Somatic therapy is just the most recent term for a Kinesiology and wholeness approach to healing. It emphasises the profound connection between the mind and body. Rooted in the belief that our physical experiences are deeply intertwined with our emotional and psychological states, somatic therapy offers a pathway to healing that traditional talk therapies might overlook. Somatic therapy has deep historical roots and has evolved significantly over time. Understanding its historical background provides insight into its development and the principles that underpin its practices today.
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
Over 2,500-year-old practices like acupuncture and Qigong emphasise the flow of energy (Qi) through the body and its impact on physical and mental health.
Ayurveda
Ayurveda, which originated in India around 3,000 years ago, incorporates physical practices like yoga and meditation to balance the body and mind. The Susruta-Samhita originated in the last centuries BCE and had become fixed in its present form by the 7th century CE. Writings on Indian medicine were based on these works, which analyse the human body in terms of earth, water, fire, air, and ether, as well as the three bodily qualities (vata, pitta, and kapha).
Ancient Greece
Hippocrates, the “father of medicine,” recognised the importance of treating the whole person, not just symptoms, and emphasised the mind-body connection.
Traditional Aboriginal Healing
Connection to country, spirit, dreaming, and songlines opens up deeper states of consciousness and a better understanding of how emotions are expressed through our physical bodies. Dr Gary Halz’s life work dives into these teachings, which are expressed in the secrets of Aboriginal Healing, but they are understood more now as we connect back to culture and land.
Somatic therapy is a form of body-centred therapy that explores the link between physical sensations and emotional well-being. It integrates various techniques from psychotherapy, physical therapy, mindfulness and deeply felt practices to help individuals process and release stored trauma and stress. The body holds onto experiences and memories, and by working through physical sensations, one can address deep-seated emotional issues held from trauma (PTSD), birth, transgenerational trauma and even our karmic contracts.
Somatic therapy sessions through the Kinesiology modality typically involve a combination of talk therapy and muscle testing to dive deep into the foundation of amygdala emotional response, time, and original emotions, with physical exercises, bodywork, trigger points and whatever other tools available within the kinesiology session such as oils, essences, sound, frequency, smuggling and colour. The Kinesiology difference here is the use of muscle testing to prioritise the emotion required to unravel the whole gestalt. Kinesiology draws a connection to how it started and how it is currently sitting within the body. Addressing willingness to release the issue, addressing self-sabotages, and awareness of the whole picture before the physical release from the body. Kinesiologists guide clients to tune into their bodily sensations, helping them become aware of tension, pain, or discomfort areas; the body holds the answers and knows how to keep score. Clients learn to release these physical manifestations of emotional distress through the kinesiology balance itself, occasionally requiring the reinforcement of breathwork, movement, nourishment and touch.
The Benefits of Somatic Therapy
- Trauma Release: Somatic therapy is particularly effective for individuals with trauma. By addressing the physical manifestations of trauma, clients can process and release deep-seated emotions that traditional therapies may not reach. By releasing postures and addressing other physical triggers, your body will feel lighter and younger, offering more strength and flexibility to combat future concerns.
- Stress Reduction: Physical release allows the nervous system to reset and be restored. Releasing the jaw will enhance sleep and strengthen the body’s ability to build and restore. Techniques like breathwork and grounding can help reduce chronic stress and anxiety, promoting a sense of calm and well-being.
- Enhanced Self-Awareness: Clients develop a greater awareness of their body and emotions, leading to improved self-understanding and personal growth. Ownership and understanding of their own emotional characteristics and how they take on others’ emotions are among the most empowering aspects of somatic release.
- Improved Physical Health: Releasing tension and stress from the body can lead to better physical health, including reduced pain and improved immune function. Restoring the vagal nerve tone, releasing primitive-related reflexes, and rebalancing body systems and organs will change how the body processes and utilizes food. This will ease weight management, emotional weight, and hair and skin health.
- Emotional Regulation: By learning to recognise and work with bodily sensations, clients can develop better emotional regulation skills, leading to healthier responses to stress and emotional triggers.
Who Can Benefit from Somatic Therapy?
Somatic therapy can be beneficial for anyone, but it is especially helpful for those dealing with:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Anxiety and depression
- Chronic stress
- Physical pain or nerve with no medical explanation
- Emotional dysregulation
- A desire for greater self-awareness and personal growth
The reason why I personally love kinesiology as a somatic healing modality is the awareness it brings. Sometimes, sessions require a lot of talking, digging deep and telling our stories. The body can only release that which it is willing to let go of. It needs to be safe enough to change, willing to be addressed, and have an awareness of how our emotional body is expressing itself for big change and release to occur. Without this, we stay on the emotional hampster wheel, repeating the same emotional journeys, missing the desired expansion that somatic work can bring.