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In order to become a companion, every therapist has undergone a therapeutic experience at past because it’s essential for therapists to experience the other side of the couch.

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Phoebe Yee

Connect Somatic

The Connection with ourself, others, and nature.

Innovative somatic therapy can be used to address the symptoms caused by stress, shock, and trauma in both the body and the mind. It assists the body's self-regulation systems and restores their natural functions.


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Body Memory: A New Perspective in Trauma Therapy

Connect Somatic Therapy is a comprehensive therapeutic approach designed to promote holistic health and balance on physical, mental, and spiritual levels. This therapy is based on the belief that there is a close connection and mutual influence between the body, mind, and spirit, and therefore, treatment should address all three dimensions simultaneously.

Most trauma therapies typically affect the mind through talk therapy or use medication to regulate brain and nervous system function. Both of these methods can be effective, but without understanding the role the body plays in traumatic events, we may miss a crucial piece of the puzzle. When people experience sudden life-threatening events, they often exhibit a 'fight-or-flight' response. This reaction is an instinctual response of the brain and nervous system that, while protecting us from harm, may also leave behind adverse effects.
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The human brain can be divided into three parts: the reptilian brain (brainstem) that governs instincts and intuition, the mammalian brain (limbic system) that governs emotions, and the human brain (neocortex) that governs rational thinking. In a life-threatening situation, our brains do not function as they normally would, causing the instinctual and emotional responses of the reptilian and mammalian brain to become stuck, and energy to become immobilized. The autonomic nervous system's sympathetic nervous system is responsible for 'fight or flight,' while the parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for 'rest and relax.' When we cannot effectively cope with stress, a freeze response occurs. At this time, the brain releases a large amount of endorphins (endorphins are natural painkillers created by the brain, which are neurotransmitters that can transmit signals to other parts of the body. Endorphins have pain-relieving and mood-enhancing benefits, and one of the simplest ways to release them is through exercise). This release temporarily stops us from feeling physical pain or emotional distress, protecting us from harm, and we remain in this state until the danger has passed, at which point our awareness returns, and our limbs regain control.
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In the event of witnessing or experiencing extreme situations, we may be unable to engage in "fight" or "flight," as many individuals must remain on the scene to assist law enforcement with investigations or rescue operations. This highly emotionally charged process may lead us into a frozen state, temporarily numbing our pain to cope with the immediate tasks. However, this defense mechanism can leave us feeling helpless and prone to reactivating the freeze response when confronted with similar situations in the future, resulting in a sense of dissociation and potentially leading to social isolation.
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Therefore, in the therapeutic process, to avoid triggering a recurring inability to self-regulate the freeze response, therapists usually do not require clients to recount the details of the event. Instead, the focus of therapy is on "addressing the residual trauma responses stored in the body." The therapist first explains the bodily responses to trauma and the characteristics of the autonomic nervous system, and then guides clients in techniques that activate the parasympathetic nervous system, such as grounding and orienting techniques. This involves helping clients establish a sense of safety and presence in their bodies.

These techniques empower clients to practice them independently at home, enhancing their self-regulation abilities. Once clients have mastered these skills, the therapist begins guiding them to track bodily sensations, particularly symptoms associated with overactive sympathetic nervous system activation, such as bloating, chest tightness, pain, palpitations, dizziness, and more. The therapist assists clients in staying with these sensations and then using the self-regulation techniques they've learned to return their bodies to a relaxed state. When clients have more control over bodily sensations, the therapist further guides them to explore several elements activated by the traumatic event (sensations, feelings, emotions, images, meanings, thoughts, words, etc.). The therapist attempts to disentangle the excessive connections between these elements, so the client's body is no longer frozen and can complete the unachieved "fight" or "flight" response.

The above are fundamental techniques of therapy, and a deeper level of processing requires further study and practical experience. For those interested, you can also refer to related literature:

"The Body Keeps the Score" by Bessel Van Der Kolk, translated by Liu Si Jie, Taipei Dajia Publishing, 2017.

"Emotional Therapy: Healing Trauma with the Best Healing Consultation Practice" by Zhou Zhi Jian, Taipei Fangzhi Publishing, 2020.
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