Why Sensorimotor Psychotherapy?
In today’s clinical world, there are myriad therapy modalities, and it can be overwhelming as a client to know what will be best for you. Research is increasingly supporting the use of some form of body work or somatic work as a part of the healing process, as it is becoming more and more clear that trauma and difficult life experiences affect not just our thinking and our emotion but our bodies as well.
Have you ever felt a sudden rush of anxiety, even if you’re not thinking about anything in particular? Have you ever gotten frozen when you’re in an argument with your partner and not been able to talk or react the way you want to? Have you ever felt unsettled or unsafe during certain seasons or events and not known exactly why? The body stores experiences at the cellular level, and often, outside of conscious awareness, your body is reacting to cues in the environment that remind it of previous experiences that were difficult and traumatic. This can be incredibly frustrating! You might know at the cognitive level that you are safe, that nothing bad is happening, but your body is still reacting as if it’s in danger. Until the energy stored in the body is processed through, you will continue to experience distress. If this resonates for you, working with a therapist who is trained in a body-based modality might be helpful. One particularly effective body-based modality is Sensorimotor Psychotherapy.
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (SP) is an approach to therapy that works with the mind, emotions, and body simultaneously. A typical session includes traditional talk therapy type conversations, but then also works to incorporate an awareness of what’s happening at the body/somatic level as different areas of concern are addressed. This allows the client and the therapist to have access not only to the thoughts and emotions a client comes in with, but also the patterned responses the body adopts in order to manage difficult experiences. By paying attention to how the mind, emotions, and body are all contributing to distress, clients are able to learn new ways of regulating and coping and are able to discover different ways of relating to themselves and those around them.
SP is effective in helping with a wide range of presenting issues, such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, difficulties in relationships, and chronic pain. SP work is also appropriate for clients of all ages. Here at Journeys, we have several clinicians who are trained in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy:
Renee Malina (Level 2)
Christina McShane (Level 2)
Vanessa Van Dyke (Level 2)
Tanya Harris (Level 1)
Stephanie Otte (Level 1)
Jill Selman (Level 1)
If you’re interested in adding this type of work into your therapy, please reach out. We’d love to connect you with one of our SP therapists.
Additional information about sensorimotor psychotherapy can be found at www.sensorimotorpsychotherapy.org.
This Post Written By:
Vanessa Van Dyke, MA, LPC – Journeys Counseling Center
6516 S. Rural Road, Suite 101
Tempe, Arizona 85283
Phone: (480) 656-0500 x 19
Email: vanessa@journeyscounselingaz.com
