Everybody deserves a quality life!
But is it even possible within this chaotic world where fast-moving life has captured all of your attention? To be honest, it is hard to let go of the stress and trauma when you have no or less time for yourself.
Looking for a new You? Get yourself registered for Somatic Bodywork with Maureen Donohue LCSW, and get your healing power tapped.
What is the Somatic Bodywork?
Somatic bodywork is a body-centered therapy focusing on the body and how emotions appear within the body. In other words, somatic bodywork empowers a more mindful relationship with our bodies, releases frozen emotions, and experiences greater psychospiritual healing.
It is recommended especially for individuals dealing with:
- PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder)
- Depression
- Self-esteem issues
- Trust and intimacy issues
- Complicated grief
- Anxiety
What to Expect if You Sign Up for a Somatic Bodywork?
Practitioners of somatic therapy believe that a person’s negative emotions are trapped within their bodies and impact a person’s mental well-being.
Psychologically speaking, when an individual encounters traumatic experiences, the nervous system gets stuck in survival mode, resulting in the release of stress hormones, i.e., cortisol. The release of such hormones results in increased blood sugar levels and blood pressure, ultimately compromising the immune system.
Similarly, some past experiences can produce deeply rooted beliefs inaccessible to one’s conscious mind. These might include thoughts like “No one wants to be friends with me” or “I will forever stay alone.” Such negative feelings camouflage but emerge quite often, especially during stressful experiences.
Unlike other exposure therapy, somatic therapy is not about retelling past events. However, it is focused on thinking about the memories that are associated with high levels of stress and then learning to diminish the arousal through body awareness.
Several studies have proven the positive effects of a type of somatic therapy called eye-moment desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR).
More About EMDR
EMDR is a mental health technique that involves moving your eyes right and left while you process traumatic memories. Compared to other therapies, EMDR is relatively new and was first practiced in 1989.
Being a form of psychotherapy, it helps individuals to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress of previous negative life experiences. The EMDR supports the view that the mind has the ability to heal from psychological traumas, such as the body can heal from physical trauma.
The underlying phenomena of EMDR rely on Adaptive Information Processing (AIP), which explains how the brain stores normal and traumatic memories are stored differently.
Normal events are stored and processed smoothly. It also links them to other things you remember; however, with the traumatic memories, the scenario is a bit different. The networking doesn’t happen correctly and prevents healthy healing.
It is confusing! Think of it like trauma is a wound that your brain doesn’t allow to heal properly. Since the healing process is completed, the negative emotions are not properly addressed. Any triggers to the earlier traumatic experience can reinforce the associated pain over and over again.
What to expect in your next session of EMDR consultation?
When do you next plan your visit to the Maureen Donohue LCSW for an EMDR consultation? Expect this.
EMDR is an eight-phase treatment where eye movements or bilateral stimulation are used during one part of the session. The initial phase emphasizes taking history. The purpose is to identify which memory to target and understand your expectations from this procedure.
Once these memories have been identified, you can expect Maureen to walk you through the EMDR process and what the results could be. Also, you will have the necessary tools to help you manage your emotions.
Phase 3 of the process primarily revolves around assessment. Here, Maureen would help you target specific emotions (both positive and negative) and memories that you want to work on while reprocessing.
The next phases (4-6) come with desensitization and reprocessing. For this, the therapist might ask you to hold on to different aspects of an event in mind and use your eyes to track your hand as it moves back and forth. A plausible explanation for this action is explained by Harvard researchers that the involvement of biological mechanisms with rapid eye movement (REM sleep), internal association arises, and the clients begin to process the memory and disturbing feelings. And this association with the painful event is treated on an emotional level.
Let us understand it with an example; for example, the death of a loved one has left you traumatized. The EMDR shifts the feeling of grief, loss, and loneliness to remembering the good memories of your loved ones. Unlike traditional talk therapies, there are no insights via any clinical interpretations but from your own accelerated intellectual and emotional processes.
You must be thinking, what does that even mean?
It means that you would conclude EMDR therapy feeling empowered by the very experiences that once debased you. Your negative emotions are no longer negative; they have been transformed, so you may feel fresh as new.
Phase 7 and 8 is the final stages of closure and stabilization. Here, you can expect Maureen to ask you about any other thoughts that you have about the disturbing events and closely monitor how have you progressed over the session and that no negative feelings have remained unattended.
Advancement to the EMDR is a Brainspotting therapy where you can save yourself from reliving past trauma. To know more, keep on reading.
Brainspotting Therapies
Developed in 2003 by David Grand, the idea of brainspotting therapy is that certain eye positions can evoke emotions, sensations, and memories because they access specific brain spots where traumatic memories are repressed. Once the brainspots are identified, the brainspotting therapist, in this case, Maureen, would use mindfulness techniques to help you access, experience, and process the attitude and beliefs stored in the brainspot.
Closing Thoughts!
For the next time, save your time by searching “Autoimmune service near me.” Instead, directly click on the Maureen Donohue LCSW and get your next appointment in just a few clicks. You can trust your healing process with 20+ years of experience. So don’t wait and book yourself a calming, relaxing therapy that can help you ease out from your daily chaotic life and help you better deal with your traumas.