Ever feel a disconnect between your rational and emotional self? You know, that moment when you find yourself cycling through an old and unhelpful pattern despite knowing exactly what you want to do. It can be so frustrating and difficult to enact change! Why is that? Better yet, what can we do about it?

Oftentimes in therapy, we are acquainted with a top-down approach of emotional processing. What this means is that we focus on conscious thought processes as a means of changing our emotions and behaviors. The idea is that if we shift our thoughts, this will in turn shift how we feel about and respond to situational triggers. Sometimes however, we can find ourselves hitting a wall with these approaches. If this is the case, it might be worthwhile to consider bottom-up approaches that focus on engaging bodily sensations, experiences, and physiological states as a means to process deeper layers of our unconscious experiences.

Introducing: Sensorimotor Psychotherapy

One approach that beautifully addresses the mind-body experience is Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP). Developed by Dr. Pat Ogden in the 1980s, SP combines traditional talk therapy components with body focused techniques to create awareness around physiological and psychological responses to distress. Through body based movement, individuals are able to process and release emotions, regulate their nervous system, and heal from traumatic experiences.

Foundational Pillars of SP

There are several fundamental components of Sensorimotor work, which include somatic awareness, release & regulation, and integration.

Awareness:
In SP, we tune in with how your body responds to activating experiences. We bring mindful awareness to changes observed in muscle tensions, breathing patterns, posture, and internal sensations. By tracking these internal and external shifts with curiosity, we create insight around how your body responds to experiences of distress.
Release:
From here, we then explore avenues to discharge areas of stuckness. Trauma is often the result of incomplete defensive responses experienced in a survival state. Therefore, somatic release focuses on the completion of these cycles as a means of resetting our nervous system. This might look like a sigh or deep breath, trembling or shaking, tears and laughter, or slow and intentional movements.
Regulation:
As we engage in somatic processing, it is important to maintain access to safety. Titrating allow us to move back and forth between experiences of dysregulation and feelings of safety. We can do so by engaging in regulatory practices that help us ground, resource, orient, and return to our breath when we find ourselves shifting into states of hyper- or hypo-arousal. In doing so, we build trust in our nervous system to tolerate distress and know that it can return to safety.
Integration:
When we reach the point of integration, we experience a shift in our relationship with the past. Our bodies no longer feel as reactive to prior triggers of distress. We may experience clarity around our relationship with self and others, find new messages and beliefs surface in relation to the past, and ultimately feel more connected, present, and empowered in ourselves.

Is Sensorimotor Psychotherapy right for me?

Great question! If you have ever felt stuck in traditional talk therapy, SP may offer a different pathway to access and process your emotional experiences. In addition, SP is also helpful for those struggling with single or complex trauma, anxiety and panic disorders, depression, chronic pain and illnesses, body dysmorphia, eating disorders, grief, and loss. In general, SP is a great therapeutic modality for those interested in tuning in with their body as a means to heal from and process difficult experiences. This modality is embedded with kindness, curiosity, compassion, and presence, which can be deeply regulating for individuals who find their nervous system easily overwhelmed.

What else should I know about SP?

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is a collaborative experience that is founded in safety, trust, and respect. The relationship that you share with your therapist is an essential component of your capacity to process and heal within this space. It is important to find a provider that you feel connected with. Not only will your therapist help track and guide you through experiences of dysregulation, they will also support your feelings of autonomy and choice in the pace, intensity, and depth of your work together.

If you’re interested in learning more about SP or getting connected, our licensed clinician Stephanie Shao, LCSW is trained in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy and would be happy to chat with you! You can book a 15-minute consultation call at: https://www.nourishedwellnessgroup.com/stephanie-shao.