Where do we begin?
Looking at therapy, the mental health world, and the different modalities that are offered can be a rather large task. Somatic therapy in general has become a term that has grown popular and is often listed on therapists’ bios. What exactly does this mean, though? What is somatic therapy, and why has it become so common? Where do we begin to separate out the collective knowledge into manageable bites that can actually begin to move someone forward on their healing path?
How I frame these questions, and what answers can be formed, is as follows:
Somatic therapy is a generic term.
This skill or modality can include rigorous study and many years of training, education, experience, and mentorship. It can also mean a weekend seminar, an online course, or a module picked up during a retreat getaway. Frankly, it is a term that lacks cohesion in that the methodology, skills, expectations of professionalism, and standards of education vary and are ungoverned by an authoritative body. As it seems, it is in some ways a bit of the Wild West, with some acknowledgment of a consensus around certain terminology and scientific models (see Polyvagal Theory).
The last consideration in framing somatic therapy as an umbrella term is to consider that though this system of thought has many moving parts and is in relationship to other models of therapy, it is often seen as a considerable protagonist in the healing of trauma and has a long track record of proving effective in the development of well-being.
Given these considerations, what I would suggest with this basic framing of somatic therapy is that we are encountering a field of knowledge that is still nascent in ways and is facing the challenges any early scientific model of psychological exploration faces. This field offers a wide opportunity for those seeking help, as it can range from simple to complex, and from those who are trained in these matters efficiently to those with scant knowledge but enough know-how to modestly guide a client.
I would like to further adumbrate somatic therapy, and more specifically the models I have researched and gained skill and knowledge in through years of formal education and training.
In the next blog, Embodiment, I will detail the nature of this process, its healing potential, and further reflections in the case of trauma and the self.
