherapy in Ontario
Somatic therapy is a body-centered therapeutic approach used to explore how life experience, trauma and stress manifest in the body. It aims to bring greater awareness into how the body stores and expresses emotions and memories, and can help to release and change those processes for better resilience and healing.
What is somatic therapy?
Somatic therapy is a therapeutic approach that focuses on the connection between our bodies and minds. This approach works to heal trauma by creating awareness of how traumatic events manifest themselves in the body.
There are different forms of somatic counselling, but the unifying belief is that the mind and body are deeply connected, and mental unease can be stored physically as well as mentally.
Since these negative emotions can be expressed in the body, this type of therapy involves helping clients connect with their bodies and the physical sensations they experience.
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How does somatic therapy work?
Somatic therapy works to develop an awareness of the mind-body connection. Negative experiences can cause a person to get stuck in a fight/flight/freeze response, feel trapped or numb, or experience other physical sensations. Through somatic psychotherapy, your counsellor will help you move away from those responses and recognize you have the resources needed to self-regulate your emotions.
Your counsellor will help you connect with your body using a number of bodywork techniques such as:
Breathing exercises
- Breathing exercises
- Sensation awareness
- Physical movement
- Mindfulness
- Grounding exercises
What can somatic therapy help with?
Somatic therapy can be used to treat many mental health conditions. Just as everyone’s mental health journey is unique, individual treatment plans are also tailored to each person. Some conditions have been shown to respond well to somatic therapy such as:
How is somatic therapy different from traditional talk therapy (CBT)?
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), is what we think of as talk therapy. This type of therapy uses a “top-down” approach as it focuses on our thoughts and feelings first.
Through a “bottom-down” approach such as somatic therapy, we focus on the body first. We work to identify physical sensations caused by trauma or other negative experiences. Once we identify these sensations, we can learn how to self-regulate and adjust our physical responses.
Through body awareness and somatic therapy, a person can begin to feel safe in their body and regulate their nervous system. This creates room for new, positive sensations and a general feeling of being in control of oneself.
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Find a Somatic Therapist in Ontario
Many of our therapists offer somatic therapy for individuals, couples, families, children, and youth virtually across Ontario, with in-person options in London, Toronto, and Barrie. Our Client Care Team can help you find a therapist whose expertise and approach match your needs.
