Mindfulness and Somatic Movement in Therapy
Mindfulness and somatic movement are tools that can be used in therapy to help you develop a deeper understanding of your mind-body connection, increase self-awareness, and reduce stress in an integrative way. These tools are growing in popularity in the field of therapy and are used alongside traditional talk therapy.
In therapy, mindfulness can be used to help you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings, develop a greater sense of control over your emotions, and improve your ability to cope with stress and anxiety.
Somatic interventions like yoga, dancing, and other physical movements involve using movement to connect with your body and develop greater self-awareness. By paying attention to the physical sensations in your body, you can learn to identify and release physical tension from stress or trauma.
The benefits of including mindfulness and somatic movement strategies in your therapy are:
Increasing self-awareness: You’ll become more aware of your body’s sensations and emotional experiences. This can help you identify triggers for anxiety or trauma and develop strategies to manage stressors effectively.
Improving emotional regulation: You’ll learn to regulate your emotions by increasing your ability to recognize and manage difficult emotions such as fear, worry, and panic.
Enhancing relaxation response: You’ll become more familiar with your body's relaxation response.The relaxation response is the opposite of the stress response (fight/flight/freeze) and involves slowing down the heart rate, lowering blood pressure, and relaxing your muscles. The more you practice this response, the more your body and nervous system will be able to benefit from it!
Middle Way Wellness is a therapy practice that incorporates both techniques into its approach to therapy, offering a personalized, person-centered approach to managing stress, anxiety, and trauma. By developing a greater understanding of the mind-body connection through mindfulness and somatic movement, you can improve their ability to cope with stressors and lead a more fulfilling life in alignment with your values.
