Somatic Experiencing in Arizona
As the fastest-growing state in the country, Arizona’s population is diverse and so are the people seeking addiction treatment.
“We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past. But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here now with the power to shape your day and your future.” – Steve Maraboli
Have you ever had a stress headache before? Have you ever been nervous about something and felt sick to your stomach because of it? Our mental health and emotional state don’t just impact our minds, they also impact our physical well-being. In some cases, these physical effects can last longer than the situation that caused them. Why shouldn’t treatment for mental health, then, also offer solutions to address these physical concerns?
Trauma is one such condition that comes with physical side effects. From tension headaches to phantom pain, our body holds memories just as much as our brain does. Here at Pinnacle Peak Recovery, we seek to address healing and recovery from all angles. We want to see our clients walk out our doors feeling whole again, not like only a part of them was healed. Somatic experiencing is one program in our roster that helps with this whole-person approach.
In the past month, over 16% of Arizona residents reported symptoms of an anxiety disorder
What We Treat: Trauma and PTSD
According to the World Health Organization, nearly 70% of people will experience at least one potentially traumatic event in their lifetime. This doesn’t mean that each of them will then develop PTSD as a result, but that also doesn’t mean they’re fully unaffected by the trauma, either.
Trauma is complex and comes from a wide variety of sources. These sources aren’t universal, either. One event or circumstance may be traumatic to one person, and not affect another. This doesn’t negate how the traumatized person feels, but it’s important to note that just because you may be unbothered by something that doesn’t mean everyone would be.
Whether it’s trauma from your childhood or something you experienced last week, whether you have the signs of PTSD or you just want additional support as you try to understand what happened to you, everyone deserves support and healing.
How We Treat: Somatic Experiencing
Here at Pinnacle Peak, we offer a wide variety of evidence-based approaches to healing. We do this so those who walk through our doors can have a range of options, finding the ones that work best for their needs. One of these options we offer is known as somatic experiencing.
The term somatic means “relating to the body.” Somatic experiencing is a type of treatment that is primarily used to assist those who are seeking healing from trauma and PTSD. This process was first conceived in 1997 by Peter A. Levine, Ph.D. While this may make it seem old, in comparison, treatment options like cognitive behavioral therapy were originally brought to the table in the late 1960s.
Somatic experiencing focuses on the body’s response to trauma. This includes everything from the initial reaction to the trauma to continued reactions and physical ailments that are still occurring because of trauma. How does it accomplish this, though?
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How Does Somatic Experiencing Work?
Have you heard of the fight-or-flight response? Well, turns out that’s not the whole name for it. This response is something that occurs during high-adrenaline situations, especially those that can be traumatic. Fight or flight are just two of the ways your body can instinctively react, the other two ways it may also react are fawn and freeze.
When someone fawns in response to trauma, it’s referring to someone who gives in because of feelings of helplessness. Regardless of their actual feelings about the event happening, they often comply with the situation and potential demands of those who may be hurting them. This is a survival mechanism and not a true indicator of their feelings about what they’re doing or what’s occurring around them.
The freeze response is when someone becomes paralyzed by the situation. They tense up, seeing no way out so they simply brace for impact. This is often a full-body freeze, locking up not only the muscles but your thought process as well.
Somatic experiencing seeks to address these physical changes and reactions to traumatic situations and the scars left behind because of them. It works to help clients be more mindful of their bodies so they can identify where they’re holding their trauma and tension and better manage their reactions.
What Are the Benefits of Somatic Experiencing?
Both PTSD and general trauma come with the chance for physical side effects. This ranges from headaches and stomach aches to chronic pain, muscle cramps, fatigue, and even respiratory issues. Because many of these symptoms appear alongside other psychological symptoms, like stress, triggers, and anxiety, your body can start to associate these physical sensations with negative emotions.
Somatic experiencing works to help you break that association. It helps you become more aware of your body, where pain is located, and why it might be happening. The lessening of physical symptoms, as well as a greater understanding of them, can help you not only feel better but heal faster too.
What Can You Expect from a Session of Somatic Experiencing?
The exact experience you’ll have during a session with your therapist will vary depending on how long you’ve been in treatment as well as what your specific needs are. Over the course of your time in treatment, you will learn several key components.
Being able to better recognize your bodily sensations – Not only will you learn more about why we have the automatic responses that we do, but your therapist will work with you to help you identify which responses you’ve felt before, or identify them as they happen.
Recognizing the resources you have available to you innately – The primary resources your therapist will help you learn how to use are ones you already have such as your inner strength, your determination, your resilience, and even your ability to be at peace.
Facing your trauma and reevaluating it – Known as titration, this process helps you revisit your trauma and the physical responses and sensations that are associated with it. You’ll use a combination of the previous two skills to help retrain your response to these memories and any triggers that have developed because of them.
How to Know if Somatic Experiencing Is Right for You
If you have been dealing with physical symptoms since your traumatic experience, or because of your PTSD, then somatic experiencing can be beneficial for your healing.
At the end of the day, the best way to know how helpful something will be for your healing journey is to have an open discussion with the medical team helping you. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or pose ideas. A good team should want to work with you, meaning they won’t be dismissive of your thoughts and will want to find options that truly work best for you.
Don’t forget, you can always adjust your treatment plan as you go through the process. Some things take time to work, and others might just not be the right fit for every client. There’s no wrong path for recovery.
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Finding Healing From Trauma and PTSD at Pinnacle Peak Recovery
If you’re ready to get started with trauma therapy or PTSD treatment, our team at Pinnacle Peak is here for you. Whether you’re seeking healing just because of your mental health concerns or you want to address substance use through our dual diagnosis program, we have options that fit your needs.
No matter your history with trauma, substance use, or PTSD, don’t be afraid to give us a call at 866-377-4761. Our Pinnacle Peak staff is full of dedicated, master’s level physicians with years of experience helping people find healing. You’re deserving of support, and we’re here to provide it whenever you’re ready.
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