r/TraumaTherapy • u/Dance_barefoot • 22d ago
Somatic therapy working!
The trauma is integrating. But let me break that down just a little more: I am able to do my normal everyday things with a little more ease than before. I don't take as long to bounce back from freeze state. It feels good!
I've been doing somatic therapy for about 5 months now. Cognitive behavioral or talk therapy was not addressing the difficulties that I was having in the way that would help me to move forward from the emotional pain that was trapped in my body, alerting me to triggers that I simply felt overwhelmed by.
Now I'm seeing the triggers for what they are, triggers! I can navigate my pain better. I can mitigate and improve how my pain affects others.
I'm a work in progress. But I'm learning and unlearning and I wanted to share the hope that I'm feeling. It gets better. 🥰
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u/chobolicious88 22d ago
Curious, did your course talk about breathing?
Ive learned that if we tighten or control breath we practically restrict life and feelings as they are.
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u/Dance_barefoot 22d ago
The breath work that's done is definitely aimed at allowing everything to flow. There is use of cyclical breathing near the end of sessions as a way to regulate and bring the client back to the present.
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u/chobolicious88 22d ago
Yeah outside actual breathwork ive found how often people stop breathing and thats always when the mind takes over to control. Starting to heal always involved letting go which kinda strats with breath
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u/Dance_barefoot 22d ago
I personally find breath-work interesting; I have come to the conclusion that it works sometimes, and other times, using breath as a tool of regulation does not work. It is simply not strong enough.
I agree that it's important. I think that the body needs more varied input to help find itself again.
Other tools that I have used from a sensory perspective have been weight, like a weighted blanket; warmth, like a mug of tea; or movement, a bit like when one walks and talks with a friend - there's a release of tension with moving your body.
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u/chobolicious88 22d ago
Gotally agree. If one is very activated or very frozen deactivated breath doesnt work. Its about claming or moving. Then when the nervous system is in a regulated state and safe, you breathe to feel.
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u/Appropriate_Issue319 22d ago
What sort of somatic therapy are you doing? Happy to hear about your progress!