What is Somatic Psychology (somatic psyche)?

What does Somatic Psyche mean?Somatic Psyche is the name I use for my website because it echoes how I work to guide the people I work with find relief from sadness and stress. Fundamentally, the somatic psyche means the marriage of the body and mind, the wisdom that emerges from having our psycho-emotional faculties merged with our somatic (the physical body).Stress Reduction and New Neurological Pathways:The physical body is where all of the stories of our lives are housed (our traumas and our joys). Since as early as the womb, everything that transpires in our lives creates an impact--emotionally, mentally, physically! The brain is a "pattern addict," and creates neurological pathways which become the "roads" most traveled. We become accustomed to responding and reacting in particular ways because our bodies and minds are "programmed" in that way.The union of breath and body, (the marriage of "spirit" and flesh), means learning how to become fully conscious of ourselves somatically--learning how to access how we are feeling on a physical level. With this connection to our body and its wisdom, tools for healing emotional pain and reducing anxiety becomes more accessible. On a more practical level, it is about bringing the organism of the body into a state of equilibrium after previous states of shock or trauma—on any and every level.For instance, inviting the breath into the lower body, with expert direction from a somatic therapist, helps the Gut or Enteric Brain find ease. And, the Vegus  Nerve (stress reduction nerve) is connected to the Enteric Brain. The task is to support the vagus nerve to fire in balance, to regain or create for the first time it's firing in the balance! This is what embodied healing means. It means healing from the inside out so that it is lasting.The organism goes back to it's most imprinted, habitual way of behaving. That is why deeper processing for building healthier neurological pathways is necessary. Lasting therapy means new, more desired imprints in the organism of the Body-Being. This also happens by utilizing Creativity: creative therapy practices, such as expressive arts therapy, drama therapy, art therapy, etc.To find out more about whether body-oriented and creative therapy for depression and anxiety can help you, please contact me for a free consultation: daphne.georghiou@gmail.comVisit the Somatic Psyche website for more details or call me. My office is located in Vancouver, BC.