Simply put, somatic and body/mind psychotherapies recognizes that the mind and body cannot be separated. To work with one effectively requires working with both. As early as in utero, our first sense of self comes from our sensory contact with our environment. Our first experience of "feelings" are based on sensations in the body. As such, our body (and not just our brain, but our entire body), truly is the harbor of emotions.
Whether or not our body truly feels like a haven will often depend on how much in touch we are with it. As we experience the trauma and pain that is often inevitable in life, we can become detached from our body in order to detach from emotional pain. As this happens, the body can become a scary or confusing ocean — replete with storms, tsunamis, unknown undercurrents and even sea monsters — rather than a safe harbor.
Somatic and body/mind psychotherapy seeks to create awareness of the body in order to better understand our experience. As we start to notice the armor that our muscles hold or tune in to what our body is saying, wanting, and needing, we can begin to untangle our defenses and move towards living more fully in a holistic and organic state.
