They might simply be better off with a more traditional talk therapy treatment. Not everyone may take to or even need somatic therapy. Possible Shortcomings Of Somatic PsychologyĮveryone is different, so therapists must ensure that they work to find the treatment that’s best suited for that individual. This is because it can make you more self-aware and mindful of what you say and how you present yourself when it comes to body language.
#Somatic nervous system definition psychology full#
The psychologists who theorized somatic therapy, however, tend to agree that talk therapy alone may not get at the full picture, particularly pertaining to how the body absorbs trauma. That said, somatic therapy will also generally use some form of talk therapy, a staple of psychoanalysis since Sigmund Freud. In this way, somatic psychology’s holistic approach may offer a more well-rounded perspective rather than treatments that only consider the mind. The way that people “carry themselves” can often say a lot about their present and past circumstances. Practitioners of somatic therapy may also look to body language. It understands that diet and exercise play fundamental roles regarding our overall mental well-being. Since somatic therapy believes in the importance of the body, it is perhaps in a better position to recognize the important aspect of physical factors when it comes to mental health. Ultimately, the goal of somatic therapy is to identify physical and mental pain and work to heal any psychological scars inflicted by the traumatic event. together, somatic therapy aims to help release tension through the use of both physical and mental therapies (i.e. To try to heal the mind and body holistically, i.e. Somatic therapy or psychology depends on this connection between mind and body and believes that traumatic experiences create tangible changes in the human body, especially our nervous system. This was a clear refutation of much Western thought since René Descartes, who famously posited a dualism between mind and body and argued for the centrality of thought with his well-known expression, “I think therefore I am” ( Cogito ergo sum).
Peter Levine worked on apsychological approach that placed a great deal of emphasis on the body and its connection to the mind. Although he was criticized, Reich’s work led to later developments in the field of somatic psychology. Reich was convinced that to let out emotions, a corresponding physical release was necessary. He called this phenomenon “body armor” to get at the idea that our bodies can serve as protective shells following traumatic experiences. Building on his teacher Freud, the book argued that repressed emotions and personality traits can be seen in body language, muscular tension, and movement. Reich’s work was fundamental in establishing a connection between trauma and the body. Reich believed that the body should be involved with psychotherapy and he shared his theories in Character Analysis, a book he published in 1933. The word “ somatic,” from the Greek word “soma,” refers to the body (as opposed to the mind, soul, or spirit). Wilhelm Reich was once a student of Sigmund Freud and he is often credited with supplying the theoretical bases upon which somatic therapy was later built. The History And Definition Of Somatic Psychology
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