Finding a Therapeutic Touch Therapist Near Me
Therapeutic touch therapy comes in many forms, so find one that best meets your requirements. Some therapists specialize in specific body work while others have training or expertise in traditional psychotherapy or counseling. Most possess some form of mental health training and can work directly with insurance companies on your behalf.
Somatic therapy has the potential to enhance physical and emotional wellbeing, heal from trauma, and move forward in life. Furthermore, it teaches you how to be more aware of one’s body through awareness exercises.
Somatic experiencing involves teaching patients to pay attention to how their bodies respond to emotions and other experiences. This approach has been scientifically proven to reduce symptoms of PTSD and depression.
Somatic Experiencing, commonly referred to as Somatherapy, is the most widely practiced type of somatic psychotherapy. Other styles of somatic psychotherapy include EMDR, Bioenergetic Analysis and Sensorimotor Psychotherapy.
This technique utilizes touch to help clients re-connect with their bodily sensations, which can be challenging for those who have felt disconnected for years. While this type of psychotherapy may feel unfamiliar and uncomfortable at first, those who participate often experience profound and lasting changes.
The initial step in a somatic therapist’s treatment is to establish trust with the client, create a safe space and ask about feelings and goals, then conduct an assessment to identify what’s causing the issue.
A somatic therapist will then massage or touch the client’s body, using gentle touch or massage techniques to promote relaxation and a sense of well-being. They may ask them to focus on certain parts of their body such as their back or neck for extra benefit.
If the client is fearful of touch, a somatic therapist may use alternative methods of therapeutic touch. They may also conduct a physical evaluation to discover what’s going on inside the body.
Somatic therapists not only address mental and physical wellbeing, but they may also employ techniques that retrain the nervous system. This is especially beneficial for those who have suffered trauma that impacts both autonomic nervous system and central nervous system functioning.
The therapist typically slides their hand under the client’s clothed back and places it directly below one of the kidneys, which can become constricted when the nervous system is misregulated. Once in position, they encourage the kidney to relax and blood flow to increase.
These therapists may include a licensed massage therapist, physical therapist or somatic psychotherapist. In most cases, the therapist will use a table during this treatment so the client can rest comfortably.
Somatic Experiencing has been demonstrated to be effective in treating a variety of physical and emotional problems. It may benefit those suffering from chronic pain, anxiety, insomnia as well as those dealing with depression and PTSD.