“The trauma is not in the event, but in the nervous system.”
Dr. Peter A. Levine
“The trauma is not in the event, but in the nervous system.”
Dr. Peter A. Levine
Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a body-oriented approach to processing traumatic stress. It was developed by American trauma researcher Peter A. Levine.
The focus is not solely on the traumatic event, but above all on the physical reaction to it: In threatening situations, our system activates automatic protection or survival programs such as flight, fight, or freeze.
Suppose something “gets stuck” in this initial reaction, especially in the freeze response (i.e., when there is no movement or release). In that case, the nervous system can remain in a permanent state of alarm—and this results in trauma.
SE works non-verbally with what is known as “body memory”: This means that it does not rely exclusively on recounting the trauma, but rather on perceiving bodily sensations, mindful accompaniment, and supporting the natural regulation of the nervous system.
Restoring natural self-regulation in the nervous system: This means that the body should learn to switch between “alert” and “rest” modes again.
Transforming energy bound in the body that has been caused by shock or trauma—this reduces symptoms and restores vitality and security.
SE support can be helpful for:
SE work is gentle and gradual. Some typical elements:
Mindful awareness of bodily signals: e.g., where do I feel tension? Where is something still or “frozen”?
Support so that the body can gradually release the energy bound up in the process of freezing—e.g., through small movements, visualizations, or conscious regulation.
Guidance to regain trust in one's own nervous system: “My body can regulate itself.”
Integration: the experience of being safe in the here and now, as well as the experience of connection, calmness, and self-efficacy.
Traumas are not just memories or thoughts – they are also physical traces: the body has reacted, regulated – or not completely. SE starts exactly there: with the physical dimension. If the body is “still on alert,” even though the mind has moved on, residual stress remains. SE helps to make this residual alert visible, to regulate it in a tangible way, and to integrate it.
Early and complex traumas such as developmental or attachment traumas usually require more than just a body-oriented approach. A combination of approaches can therefore be useful – for example, with ego state therapy, the Internal Family Systems Model (IFS) according to Richard Schwartz, or the NARM approach according to Laurence Heller.
NARM stands for “Neuro-Affective Relationship Model,” a body-based trauma therapy that specifically targets the healing of developmental and attachment trauma (complex trauma). The approach combines psychodynamic (top-down) and somatic (bottom-up) methods to strengthen self-regulation and relationship skills.
The focus is on the connection between early, often unconscious defense mechanisms and current patterns. The goal is to recognize old, no longer helpful survival strategies and gradually dissolve them—so that more vitality, contact, and self-confidence become possible.
Somatic Experiencing is a contemporary approach to trauma processing: it combines in-depth knowledge of the nervous system with mindful, body-oriented support. The goal is not only to recount the trauma, but also to “calm” the nervous system and find a way back to safety, connection, and vitality.
Peter A. Levine (born 1942) is an American psychotherapist and trauma researcher who is best known for developing Somatic Experiencing. He earned his doctorate in biophysics from the University of California, Berkeley, and later in psychology. For many decades, he studied the effects of trauma on the body and nervous system—among other things, he was a stress consultant for the US space agency NASA.
With Somatic Experiencing, Levine pioneered a body-oriented form of therapy based on the assumption that traumatic experiences must not only be processed mentally, but above all “resolved” by the nervous system: The body—with its natural regulatory power—is given space to heal again. He is behind international training and continuing education programs for therapists and has numerous books and awards to his credit, including a Lifetime Achievement Award for his groundbreaking work in the field of body and trauma therapy.