Somatic Experiencing
in Detroit, Ann Arbor, and Throughout Michigan
“Trauma is not what happens to us, but what we hold inside in the absence of an empathetic witness.”
-Peter Levine
You feel mystified and confused by your body’s sensations.
You wonder why you feel certain sensations on the inside when it doesn’t make logical sense on the outside.
It seems like you feel your emotions and sensations more deeply than others.
Besides feeling scared and stressed, it’s hard to identify how or what you are feeling. You react without thinking and don’t understand why you make certain choices. Your past has led you to mistrust yourself and the world. The hurt you experienced took away your voice so it’s hard to say no or speak your truth. You can only mask for so long without breaking down. With Somatic Experiencing, you no longer have to power through your pain. You can gain curiosity about the sensations in your body, manage your emotions more effectively, trust and listen to your instincts, and reclaim your voice. It is possible to feel safe and at home in your body.
What is Somatic Experiencing®?
Somatic Experiencing is a type of Somatic Therapy. Somatic therapies are different than traditional talk therapy. Talk therapy is not always enough to recover from trauma. Somatic therapy asks the question, “How does the story show up in the body?” By bringing the body into treatment and understanding what the nervous system did not get to do during the traumatic event, we can work to release what is trapped inside.
Trauma and PTSD may result from a wide variety of stressors such as accidents, invasive medical procedures, pandemics (including Covid 19), racial trauma and genocide, historical trauma, sexual or physical assault, emotional abuse, neglect, war, natural disasters, loss, birth trauma, or the corrosive stressors of ongoing fear and conflict.
Is Somatic Experiencing a treatment for PTSD?
Yes, it is a treatment for PTSD in addition to anxiety, stress and trauma. With the guide of a trained Somatic Experiencing therapist, the nervous system’s self-protection responses (fight, flight, freeze) are completed and survival energy that is bound in the body can be released.
Through Somatic Experiencing, we are addressing the root cause of the trauma symptoms, not only the the external manifestations such as flashbacks, nightmares and hypervigilence.
Somatic Experiencing does not require us to have conscious knowledge or memory of the trauma event(s). It does not require us to retell our story over again. Finally, our nervous systems story can be heard in a safe and contained way.
Is Somatic Experiencing Evidence Based?
Dr. Peter Levine developed Somatic Experiencing based on the observation that animals in the wild are not traumatized even though they are constantly under threat. Humans also have the innate capacity to heal, if given the right conditions. By following the memory of the body (rather than solely the memory of the mind), we can become aware of where in the threat cycle (fight, flight, freeze) our defenses were impeded, giving us the opportunity to complete these response.
Research has shown that people who have the best outcomes in therapy are in touch with their felt sense aka are able to describe present moment sensations. Somatic Experiencing helps people get in touch with and track their sensations.
Click here if you are interested in learning more about clinical research trials.
What to Expect in a Somatic Experiencing Session.
In a Somatic Experiencing session, the first step is to create a sense of safety and stability. You are not required to share your trauma history. You will be invited to slow you down to check in with your body and notice internal sensations or emotions as you talk. You will learn how to tune into your body’s wisdom and trust these signals. You will gain access to the intuitive knowing of what is the next step to take in situations to feel more present, connected and engaged. The goal is not to “buckle down” or grit your teeth and bear this experience. Your therapist will be with you every step of the way to both guide and follow you on this healing journey.
Start Somatic Experiencing in Michigan
Step 1: Free Consultation
Click here to schedule a free 15 minute consultation! You will speak with the clinical director who will learn more about you, answer any questions you have and match you with a therapist who we think will be a great fit!
Step 2: Begin Therapy
At the consultation, we will schedule your first appointment. Then you will sign up for a free online portal, complete the required documents and log on to meet your therapist!
Step 3: Start Feeling Better
Together with your therapist, you will come up with a treatment plan to meet your needs. This includes how often you will see your therapist, what your goals are and the best types of therapy that will help you start feeling better.
Due to Michigan state licensing requirements, all patients must reside in Michigan at the time of service to participate in our online therapy Michigan services.
We only offer online counseling and do not have in-person options.
We are in network with Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO and Blue Care Network plans. Otherwise, we are an out-of-network provider and can provide superbills for reimbursement from your insurance. Our private pay fees start at 170+ depending on the therapist.
Somatic Experiencing Therapists
Other Online Therapy Services in Michigan
At our metro Detroit based counseling center, we are not one sized fits all. In addition to Somatic Experiencing, we offer other holistic approaches to trauma therapy and PTSD treatment including Internal Family Systems, Somatic therapy, EMDR therapy and DBT. Our therapists also specialize in depression treatment, anxiety treatment and empath counseling for teenagers and adults. Nosotros tambien ofrecemos terapia en español en Detroit y otras partes de Michigan. Today is the day you can start feeling better by visiting our Detroit-based practice!