Are You Stockpiling Your Emotions? How Somatic Experiencing Supports Healthy Release
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When someone experiences trauma, their bodies can become trapped in the fight, flight, or freeze mode for years after the event. Essentially, if someone is unable to safely process and release these emotions, they may unconsciously begin “stockpiling” their emotions instead. Trying to manage your emotions internally this way can lead to depression, anxiety, insomnia, and other mental and physical health conditions.
Somatic experiencing is a body-oriented approach to trauma therapy. Generally, the therapist guides clients through uncomfortable bodily sensations brought on by the acknowledgment and processing of suppressed emotions, related to past trauma. The goal is to release the survival energy stored in the body in a safe environment.
If you sense that you’ve been stockpiling your emotions or cope with trauma-related discomfort, you may be interested in these benefits of somatic experiencing.
Bodily Awareness
Somatic experiencing helps you to develop your bodily awareness. Often, we ignore sensations in our own bodies, even when we’re uncomfortable. But when you’re working with a therapist, they will remind you that it is okay to attend to these sensations. There will be no negative judgment and no risk of harm for doing so. You can explore where you’re storing emotions and how they manifest in your body.
Processing Discomfort
Sometimes, we shy away from acknowledging our discomfort and pain. We worry that dealing with these emotions will send us spiraling. When you experience discomfort related to past trauma, you may be scared that attempting to process this pain will make you feel like you’re being traumatized all over again. Taking this on with the guidance of a somatic experiencing therapist lets you know that it is safe to deal with these emotions.
Safe Release
The thought of releasing these emotions can be intimidating. You may worry about how you’ll feel afterward. In addition, you might be scared that it isn’t truly safe to do so. Or that someone will react negatively when you express or let go of these emotions.
You may even wonder how you will identify and define yourself when you no longer have these emotions stockpiled. Somatic experiencing provides an opportunity to release and talk through these emotions safely. Your therapist will be a source of reassurance throughout the process.
Return to Stability
As you work through your emotions, you may feel confused, stressed, or exhausted. But in the context of somatic experiencing, your therapist will guide you back to a place of stability. Furthermore, you learn helpful methods necessary for doing this on your own when you’re feeling distressed.
Knowing that these uncomfortable sensations will not last forever and that you can always come back to a place of homeostasis, will make this process much easier. We can all learn to regulate our emotions and return to a balanced state with the right tools and guidance.
Prevents Trauma Overwhelm
Trying to process trauma on your own can be excruciatingly difficult. In fact, it can result in trauma overwhelm. When you understand how this can occur, it’s easy to see why people shy away from their trauma.
But when you are working with a somatic experiencing therapist, they can recognize when you are at risk of becoming overwhelmed. Therefore, they can take steps to bring you back to stability before this occurs. Dealing with trauma overwhelm can discourage people from ever addressing their trauma. Thankfully, a therapist can help you avoid facing this situation.
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Do you feel as though you’ve been stockpiling your emotions? Are you wondering if this therapy could help you process and release these feelings? Please read more somatic experiencing about each out to us today to discuss scheduling your first session.
