Bodily Side Effects Of Somatic Experiencing

[Mystery]

Thanks Hashi, that all makes great sense. Even just starting CBT therapy again gives me about that ratio off post session 'landing'. My T says it's best not for me to do any EMDR with her just yet, I trust her judgement and I tend to agree too. It makes me feel good to hear you say the above though, thanks again. :)

 

[Chava]

@Mystery (doubt I know how to tag here, sorry). It can be scary but it gives me hope that I can change deep-seated patterns...and more confidence that I can simple take care of myself, versus fall into a pit of suicidal panic or become just far away from my life and blank. I still panic, especially with certain forms of pain, but it's like I can trust my body and a little range of feelings on my own.

Like Hashi, I have made more space for myself, which has helped in the times I feel like I'm taking one step back. I try to limit some stressors and commitments, I walk daily, keep an art journal or work on other forms of self -expression, and hang with people I trust...not so social but trying not to isolate through nurturing better connections with a smaller number of friends.

The shaking or other effects aren't so scary because I'm not alone...I do that trauma work with my therapist. But if I'm struggling between sessions she encourages me to find a safe outlet for whatever energy, without going further into it...if I'm in a panic I just need to feel safe. And finding ways to feel safe, and safe in my body has gotten easier. I still suck at it when pain is unavoiadable or seemingly uncontrollable, but the range of feelings is better day-to-day...and less being either numbed out or hyper. Probably like any form of therapy we trust, it gives us hope and a shred of confidence, so the hard or scary parts of the work feel tolerable. I feel like I'm unfreezing lots of things in my body and hope I can unfreeze more and just feel more relaxed, alive, and resilient.