When it comes to addiction and mental health recovery, there is no one “right” way to go about it. A wide range of tools is necessary to help you find the methods that work best for you. The Guest House is a cutting-edge center that uses a distinctive blend of both traditional and experiential, or holistic, modalities. Our somatic therapy program, in particular, is an excellent tool to help you heal depression symptoms and other mental health concerns.
What Is Somatic Therapy?
Somatic treatment is a non-pharmacological means to heal behavioral health conditions, trauma, and emotional wounds. The word “somatic” means “of the body,” and it’s often used in medical fields to describe symptoms and treatment.
Somatic therapy has been increasingly used to help treat individuals in mental health and addiction care facilities, as well as veteran populations. This unique approach aims to bring more body awareness into traditional psychotherapy processes. It also allows you to process and release pent-up tension, called somatic energy, in the body.
How Does Somatic Therapy Work?
A 2021 study in the European Journal of Psychotraumatology sought to review the effectiveness of somatic experiencing, a therapeutic practice coined and developed by Dr. Peter Levine. This practice originally focused on resolving symptoms of post-traumatic stress by using a body-oriented approach.
According to the study, post-traumatic stress symptoms “originate from a permanent overreaction of the innate stress system due to the overwhelming character of the traumatic event.” When someone experiences trauma, they are unable to complete a regular “fight or flight” reaction. Instead, they may get stuck in a “prolonged freeze” that can lead to dysregulation of the nervous system, chronic stress, and even mental health concerns. Today, somatic therapy is used for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as a variety of other conditions.
Traumatic Memory
Somatic therapeutic practices have been gaining in popularity in recent years because of their many benefits. According to a 2017 study in the Wiley Journal of Traumatic Stress, this therapy focuses on “creating awareness of inner physical sensations, which are seen as the carriers of the traumatic memory.”
You may think of traumatic situations as severe events like war or sexual assault. In actuality, trauma can be absolutely anything that has had a negative effect on your life and your relationship with yourself.
Mental health conditions, along with addiction, can often be traced back to some kind of trauma. The sheer experience of these struggles can even be considered traumatic. Somatic therapy is an excellent tool that can target these issues as you learn how to heal your body and mind together.
Types of Somatic Therapy
“Somatic therapy” is a generally broad term for practices that focus on healing mental health, addiction, or trauma using the body. Different types of somatic therapy methods can include:
- Dr. Levine’s somatic experiencing
- Massage and skin treatments
- Acupuncture
- Exercise and body movement
- Therapeutic breathwork
Benefits of Somatic Therapy
Traditional behavioral health treatment can leave a lot to be desired. While many people find success utilizing medicinal interventions and methods like talk therapy, others will find it easy to fall back into old patterns and relapse.
Somatic therapy aims to bridge the gap between traditional and experiential treatment by focusing on a mind-body connection. The Wiley Journal of Traumatic Stress says that this modality allows therapists a “different therapeutic stance from other therapies” as participants focus on releasing bodily tensions without an explicit retelling of traumatic events.
Somatic Therapy for Depression Symptoms
Depression is one of the most common mental health disorders in the United States. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), an estimated 21 million adults had at least one major “depressive episode” in 2020.
Even if a person is not specifically diagnosed with depression, they can still have a number of depression symptoms. Living with these symptoms can prevent you from living a happy, healthy, and fulfilling life.
According to the World Journal of Clinical Cases, a combination of medication, psychotherapy, and somatic therapies is the most effective way to manage “resistant forms of depression.” Somatic therapy alone may be effective in helping to alleviate less severe depression symptoms.
Healing Depression Symptoms at The Guest House
The Guest House is proud to provide a blend of traditional and holistic modalities to help treat mental health conditions like depression symptoms. We offer a wide range of treatments that focus on healing the mind, body, and soul together as one.
Our traditional therapeutic modalities, like individual and group therapy, can help you process depression symptoms in a supportive environment. Experiential therapies like meditation, art healing, and even adventure therapy can add another effective layer to a comprehensive treatment plan.
Each and every person comes to The Guest House with their own unique circumstances and a strong intention to heal. You will find great solace in connecting with others who share similar experiences.
Somatic Therapy
The Guest House is a treatment center that proudly focuses on powerful holistic care. Somatic therapy principles are integral to the programs we provide because of their effectiveness and ability to improve both mental and physical symptoms together.
Our highly trained therapists have years of experience in providing our unique and creative blend of therapies. Along with somatic healing, you will be guided along your own individual journey with the help of those who put your health and safety above all else.
Somatic therapy like massage, exercise, and body movement are safe and effective ways to help you get to the root of trauma or other causes of your depressive symptoms. At The Guest House, you will regain your confidence and rebuild a life that’s filled with joy, excitement, and deep transformation.
Somatic therapy principles utilize the body as a means to heal trauma, addiction, and mental health conditions like depression symptoms. Much research has been conducted that shows the effectiveness of somatic treatments, especially when it’s combined with other holistic and traditional methods. At The Guest House, we take pride in our unique blend of traditional, holistic, and creative therapies. Our somatic therapy program will help you process trauma and depression in a safe and effective way as you learn how to release stuck energy in the body. Here you will find the strength to rebuild your life with confidence, clarity, and joy. For more information on our programs, call us at (855) 483-7800.