Sensorimotor Psychotherapy focuses on healing the whole person-- physically, emotionally and mentally. It is a body-centered psychotherapy that allows patients to discover the physical and psychological automatic attitudes that craft their patterns of experience. This gentle therapy can teach you to follow the inherently intelligent processes of your mind and body in order to discover deep change and healing. It is particularly successful in helping people manage the effects of trauma, abuse and emotional pain.
This method was developed by Pat Ogden, Ph.D. and colleagues in the 1980s. It combines somatic therapy with body-centered psychotherapy, and in just 30 years, has become a renowned method to treat some of the most difficult psychological struggles, including physical and emotional trauma.
Traumatic experiences often interrupt the natural rhythms of life and lead to disruptive body sensations, emotions and thoughts. These tough experiences often get stored in sensory perceptions, posture and movement, as well as in emotions and thoughts, making them incredibly difficult to process.
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy works by enabling patients to focus their awareness on the present moment, so that the patient and therapist can work together through the here and now. This work effects and alters the way information is processed in the brain, which results in lasting transformations in the experience of the body, one’s self-image and their world-view. Through simple experimentation, unconscious attitudes can arrive in consciousness, where they are examined, understood and changed.
This method fosters curiosity and self-awareness and allows the wisdom of the body to guide the natural drive toward movement and integration of trauma and attachment issues. With the guidance of your therapist, you can learn skills to help you regulate hyperarousal and numbing, and process thoughts, emotions and body-based experiences related to trauma in a mindful, contained manner. It’s based on principles of mindfulness and mind/body/spirit holism and is informed by research in trauma, neuroscience and attachment theory. While talk therapy may help us understand some of the emotions surrounding traumatic experiences, it can only take us so far. It is only by re-living the physical sensations of trauma in a safe environment that we can begin to heal ourselves. As Ilana Rubenfeld, one of the founders of body-mind psychology says, “Your mind may avoid certain emotions and memories, but the body remembers it all.”
How Can Sensorimotor Help Me?
Because it is so gentle, Sensorimotor Therapy is especially well-suited for survivors of childhood trauma and attachment issues, but its benefits can also extend to other physical and emotional issues, including:
- Physical, sexual and/or psychological abuse and neglect
- Attachment and development issues
- Addiction
- Unhealthy relationship patterns
- Depression
Why Do I Need A Therapist Trained in Sensorimotor Therapy?
In my experience, Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is the gentlest yet most powerful way to address physical and emotional pain. My main job as a therapist is to provide a space for clients to heal and tap into the enormous potential of their own strength and power. I have completed levels I and II of this training and have logged over 180 hours of coursework. Furthermore, my work as a physical therapist and Hellerworker have provided me with a unique appreciation of the profound connection between the mind and body. Sensorimotor Therapy allows you to discover and explore your curiosity, humor and move beyond your preconceived limitations. To learn more about Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, click here. If you’re ready to experience healing through the body or if you would like to learn more, please call 425.681.3866 to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation.