Grief and Loss

Grief can leave you feeling exhausted, overwhelmed, or emotionally stuck. Perhaps you feel weighted down or unable to cope. Somatic Experiencing offers a way for you to address the physical manifestations of grief through gentle movement , breathing, and sound. Somatic Experiencing focuses on a concept called a "completion cycle." When an animal in the wild encounters a threat, the sympathetic nervous system goes into overdrive - the HPA axis signals for the hypothalamus to release hormones which cause the adrenal glands to release cortisol. Once the threat has passed, the animal is able to shake off the tension, returning to a baseline state. When one experiences complicated or prolonged grief, your mind and body can become stuck in phases of grief, including denial, anger, bargaining, and/or depression. You may find yourself struggling to break free, but unable to complete the cycle, hindering you from moving forward.

Grief is oftentimes a byproduct of trauma - perhaps you are grieving the loss of a role, a friend, or a loved one. Perhaps you are in the midst of a major life transition and are grieving previous experiences. Such a major loss will inevitably take its toll on the body. Fortunately, by exploring these sensations and feelings with openness and curiosity, Somatic Experiencing allows release of trapped energy, thereby restoring your life to balance and flow.

Part of Somatic Experiencing is exploring, acknowledging, and sitting with the feelings and sensations associated with the dualities of principles without judgment - for example, what happens inside when you hear ,"with love comes the risk for loss? is it ok to be with that sensation or felt sense, knowing you're not alone in this process?". The goal of Somatic Experiencing isn't to forget about the pain from loss, but to explore it with honor and remembrance, so it doesn't have to control your life or weigh you down. You will learn coping skills to carry the experience with you , while feeling untethered to make new connections and move forward.

“The deeper that sorrow carves into your being,the more joy you can contain. When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight.” - Kahlil Gibran