Overview

In this, first ever, crossover podcast episode, James Williams, LCSW is interviewed by "Good. You?" Podcast Host Samantha Cimo, PLPC, NCC (at the time of this recording, Samanatha was still in her graduate training) in which he discusses somatic healing, which involves reconnecting the mind and body after trauma or everyday life experiences. He shares his personal journey and explains how somatic healing can help millennials rediscover themselves and live fulfilling lives. James also explains somatic experiencing, a body-oriented therapeutic approach developed by Dr. Peter Levine, which focuses on healing unresolved trauma and toxic stress. He emphasizes the importance of reconnecting with the body, understanding its needs, and relearning consent. James shares outcomes he has seen with clients, highlighting the reduction of trauma symptoms and the improvement in their ability to communicate and connect with others. Somatic experiencing therapy focuses on helping clients deal with trauma by exploring the experiences before and after the traumatic event. It emphasizes the body's instinctual response to trauma and aims to educate clients on the normalcy of their reactions. Therapists in this modality also undergo their own SE sessions and therapy to better empathize with their clients. Therapeutic touch is used in SE, but self-touch and self-soothing techniques are also taught. Coping skills taught include breathwork, time, space, and attention, and recognizing the impact of substance use on the mind-body connection. Seeking counseling in this modality requires openness and a willingness to challenge preconceived notions about the body and trauma.

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Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Somatic Healing

10:19 Understanding Somatic Experiencing

17:23 Clients Seeking Somatic Healing

25:28 Outcomes of Somatic Healing

35:24 Mistakes and Learning in Therapy

39:02 Addressing Trauma in Somatic Healing

39:31 Exploring Experiences Before and After Trauma

45:50 The Power of Sensation Words and Body Communication

48:03 Healing from Within and Giving the Body Compassion

56:32 Coping Skills: The Breathe, Time, Space, and Attention

58:27 Recognizing the Impact of Substance Use on the Mind-Body Connection

01:05:24 Being Open and Willing to Challenge Preconceived Notions in Somatic Experiencing

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instagram: @goodyou.therapy

Instagram: @jamesaligns

Tiktok:@james.aligns

Email: hello@alignedhd.com

Book A Reading: https://linktr.ee/alignedhd

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Keywords

somatic healing, mind-body connection, trauma, everyday life, millennials, somatic experiencing, body-oriented therapy, unresolved trauma, toxic stress, reconnecting with the body, consent, outcomes, somatic experiencing therapy, trauma, body's response, education, therapeutic touch, self-touch, self-soothing, coping skills, breathwork, time space and attention, substance use, counseling