What are body-focused psychotherapies?
Unlocking trauma from the body
Many people aren’t aware that our bodies actually store physical memories of trauma. This can cause us to replay distressing experiences again and again, through visual, auditory or emotional flashbacks. Feeling constantly alert to danger, having chronic physical conditions or experiencing low mood can also be signs of trapped trauma.
Body-focused psychotherapy aims to release trauma trapped in the body. Psychotherapists in this field believe that talk therapy alone can’t heal trauma, as it doesn’t reach the body’s own stored memory of the event. Their aim is to access and release bodily memories of distress so that deeper healing can take place. As a result, you can finally let go of the difficult experience and feel safer in yourself again.
How do body-focused psychotherapies work?
There are various types of body-focused psychotherapies, including:
Somatic Experiencing
Therapists working with this approach believe that it isn’t the traumatic experience itself that causes problems — it is your body’s inability to fully release your response to it. For this reason, the therapist will use neurobiologically-informed techniques to help you physically unlock and let of go trauma.
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
Sensorimotor therapists help people to process traumatic injury and childhood wounds by tuning into the body and the physical sensations linked to the event. In this way, you can finally process the experience, complete any survival responses that weren’t possible at the time and let it go.
Comprehensive Resource Model (CRM)
The goal of CRM therapy is to help you build internal resources or ‘emotional scaffolding’ that let you step safely into and experience past traumas. To this end, a CRM therapist will help you reintegrate emotions and physical sensations left over from these disturbing events.
What can body-focused psychotherapies help with?
Complex trauma, trauma, anxiety, anger, depression or low mood, relationship issues, chronic pain & physical health problems.
Your next step
Interested in body-focused psychotherapies? Our compassionate and expert team of psychologists and psychotherapists are here for you. Why not book an in-person, video or live chat appointment today?
