About Somatic Experiencing


What is Somatic Experiencing (SE)®?
Somatic Experiencing (SE)® is a body-oriented approach developed by Dr. Peter A. Levine to overcome shock, attachment, and developmental trauma. It is based on the neurobiology of stress and trauma, particularly the polyvagal theory. Because traumatic stress is stored in the body and manifests as PTSD, anxiety, depression, or chronic pain, etc. SE renegotiates trauma physically, mentally, and emotionally. By tracking bodily sensations and natural self-protective impulses, the nervous system experiences that the danger is over. This brings the stress cycle to completion, restoring safety, presence, and agency.

What is trauma?
Trauma occurs when the organism is overwhelmed by events that are "too much, too soon, or too fast" for the nervous system to handle. If this mobilized survival energy cannot be released, the system loses its capacity to self-regulate. Trauma is not the event itself, but what remains held inside the body in the absence of an empathetic witness, It is also connected to the resources we have and to the ability to maintain agency. 

How does SE work?
SE restores the nervous system's natural ability to self-regulate—moving freely between activation and deactivation and supporting resilience and stability. We work in a resource-oriented way at the pace of your own system. Instead of focusing on the story, we work with the felt sense, tracking present-moment bodily sensations, impulses, emotions, and inner images. By gently shifting attention between areas of discomfort and ease (titration), deep blockages can dissolve. Because the focus is on the physical impact, SE can be highly effective without needing to talk about or know the details of the past event.

"If we follow the inner body's sensations, tensions, tingling, vibration, trembling, warmth, waves of warmth, all of these things take us into a new experience, an experience that directly counters overwhelming helplessness. It helps us to have these new experiences, and from these new experiences, to have new meanings. Not fixed beliefs, but new meanings.“

Dr. Peter Levine

What does a session look like?
A session takes place sitting in chairs. We begin by arriving and allowing the body to orient, connecting to a safe and grounded state. We then check in with what feels present in the moment. Together, we track your somatic experience—sensations, images, or emotions—sometimes incorporating gentle movement and exercises. We do not analyze the story; instead, we invite the nervous system to shift between activation and settling. Every session follows your manageable pace to gently guide your system back into safety, flow, and stability.

You can explore more about Somatic Experiencing on its official informational resources and here: