The cognitive and emotional challenges involved in processing and opening up about severe trauma can make it difficult for some trauma patients to find relief through standard counseling or talk therapy. One alternative that has proven beneficial for such patients is called Sensorimotor Psychotherapy.

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is a technique that focuses on the interconnectedness of the mind and body. Unresolved trauma can have subconscious physical symptoms, as it changes the way that a person’s nervous system responds to certain stimuli. When the nervous system isn’t working properly, it fails to regulate emotions, leading to increased feelings of fear, helplessness and being overwhelmed. Sensorimotor Psychotherapy uses mindfulness practices and cautious therapist-patient collaboration to help patients develop control over how they respond to trauma-related triggers.

There are 3 phases in sensorimotor psychotherapy:

1. In the first phase, the therapist establishes their office as a place of safety. When the patient feels calm and protected, they can better focus on personal awareness and body sensations. During this phase, the therapist helps the patient enter a mindful state, paying attention to the patient’s breathing patterns, body positions and gestures.
2. In the second phase, if the patient is ready to speak about the traumatic event, the therapist will ask them to recall up to a few minutes before the event, prompting them to remember in detail how they felt. If the patient reports anger, or fear, the therapist will ask them how they know that they they feel that way, honing in on where specifically that emotion is felt and drawing out important physical sensations, like a tightening of the stomach, or a lump in the throat.
3. In the third phase the therapist helps the patient carry out any defensive responses that they may not have been able to carry out during the trauma itself. Unresolved actions lingering from past trauma can lead to harmful, distorted thought cycles for victims. Maybe the patient froze when they saw a loved one being physically hurt. What would they liked to have done? The therapist allows the patient to symbolically carry out the desired action in a safe environment, free of judgment or fear. This allows the patient to triumph over the past trauma, giving them a sense of power and strength to hold onto.

Through sensorimotor psychotherapy, the therapist helps the client gain a better understanding of how any negative and distorted self conceptions regarding the trauma affect their body, replacing the old feelings with new truths.

While, we don’t have a certified sensorimotor therapist on staff at IDENTITY, our clinicians utilize concepts from sensorimotor therapy in their practice when relevant and beneficial to their clients. If you are looking for a certified sensorimotor psychotherapist, check out the Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Institute to learn more