SOMATIC HEALING &
POST TRAUMATIC GROWTH
When we settle the body we allow wisdom to come through. It can be hard to hear in the noise of arousal. Settled bodies access compassion and curiosity much more easily than activated ones.
When we focus on deep healing, we must listen closely to the body. Somatic therapy is a body based approach which offers us a “bottom up” way of working with our wounding: we listen to and work directly with the sensations and impulses in our bodies. Sensorimotor approaches will help us develop the somatic and imaginal resources we need to help our nervous system feel safe and offers us a way to physically move distressing memories through our bodies.
So many of us are disconnected from our bodies because our bodies hold our pain. However, our bodies can be our best ally and tell us important information-- like when our needs are not getting met or when we need a boundary. Our bodies have a natural intelligence and a natural ability to heal. When we listen deeply and heal, we grow. We cannot control what happens to us, but we can chose what we do with our pain. Through our work together you may notice that your trauma can help you grow in surprising ways.
Signs of Post-Traumatic Growth can include:
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Spiritual Development
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Recognition and Utilization of Personal Strength
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Closer and More Satisfying Relationships
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A Greater Appreciation for Life
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New Possibilities for the Future and Greater Access to Your Wisdom
"As you mend your trauma, you'll notice two opposing forces-- two different gravitational pulls in your body. The first is your body's natural urge to settle and relax. The second is your body's equally natural urge to protect itself. This can manifest as activation, an urge to move. It can also appear as constriction. During the early phases of healing, you may feel far more protective energy than settling energy. You may find it difficult to settle your body. Protective energy may surge through you, making you antsy or anxious. All of this is common and normal... Just be patient with yourself."
Resmaa Menaken, My Grandmother's Hands: Racialized Trauma and the Pathway to Mending Our Hearts and Bodies, p. 179
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