What to Expect During Naturo Therapy Sessions

 

Naturo therapists use somatic experiencing technique. Somatic Experiencing (SE) Psychotherapy is a body-focused therapy developed by Dr. Peter Levine. It’s designed to help individuals process and heal from trauma, chronic stress, and other psychological difficulties by focusing on the physical sensations in the body. The core idea behind SE is that trauma is not just a psychological experience but also stored in the body. By working with the body’s natural ability to regulate stress and resolve traumatic responses, SE helps individuals release this stored energy and regain balance.

Core Principles of Somatic Experiencing:

  1. Body Awareness: SE emphasizes tuning into the body’s sensations (e.g., tension, heat, tingling, tightness) as they arise.
  2. Pendulation: This is the process of moving between states of distress (activation) and states of calm (deactivation). It helps the nervous system “complete” trauma responses that might have been frozen or unfinished.
  3. Titration: Instead of diving deeply into traumatic memories all at once, SE uses small, gradual steps to avoid overwhelming the individual. This gentle approach allows the nervous system to slowly process trauma without re-traumatizing the person.
  4. Resource Building: SE therapists help clients build internal and external resources (such as positive memories, safe places, and supportive relationships) to ensure they feel safe and grounded during the session.

What to Expect in a 1-Hour Somatic Experiencing Session:

  1. Initial Check-In:
    • The session typically begins with a brief conversation about how you’re feeling physically, emotionally, and mentally. You might discuss recent stressors, body sensations, or emotions that are present.
    • The therapist will ask questions like, “What are you noticing in your body right now?” or “Do you feel any areas of tension or relaxation?”
  2. Body Sensation Focus:
    • Rather than diving into a traumatic memory directly, the therapist will guide you to pay attention to any physical sensations in your body. This might involve scanning your body for tightness, warmth, or numbness.
    • The goal is to gently build awareness of how your body is holding stress or trauma. You may be asked to describe what you feel in neutral, descriptive terms.
  3. Exploring the Body’s Natural Responses:
    • The therapist will work with your body’s natural responses. They might encourage you to stay with sensations or shifts in your body to allow the nervous system to process stored trauma.
    • This could involve movements like shaking, stretching, or deep breaths—whatever the body needs to discharge the stored energy. You may experience “pendulation,” moving from a state of tension to a state of relaxation, slowly guiding your nervous system back into balance.
  4. Titration and Emotional Awareness:
    • If strong emotions arise, the therapist helps you stay connected to the body while exploring these emotions. The titration approach ensures that emotions are dealt with in manageable doses so that you don’t become overwhelmed.
    • As emotions surface, the therapist helps you track any changes in your body (e.g., feeling more at ease, tension releasing).
  5. Use of Resources:
    • Throughout the session, the therapist will remind you to return to a safe or comforting image, memory, or physical sensation if things feel too intense. This “resourcing” is designed to help ground you and provide emotional regulation.
  6. Completion of Stress Response:
    • By the end of the session, the aim is to feel a sense of resolution, calm, or relaxation as your body completes a previously stuck stress response. Some people experience shaking, warmth, or a release of tension as part of this process.
  7. Debriefing and Integration:
    • After the more active part of the session, you’ll have time to discuss what you noticed, what felt significant, and how your body feels afterward.
    • The therapist may give you suggestions for practices to help integrate what you experienced, such as focusing on breathwork, mindfulness, or body scanning in your daily life.

What You Might Feel After a Session:

  • Physical sensations: You might feel physically lighter, more relaxed, or energized. Some people report a feeling of warmth or tingling in areas where tension was released.
  • Emotional release: It’s common to experience an emotional release, such as crying or feeling a sense of relief or calm after a session.
  • Groundedness: Many people report feeling more grounded, present, and connected to their body after the session.

Final Thoughts:

Somatic Experiencing is a gentle, non-invasive approach that emphasises body awareness and safety. It works at a pace that feels manageable, helping the body to process trauma naturally. In a 1-hour session, you might not dive deeply into a specific traumatic memory but rather begin to reconnect with your body’s sensations and learn how to safely discharge stress or tension. Over time, these sessions can help resolve trauma and restore balance to your nervous system.