Somatic Experiencing® (SE™) is a body-based approach to healing trauma and chronic stress.  Developed by Dr Peter Levine, SE™ supports the nervous system in resolving the physiological effects of trauma by working with the body’s natural rhythms, rather than revisiting or re-telling traumatic stories.

Trauma isn’t in the event itself, but in how the nervous system responds when overwhelmed.  SE™ gently guides the body to deactivate survival energy and restore balance.  This process can bring relief to long-standing symptoms (physical, emotional, and relational) even when talking therapies haven’t.

How SE™ Works

SE™ supports the body’s capacity to self-regulate by working at the level of sensation, movement, and instinct.  Rather than reliving traumatic memories, SE™ focuses on the ‘felt sense’ the moment-to-moment physical experience in the body, to gradually release bound survival energy and restore equilibrium.

Some key principles of SE™:

• Stabilisation before processing: SE™ first supports safety and regulation before approaching any traumatic material.

• Titration: SE™ works slowly, with small amounts of activation at a time, so that healing is integrated rather than overwhelming.

• Pendulation: Clients are guided to move between activation and resource states, helping the nervous system reintegrate this natural internal movement.

• Working from the edges: SE™ often begins away from the most intense part of the trauma, approaching it indirectly and gently.

• Trust in the body: SE™ helps clients reconnect with their internal resources, growing their capacity to feel and trust their bodily experience.

This gradual and resourced process helps renegotiate trauma without retraumatisation, allowing people to feel more present, empowered, and connected in their lives.

How SE™ Differs from Talk Therapy

SE™ is a bottom-up approach, working with the body’s physiology and survival systems, rather than beginning with thoughts or emotions.  While cognitive and emotional insights may emerge, they arise as a natural part of the somatic process rather than being the focus.

Traditional talk therapy can sometimes overwhelm the nervous system when trauma is discussed without adequate regulation.  SE™ gently supports the body to complete interrupted survival responses, helping restore the natural flow of life force, without needing to relive the past.

Who Can Benefit from Somatic Experiencing®?

Anyone seeking to reconnect with their body’s natural ability to heal and regulate can benefit from Somatic Experiencing®.  SE™ can be supportive for people of all ages who’ve experienced:

• Car accidents, falls, or sports injuries

• Medical trauma or surgery

• Physical or sexual assault, abuse, or violence

• Developmental trauma, neglect, or abandonment

• Loss, grief, or prolonged stress

• Birth trauma or early attachment disruptions

• Natural disasters or witnessing traumatic events

Even when trauma is not consciously remembered, its effects may show up in symptoms like anxiety, chronic pain, emotional reactivity, dissociation, or shutdown.  SE™ works gently to unwind these patterns, helping restore a sense of safety, connection, and vitality.

Through Somatic Experiencing®, many people rediscover their innate capacity to heal.  Over time, this work can support deeper presence, more authentic relationships, and a greater sense of aliveness in everyday life.