Somatic Experiencing (SE) Therapy in Chicago & Northbrook IL
SE is informed by decades of observation of how animals in the wild recover from life-threatening encounters without lasting trauma, and why humans often do not. When survival responses, whether fight, flight, or freeze, cannot complete, the nervous system can remain in a state of partial mobilization or shutdown long after the threat has passed. SE works to help those incomplete responses complete, allowing the body to return to baseline regulation.
Several principles guide the pacing and structure of SE work:
- Titration: Working in small, manageable doses rather than approaching overwhelming material all at once.
- Pendulation: Moving gently back and forth between states of activation and states of settling, building the nervous system’s capacity to tolerate both.
- Resourcing: Establishing internal and external sources of stability and safety before approaching difficult material.
SE is not about reliving what happened or producing emotional catharsis. It is about helping the body register that the threat is genuinely over, so it can stop preparing for something that is no longer coming.
– Mimi Neathery, PsyD, Midwest Counseling & Diagnostics
- Trauma and PTSD, including complex and developmental trauma
- Chronic stress and burnout
- Anxiety and panic that manifests physically
- Chronic pain and unexplained physical symptoms
- Dissociation and emotional numbing
- Hypervigilance and chronic inability to feel safe or at ease
- Freeze responses and functional shutdown
- Aftermath of accidents, medical procedures, or physical illness
You do not need a named trauma diagnosis to benefit from SE. Many people come in with chronic tension, difficulty relaxing, persistent physical symptoms without clear medical cause, or a body that feels perpetually braced. These are all within the scope of what SE addresses.
What is somatic experiencing therapy?
Somatic Experiencing (SE) is a body-oriented psychotherapy developed by Dr. Peter Levine for healing trauma and chronic stress. Rather than focusing primarily on the narrative content of traumatic events, SE works with the physiological responses that remain activated in the body after overwhelming experience, helping the nervous system complete interrupted survival responses and return to regulation.
How is somatic experiencing different from talk therapy?
Traditional talk therapy focuses primarily on verbal processing of thoughts, feelings, and memories. Somatic Experiencing incorporates direct attention to bodily sensation and nervous system states as primary therapeutic material. SE does not require detailed verbal recounting of traumatic events, and may be particularly valuable for people whose symptoms live in the body in ways that language has not been able to fully reach.
Is somatic experiencing evidence-based?
SE has a growing evidence base. Published studies support its effectiveness for PTSD, and it is recommended in trauma treatment guidelines by several professional organizations. Research is ongoing, with multiple studies currently examining its applications across trauma populations.
What does a somatic experiencing session feel like?
SE sessions are often quieter and more internally focused than typical talk therapy. Your therapist guides your attention to sensations in your body, asking questions like what you notice, where you feel it, and how it shifts. The pacing is slow and deliberate. Many people find it feels different from other therapy they have experienced, and describe a sense of things settling or shifting at a level they had not accessed before.
Can somatic experiencing be done via telehealth?
Yes. SE can be effectively conducted via telehealth. While in-person work has some advantages in terms of the therapist’s capacity to observe the body directly, skilled SE practitioners adapt the approach effectively to video sessions. Midwest Counseling offers SE via telehealth across Illinois and many other states.
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