Written By Redbird Therapy
What Is The Body-Mind Connection?
The body-mind connection refers to the bidirectional relationship between our physical body and our mental and emotional worlds. This is not a new phenomenum. Many indigenous communities from around the world have emphasised the interconnection between our bodies, minds, and spirit for centuries.
The body feels first, long before the mind can assign meaning and decide what emotion, story, or outcome belongs to the sensation.
While we might not pay conscious attention to what the body feels, it is often the first place where our lived experiences land.
What Are Somatic Therapies?
Somatic therapy refers to a type of therapy that focuses on our body-mind connection as an integral part of the psychotherapeutic experience. The name is derived from an ancient Greek word “Soma” which refers to the physical living body of a person or an animal.
Our clinicians at Redbird are trained in a number of different types of somatic therapies, including Sensorimotor Psychotherapy, Somatic Experiencing, Expressive Arts Therapy and Dance/Movement Therapy to name a few.
You can check out Redbird’s clinicians’ bios here.
What Can I Expect From A Somatic Therapy Session?
The body is an integral part of the healing process in this form of therapy. During sessions with a somatic therapist, you might begin to learn how to focus on physical sensations that accompany your emotional experiences.
Our clinicians at Redbird describe a few core techniques (like Titration, Grounding, and Resourcing) you can expect to come across in a somatic therapy session in our educational video on this topic – Mind Body Connection
Your therapist may also incorporate techniques such as breathing and movement to further process your experiences and support emotional regulation.
What Are The Benefits Of Somatic Therapies?
Somatic therapies operate from a belief that our bodies hold a lot of wisdom that can support us with uncovering what might be happening to us on a deeper emotional level.
“The mind is like the wind and the body like the sand: if you want to know how the wind is blowing, you can look at the sand”
– Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen
Somatic therapies have been shown to improve the body-mind connection, treat mental health conditions, process traumatic life experiences, and further support overall emotional and physical well-being.
Our clinicians at Redbird are skilled in providing somatic therapy. Reach out to our intake team today to schedule an initial consultation for you or your loved one.
