The document discusses Somatic Experiencing©, a therapeutic approach developed by Dr. Peter A. Levine for treating chronic stress and trauma. It emphasizes understanding trauma as a disorganization principle and outlines various techniques to discharge stuck energy, restore autonomic nervous system coherence, and facilitate healing. It also highlights the importance of resilience and symptoms associated with trauma and chronic stress, as well as Dr. Levine’s qualifications and contributions to the field.

1. SOMATIC EXPERIENCING©
A Naturalistic and
Scientific Approach to
treat Chronic Stress and
Trauma
Presented by Savera
Noriega/ TouchStudio

2. The roots of Somatic Experiencing©
— Theory of Evolution and natural selection of
Charles Darwin
— Ethology – The Science that studies attachment
patterns in animal behaviour – Konrad Lorenz
— Somatic Experiencing – A naturalistic and scientific
approach that explains trauma as a
desorganization principle – Peter A. Levine

3. About Peter A. Levine
— Peter A. Levine, PhD (born 19 February 1942) is an American therapist, author and
educator who specializes in the treatment and understanding of chronic stress
and tonic immobility, more commonly known as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
(or PTSD). Dr. Levine is the developer of Somatic Experiencing® (a body
awareness approach to the treatment of trauma) and founder of the non-profit
educational and research organization dedicated to the worldwide healing and
prevention of trauma, The Somatic Experiencing Training Institute (formerly known
as The Foundation for Human Enrichment). He is also an author of numerous
books about trauma and post traumatic stress disorder, including In an Unspoken
Voice: How the Body Releases Trauma and Restores Goodness and the New York
Times Best Seller Waking the Tiger: Healing Trauma.
— Dr. Levine holds doctorates in both medical biophysics and psychology. He was a
stress consultant for NASA on the development of the Space Shuttle program and
was a member of the Institute of World Affairs Task Force of Psychologists for
Social Responsibility in developing responses to large-scale disasters and ethno-
political warfare. Levine’s original contribution to the field of Body Psychotherapy
was honored in 2010 when he received the Lifetime Achievement award from the
United States Association for Body Psychotherapy (USABP).

4. Some principles of SE
— It uses different qualities based in the Neuroscience: kinestetic
movement, introception and proprioception.
— It aims to discharge the ‘stucked’ survival life energy and bring coherence,
create stability in the Autonomus Nervous System and renegotiate trauma
symptoms and chronic stress.
— It is a naturalistic, mindful and neuroscientific approach that restores the
neuroplasticity in the ‘social brain’ and works with the unconscious
material stored as implicit memory in the body and psyche.
— It uses different tools and techniques trough sensation to treat different
categories of shock trauma (1 event): like natural disasters, vehicle
accidents, medical interventions and operations, disasters created by
humans like terrorism, violence, assaults, kidnapping, etc.
— It uses complementary approaches of psychotherapy and storytelling for
the treatment of trauma created in periods of time like childhood,
divorce, disease, a major life incidents, etc.
— It uses sometimes touch interventions to help contain the experience
trough ‘the Felt Sense’

9. Healthy Boundaries

10. Resiliency
— Resilience generally means the ability to recover from some shock or
disturbance.
— There are different meanings for resilience in psychology: it is the
internal ability to recover from stress and catastrophes. It also
indicates a characteristic of resistance to future negative events.
— In physics it is the physical property of a material that can come
back to its original shape after being stretched or deformed ( it
explains the elasticity in the Nervous System)
— Resilience of a System: the ability of a system to recover from a
catastrophic failure.

12. Possible physicological symptoms of
dysregulation, trauma and chronic stress
— Shock, denial, or disbelief
— Anger outbursts, constant irritability, mood swings
— Guilt, chronic shame, self-blame
— Feeling frequently hopeless and helpless
— Confusion, difficulty concentrating, cognitive difficulties
— Anxiety, fear and panic attacks
— Feeling disconnected, dissociated, spacey or numb
— Feeling guarded and being closed off from others,
— Feeling insecure very often
— Feeling overwhelmed or frozen
— Aggression, rages (road rage, tantrums, etc.)
— Sensations of unexplainable fear, horror, terror

13. Possible physical symptoms of dysregulation,
trauma and chronic stress
— Insomnia, restless sleep, nightmares. Being startled easily
— Nervous habits/ Shaking, trembling
— Increased respiration / Difficulty breathing
— Racing heartbeat, increased blood pressure / Aches and pains
— Fatigue and inability to stay awake / Edginess and agitation
— Muscle tension, back pain, fibromyalgia / Digestion and bowel
problems
— Perception disorders (tinnitus, hyperacusis, hypersensitivity,
blurred vision, etc.)
— Biting, grinding teeth,/ Migraines
— Increased autoimmune conditions (hives, psoriasis, Crohn's,
rheumatoid arthritis, etc.)
— Chronic pain

14. Social Symptoms of Dysregulation
— Disrupted attachment, such as pushing away and pulling towards
the other in a relationship
— Withdrawing from others; having the tendency for isolating
— Social fears and phobias
— Being overly clingy or needy with others
— Sexual Overactivity/ Underactivity
— Irritability in relating
— Having difficulties to set boundaries with others
— Hypervigilance: fear and discomfort in group situations
— Difficulties to form sustained and nourishing love relationships

15. Renegotiating developmental trauma

16. Signals of a healthy Nervous System
— You become curious, open and yet alert
— There is resiliency – capacity to recover from adversity is available
— Relationships are easy and accessible
— Embodiment – there is capacity to contain feelings and experiences
without becoming overwhelmed
— You are open to experience more positive feelings and qualities towards
yourself and others like love, compassion, solidarity, cooperation,
kindness,, perseverance, accountability.
— You use internal and external resources to support yourself and your
closest relationships
— You experience a Post Traumatic Growth. You have learned that difficulties
in life also bring a lesson and an internal growth and possibly it opens you
to spiritual venues.
— You are connected with your life mission and feel inspired.

17. Recommended literature
— NED. De taal van je lichaam/In an unspoken voice,
Peter A. Levine
— NED. Ontwaak de tijger/ Awake the tiger,
Peter A. Levine
— EN. Freedom from pain,
Peter A. Levine & Maggie Phillips
— EN. Trauma and Memory,
Peter A.Levine
— EN. The body keeps the score,
Bessel van der Kolk
— EN. The polyvagal theory,
Stephen Porges

18. Contact for individual therapy, lectures
and social projects:
Savera Noriega
Certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner for individual
processes, SENL.2014100029
Provider of Learning Therapy for therapists in training
(Worldwide approved by EASE – European Association of
Somatic Experiencing ©)
Tel. +32 (0)484/713.900
info@touchstudio.be
www.touchstudio.be