Gentle, body-based therapy for trauma recovery and nervous system healing
Somatic Experiencing Therapy (SET) is a body-oriented approach to healing trauma and chronic stress. Developed by Dr. Peter Levine, SET is based on the idea that trauma is not only a psychological experience but also a physiological one, held and stored in the nervous system.
Unlike traditional talk therapy, SET focuses on the felt sense, the body’s physical sensations, as a pathway to process and release unresolved trauma. Rather than revisiting traumatic memories in full detail, clients are supported to gradually reconnect with their bodies, build resilience, and restore a sense of internal safety.
Release Trapped Trauma
Restore Nervous System Balance
Rebuild Resilience
SET works by helping clients become aware of bodily sensations related to trauma, such as tightness, numbness, restlessness, or pain, and learning to track and shift those sensations gently. This process taps into the body’s innate ability to heal and complete the fight, flight, or freeze responses that may have been interrupted during overwhelming or traumatic events.
Therapists guide clients to “pendulate” between states of distress and safety, allowing the nervous system to slowly discharge stored energy without becoming overwhelmed. This creates new patterns of regulation, calm, and self-awareness.
SET is grounded in the biological principle that animals in the wild naturally release trauma through movement and shaking after a threat, but humans often suppress this response, leading to trauma being “stuck” in the body.
Somatic Experiencing can be helpful for a range of trauma-related and stress-related symptoms, including:
By working gently with the body, SET helps restore nervous system balance, reduce chronic reactivity, and build a deeper sense of safety, presence, and embodiment.
Taking the first step toward therapy can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to navigate this alone. At Lifebridge Psychotherapy, we’re committed to making your experience as comfortable and supportive as possible.
SET sessions are typically slow-paced and highly individualized. The focus is not on talking through the trauma but on building the capacity to feel and regulate internal states.
Creating a supportive environment to tune into body sensations.
Exploring questions like: “What do you notice in your body right now?”
Noticing breath, heartbeat, muscle tension, or temperature shifts.
Moving attention between areas of tension and areas of comfort.
Accessing feelings of safety, grounding, or calm.
Processing overwhelming experiences in small, manageable steps.
Releasing stuck energy through trembling, deep breaths, or natural movements.
Allowing your body to set the pace and guide the process.
No, SE focuses on body sensations rather than traumatic stories or memories.
SE helps you develop a safer, more comfortable relationship with your body over time.
SE is therapy that uses body awareness rather than physical manipulation or touch.
Many people feel some relief quickly, with deeper healing developing over months.
Somatic Experiencing Therapy is a gentle, non-invasive approach to healing trauma by reconnecting with your body’s wisdom. By supporting the nervous system in releasing stored stress and completing unresolved survival responses, SET empowers clients to feel more grounded, present, and alive.
Rather than focusing on the story of what happened, SET honors how the body remembers, offering a profound path toward regulation, resilience, and healing from the inside out.
