Talking can also bring regulation to your nervous system

There is an erroneous assumption that somatic work does not include talking and that’s it’s purely bottom up.

It’s true that we focus on sensations in the body and that we can access memories through the body. But there are also elements of talking in this type of intervention that can bring relief and regulation to clients.

Talking gets the prefrontal cortex( the rational part of the brain involved in planning, decision making etc...) online and engaged with the rest of the body.
The aim is not to ignore the prefrontal cortex, but also to slowly bring it on board and in alignment with what the body is going through. Naming sensations and expression concerns is also part of this process.

In somatic healing we can engage with somatic psychoeducation, memory, images, thoughts and meaning as well.

It’s true that talking can also be triggering and very activating. To talk too much about a problem, without enough space for discharge and integration can be problematic. But we should never underestimate the power of the right amount of verbal expression, titrated for the right moment and circumstances, within the healing container with clients.

Through talking a person can realise many things, finding solutions and feel relief. A good somatic practitioner, coach or mentor know how to do this in the right amount, as not to upset the system, promoting safety, good understanding, sense of connection and reassurance.