Clare Osbond

Traumatic experiences - whether one-off shocking events, or long-term developmental trauma associated with early childhood experiences - are represented in the body by a 'body memory'. The body holds the 'memory' of what wanted to happen but didn't happen at the time of the trauma. This memory is of an incomplete response. And why at times you may find yourself feeling or acting as if the trauma is still happening... as if you are reliving the past... by reliving the disturbing psychological or physical symptoms. At other times you may have a background sense of discomfort, anxiety, tension, numbness, or something being 'just not right'. There may be a sense of fragmentation; of feeling distanced or disconnected. These are some of the many ways that the body has adapted over time to protect you from the physical pain or emotional distress of an overwhelming past experience. Whether you can remember the traumatic event is not necessarily significant - what is important for resolution of the trauma is to work towards the awareness, understanding and integration of these incomplete responses.

 

It is now understood that insight and understanding are not enough to process and re-program these automatic physical responses. Sensorimotor psychothrapy is a safe and effective method of working somatically with this non-verbal 'body memory'. It has a strong focus on the present whilst acknowledging what impact the past may continue to have. We stay present as we pay attention to our internal state - breath, physical sensations, emotions, any movements - and then integrate back into cognitive memory. The body begins to tell its story and as it does, these incomplete responses find ways of coming to rest in a gentle and supported way.

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Sensorimotor Psychotherapy is also a somatic and creative way of working with attachment issues. Experiences in early childhood affect who we are today - from our body posture and gestures to our relational habits, beliefs we have about ourselves that often implicitly determine how we live in the world. I support and guide you in exploring old patterns, understanding limiting beliefs, connecting to early memories and transforming difficult emotions. Our body is the key. It tells the story of how we make our way in the world throughout our life. And our strengths and creative resources are also part of that story. Bringing into consciousness the 'then', allows a letting go into the 'now' as you reconnect to more of 'who I already am'.