Trauma Treatment Through Somatic Therapy in Silver Spring, MD
Somatic therapy is a powerful therapeutic technique that bridges the connection between body and mind. Unlike traditional talk therapy, which focuses mainly on thoughts and emotions, somatic therapy emphasizes the ways trauma and stress are stored in the body. A skilled somatic therapist guides clients in noticing physical sensations and patterns to release tension and restore balance. Many individuals find that somatic therapy helps with trauma recovery, anxiety, depression, and chronic stress. Sunshine Consulting & Counseling, Inc., offers somatic therapy in Silver Spring, Maryland, to help clients heal, grow, and thrive after traumatic experiences. Here’s how it works.
What Is Somatic Experiencing® (SE™)?
The term “Somatic Therapy” describes a collection of approaches that integrate physical sensation into mental health treatment. One of these is Somatic Experiencing (SE™). SE™ is a body-oriented approach used by trauma therapists to treat trauma and other stress disorders. Dr. Peter Levine developed this modality based on the work of Dr. Stephen Porges and Dr. Bessel van der Kolk. Van der Kolk is most praised for his book, “The Body Keeps the Score,” which explains how trauma is stored in the body. Porges developed polyvagal theory, allowing the field to understand why and how the body reacts to trauma, and how to heal by focusing on the body. Through Titration and Pendulation, along with Visualizations and sometimes touch, Levine gained an understanding of the body’s need for regulation and its ability to resolve incomplete automatic protective responses.
How SE™ Can Heal the Nervous System
Somatic experiencing therapy for trauma and PTSD works by gently widening your capacity to feel safe and present. Rather than revisiting traumatic events in detail, the process helps your nervous system complete protective responses that were interrupted during overwhelming moments. Over time, this reduces hyperarousal, freeze, and shutdown states and enhances access to calm, connection, and choice.
A Gentle Approach to Trauma Treatment
Somatic Experiencing® has been used in clinical practice for over 40 years and incorporates studies from various disciplines, including psychology, physiology, neuroscience, medical biophysics, biology, and Indigenous healing practices.
Somatic therapy helps build resilience by using positive resourcing to integrate trauma and create a new narrative within the body, transforming overwhelming experiences into part of the past. The new narrative becomes a story, rather than a relived traumatic experience.
A somatic therapist provides guidance and support through this process, helping clients release trauma stored in the body, improve nervous system regulation, and develop tools for long-term healing.
What a Somatic Therapy Session May Involve
While every somatic therapy session is tailored to you, your therapist may incorporate the following:
- Orientation and grounding – Bring gentle awareness to sensations, breath, or the environment to create a sense of stability and safety.
- Titration – Work with small amounts of activation at a time so the nervous system can process change without becoming overwhelmed.
- Pendulation – Shift attention between areas of comfort and areas of discomfort to gradually increase resilience and flexibility.
- Micro-movements and imagery – Use subtle body movements or guided visualizations to help the body complete protective responses and release stored tension.
The overall goal is to reduce reactivity, support regulation, and rebuild trust and safety.
Learn More About Somatic Healing and Trauma
I encourage you to check out the Recommended Reading and Books on Trauma pages for links to Levine’s literature and books by practitioners such as Deb Dana, which explain the importance of understanding the vagal responses in our bodies for healing trauma. Porges has also conducted extensive research on attachment in relation to the autonomic nervous system and developed a modality called the Safe and Secure Protocol (SSP).
Trauma Recovery With Transforming Touch®
In addition to Somatic Experiencing®, I offer Transforming Touch®, an advanced somatic therapy approach developed by Dr. Stephen Terrell to support healing from developmental trauma and attachment wounds. While traditional somatic therapy helps you notice and regulate sensations within your body, Transforming Touch® expands on this work by using gentle, consent-based touch to help the nervous system experience safety in a new way. Every step of the process is explained in advance, and touch is always optional and guided by your comfort level.
Transforming Touch® is especially beneficial for individuals whose earliest experiences affected their ability to feel secure, connected, or regulated. By supporting the nervous system’s natural capacity for organization and resilience, this approach can complement other forms of trauma therapy and deepen the healing process. When integrated with Somatic Experiencing®, it offers another pathway toward restoring trust in your body, strengthening emotional regulation, and creating meaningful, lasting change.
Schedule an Appointment With a Top Somatic Therapist in Silver Spring, MD
If you’re interested in trauma counseling, I would be honored to join you on your healing journey. Reach out to Sunshine Consulting & Counseling, Inc., today to learn about how my somatic therapy services in Silver Spring, MD, can support your nervous system, cultivate resilience, and help you feel more grounded, present, and empowered. I look forward to meeting you!