Somatic Experiencing
Somatic Experiencing® (SE) is a body-based approach to healing trauma, stress, and dysregulation developed by Dr. Peter Levine. SE gently supports the nervous system in completing unfinished survival responses, releasing stored stress and trauma, and restoring balance.
Rather than retelling or reliving painful memories, SE invites you to notice and track physical sensations, emotions, and impulses—allowing the body to resolve what has been held in tension, shutdown, or overwhelm.
This is slow, intentional, and deeply respectful work. It’s not about fixing. It’s about listening—closely, lovingly, and somatically.
Learn More at www.traumahealing.org
Why the Body?
When something overwhelming happens—whether a big event or a slow, chronic stress—our nervous system may become stuck in fight, flight, freeze, or collapse.
These states live not in our stories, but in our breath, our posture, our muscles, our sense of safety.
SE offers a way to gently guide the body back into regulation, without needing to revisit trauma cognitively.
Through attuned presence and nervous system tracking, we create the conditions for the body to complete what was once interrupted—releasing stored energy and restoring flow.
What SE Can Support
Somatic Experiencing may be helpful for:
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Trauma (developmental, relational, shock, or complex)
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Anxiety, panic, or chronic stress
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Burnout and emotional overwhelm
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Boundaries, voice, and self-regulation
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Chronic pain or medical trauma
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Feeling "stuck" or disconnected from your body or emotions
This work meets you where you are—no force, no rush.
What Happens in a SE Session?
SE sessions are gentle, collaborative, and guided by curiosity.
You’ll be invited to explore:
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Subtle body sensations
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Images, movements, or memories that arise
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Breath, grounding, and orientation practices
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Micro-shifts between activation and safety
We’ll track your nervous system together, moment by moment, so that you can begin to feel more regulated, empowered, and embodied.
Sessions may be done seated, lying down, or standing—always with full consent and co-regulation.
Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness.
Peter Levine
You don’t need to push through it.
You don’t need to understand it all.
You just need a space where your body is welcome share it's story.